----- Original Message ----- From: "Herb Adams" <shogun630@webtv.net> To: <STRONG-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 11:00 AM Subject: [STRONG] Keith Matthews File > The Keith Matthews File contains a wealth o genealogical info on the > Strong family of Poole, Dorset and Trinity Bay, Nfld The info is > confusing because of the abbreviations he used. > Has anyone deciphered this info, and if so, where can I find it. If not, > it would be a good project for the list. > The following quote is from MUN/MHA: "Dr. Matthews began his research in the West of England, in Devon and Dorset, collecting information on individuals, families and businesses involved in the Newfoundland trade. He later expanded the scope of his research to include trades other than the fishery and people outside the West country who had Newfoundland connections. Thus the name files also include information on people from London, Bristol, Ireland and the Channel Islands, as well as residents of Newfoundland. These files contain a wealth of information which is invaluable to people tracing their Newfoundland ancestry, and for that reason the files are open for research. "In order to collect this information Matthews consulted a vast range of archival and published material. From this material he transcribed the information on any name or business associated either with the Newfoundland trade, or in some cases, the town which supplied the crews for the Newfoundland fishery. Each item of information is contained on a small strip of paper, which is filed by surname and subdivided by given name." ... "The format of the names files can be rather confusing. Matthews had developed his own form of abbreviations and syntax." ... The Keith Matthews Names file is part of Memorial University of Newfoundland's (MUN) Maritime History Archive (MHA). You can find their web site at http://www.mun.ca/mha/ . Several years ago I paid for copies of the Strong (S-123) files. The MHA retains copyright to the files, but I have their permission to post a transcription on my web site. Refer to http://home.earthlink.net/~lkstrong/KMatthews.htm , which includes all the typos from the original files. I have not found time over the years to translate the files. My Strong's were/are from the Notre Dame Bay area of Newfoundland. Charles "Chaz" Strong lkstrong@earthlink.net http://home.earthlink.net/~lkstrong/