Herewith the joke of the day: The Australasian Shropshire Register came in from the out of town store to the State Library and was waiting for me at the desk, together with the 1879 directory. The ASR looked very inviting, as it was about eight volumes from 1901-1912, with a very fat one doubly shrink-wrapped against the atmosphere. At last here was a register of Australian folk who had emigrated from Shropshire and had formed an association. Much the same as the Welsh had done in some lands. Should be some good names in there! And there were - there was a Mrs. Blissfull Ewe living on a farm in Tasmania, and a Mr. Sturdee Ram up in Victoria. The ASR was not a list of humans, but a register of thoroughbred SHEEP! Apparently the quality of the Shropshire breed was such that thousands had been imported into Australia since 1864, and then in 1901 it was decided to set up a register of breeders. Ha Ha! Ahh well, not so much different from the human race! Baaahhhh. And so to the Commercial & Trades directory for 1879: There were some enquiries from the Welsh lists for Bristol - not that far away these days with a motorized push bike or one of those new-fangled motor scooters you stand upright on. I'd probably fall off, but then again.... a new lease of life, perhaps.....: Alas, the only things I could find in Bristol for those who enquired were a few records of WATHEN and WILLIAMS folks: Bristol Trades Directory Beer retailers: Whaten, Enoch, Stillhouse La. Bedminster Bristol Commercial Directory: Whathen, Gardiner & Co. Export clothiers and woolen warehousemen 38 Broad St., Bristol and 2 Little Love Lane, Wood St., London Court directory: Wathen, Charles, Ashley Ho. Ashley Hill Bristol Commercial Directory: Williams Alfred, beer retailer, 20 Alfred Pce Kingsbown (or is it Kingsbowen, even Kingsdown?) Williams Alfred chaff and corn dealer, Portwall Lane Williams Alfred greengrocer 2 Gladstone Pl. Russell town Williams James auctioneer All Saint's Lane Corn Street Williams James grocer 31 Marlborough St. Williams James shopkeeper 2 Cheese Lane Williams James shopkeeper 18 Lower Castle St. Williams James tailor 118 City Rd. & in the city of Gloucester, was: Wathen Charles, Magnet Inn, Union Street (commercial directory) Wathen Benjamin beer retailer Suffolk St. Wathen Frederick coal and potato merchant, Blackfriars residence - Acton Villa, Regent Street Some occupations etc. of names recently being researched on the lists appearing in the Trades and Commercial Directory of Shropshire 1879 are as follows: Beer retailers: DOVASTON Mrs. S. Annscroft, Shrewsbury WHITTALL Mrs. A. Cemetery Rd Wellington Boot and shoe makers PAGE New St. Wellington PRITCHARD Edward, Wesbury Shrewsbury VAUGHAN Edward, Minsterley Brewers Page James, Severn Brewery Ironside R.S.O Brick & Tile Makers CHALLONER Isaac, Lower Cound, Shrewsbury Bricklayers SAMBROOK W. Hinstock Market Drayton SHUKER G. Burgess St Market Drayton Builders PRITCHARD T. 93 Frankwell Shrewsbury SHUKER Richard, Hawthorn Cottage Little Drayton WOOLHAM John, Tilley Shrewsbury Cattle Dealers SHUKER Joseph, Clapgate Whitchurch Charter Masters VAUGHAN William, Ketley Wellington Chemists and Druggists VAUGHAN David, The Cross Oswestry Coach Painters SHUKER John, Cheshire St. and Shrewsbury Rd. Market Drayton Cutlers VAUGHAN Mrs. Anne, Stoney Stretton Shrewsbury Drapers PACE Piercey, Hodnet Market Drayton TEAGUE Mrs. Sarah, St. George's Wellington (Peggy Beckett, are you watching this?) Farmers BEBB Mrs. Anne, Wattlesborough, Cardeston Shrewsbury BEBB E., Gt. Berwick Farm Shrewsbury CADWALLADER David, Upper Penyllan Brompton Church Stoke R.S.O CADWALLADER George, Lower Hayton Stanton Lacey Bromfield R.S.O CADWALLADER Herbert, Pen-y-Cwm Clun R.S.O CADWALLADER John, Clunbury Aston-on-Clun R.S.O CADWALLADER M. Cleeton Bitterley Ludlow CADWALLADER Thomas, Thonglands (back in the limelight again!) CADWALLADER Thomas, Munslow Church Stretton R.S.O DICKEN Edward, Pentrecoed Ellesmere DICKEN Samuel, Wistanwick Stoke-upon-Terne Market Drayton DICKEN William, Blythurg Shifnal DICKEN W., Hodnet Market Drayton DICKEN William, Pentrecoed Ellesmere DICKIN Edward Thomas, Yorkingsgate Black Park Whitchurch DICKIN Mrs. Frances, Lineal Ellesmere DICKIN George, Netley Shrewsbury DICKIN James, Newtown Wem DICKIN Jhn, Darleston Prees Shrewsbury DICKIN Richard, Darleston Prees Shrewsbury DICKIN Robert, Aston Wellington DICKIN Robert, Ightfield Whitchurch DICKIN Samuel, Little Ness, Shrewsbury DICKIN Thomas, Cockshutt Ellesmere DICKIN Mrs. Thomas, Ellardine Wellington MULLINER Mrs. M.A. Spoonley Market Drayton MULLINER T. Hawksmr. Adderley Market Drayton MUNSLOW John, Buildwas Ironbridge MUSLOW Richard, Far Darnford Ratlinghope Shrewsbury SHUKER Edward, Whitcott Norbury Bishop's Castle SHUKER Mrs. E. Muckleton Shrewsbury SHUKER John, Heightly Chirbury SHUKER Langley, Bromcroft Munslow Church Stretton R.S.O SHUKER Thomas Robinson, Holloway Church Stretton R.S.O VAUGHAN A. Parkucha Llanford Oswestry VAUGHAN David Prestcott Baschurch VAUGHAN Edward, Middle Shrewsbury (Is this "Myddle", Shrewsbury, or "Middle Shrewsbury"?) VAUGHAN John, Fron Selattyn Oswestry (someone was recently asking where Fron (or Vron) was, and I seem to remember it was successfully answered) VAUGHAN John, Pontesbury Shrewsbury VAUGHAN John, Upper Vessons-Hope Shrewsbury VAUGHAN John S. Polemere Shrewsbury VAUGHAN P. Stanford Hall, Caynton Newport VAUGHAN Richard, Selattyn Oswestry VAUGHAN Thomas, High Fawr Oswestry VAUGHAN Thomas, Stoney Lane Snitton Bitterly Ludlow VAUGHAN Thomas, Timburth Chirbury VAUGHAN William, The Lodge Ruyton-of-the-eleven Towns Shrewsbury WOOLHAM James, Gledrid St. Martins WOOLHAM William, Rhos-y-Gadfa Ebnall Oswestry Grocers and Tea dealers DICKIN Francis Market Sq. Wellington DICKIN Misses Harriet and Georgina Ruyton-of-the-eleven Towns Shrewsbury PACE Piercy, Hodnet Market Drayton PACE Samuel, Dodington Whitchurch PRITCHARD Edward W. Dogpole Shrewsbury SAMBROOK Mrs. Martha, Hinstock Market Drayton SHINGLER Mrs. Mary, High St. Madeley VAUGHAN W. Twyford West Felton R.S.O WHITTALL E. Wentnor Bishop's Castle R.S.O WOOLHAM Charles, Maesbury Oswestry Ironfounders RUSHTON Chas. 52 Cartway Bridgnorth Ironmongers retail CHALLENOR & Brothers, 3 King St. and 9 Church St. Ludlow PRITCHARD & DICKIN 46 Mardol Shrewsbury Jewellers VAUGHAN Thomas, New St. Wellington So, up to Jewellers for today........ to be continued!! I assume that the letters R.S.O have something to do with postal deliveries, as it is a post office directory, possibly something like the Australian LBN, "Locked Bag Number"? Or perhaps it means "roadside service offered"! :)) For Jane Roberts in New York city: Have not found any Bland/Blann etc. folks as yet, but still looking. Chin up Graham