Hi Thanks for the answers to my questions. I obviously had a different idea in my head of the meaning of vintner. I looked it up in the dictionary and it is a seller of wine. The 1852 directory has over a dozen listed for Stranraer - was it local product or was the demand enough for this many to be importing and on selling. Obviously you didnt drink water and the poor drank ale or whisky but ...... And what was my Robert then that was different as he was listed as a "wine & spirit merchant". He came from irish labourer background so would not have had money to start up a business but is the only member of the family I have so far traced who "made good". regards Pauline Melbourne