This is an introduction. I have joined this mailing list for two reasons: 1) I am a Strong (my mother is a Strong) and am therefore interested in getting in touch with relatives. - our line of Strong's is from South Africa (x3 generations), with my great-grandfather leaving England for Zimbabwe/South Africa just before WWII (I think). - Family history around this time is very poor. 2) Most interestingly, I am conducting detailed research on the Strong family of stonemasons who, amongst other buildings & churches, were contractor masons for St Paul's Cathedral, as well as quarry owners in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire Counties. I have been gathering information on them for the past year (secondry data) and have accumlated rather a large amount of information, and am slowly starting to piece the puzzle together. However, I am keen to increase the detail of my research to incorporate a more contextual understanding of how they lived, what it was like to be a stonemason and their role as important stonemasons in London and the Cotswolds/Oxfordshire in the 1600's and 1700's. At present I am researching original sources in London libraries, and as I can only do this part-time, it is taking awhile. If anyone has information on this particular line of the Strong family - stories etc I would be most grateful to hear from you, and/or share my findings to date. While I continue my research, I am trying to trace the memoirs written by Edward Strong Snr. He wrote these in the early 1700's, whilst retired in his manor at St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. Should anyone have ideas on how I can trace these memoirs I would love to hear from you. Best wishes, Nicola Jenkin ............................................................................ ................................ Nicola Jenkin Projects Manager Best Foot Forward Ltd The Future Centre 115 Magdalden Road Oxford OX4 1RQ England Tel: 01865 250818 Fax: 01865 794586 Mobile: 0781 558 7707 E-mail: nicola@bestfootforward.com Website: www.bestfootforward.com City Limits Project: Ecological Footprint of Greater London: www.citylimitslondon.com 'Sharing Nature's Interest' & a lifestyle calculator: www.ecologicalfootprint.com