Hello, I've just joined this list and a couple of others in the area. My name is Michel and am presently in S. Africa (I'm from N. America originally). Being in S. Africa, I didn't have internet for about 5 years but this year that has been rectified. My great-grandfather was from Taunton, Somerset, from the Badcock and Metford families (Ellis families came from Devon). I have a tremendous amount on the Metfords (most were Quaker) and I've been able to trace back to the 17th century on many lines. I've come to Taunton (and Devon) on two occasions in the 90s with my mother to look at old family homes in Taunton (Flook, Fons George and The Elms) as well as the Anderdon family in Ruishton. Also travelled to Street in Somerset and didn't quite make it to Uffculme in Devon (but we tried). But did get to Bath. If you find any METFORD he or she is probably related, but if you come across one in your files, let me know. I've been researching off and on since 1978 (I started when I was 14). From what I could tell, my people were involved in malt making, the clothing industry and have left a pretty good trail of land records. The rest of the families are as follows: Ellis and Ellis alias Salter of Uffculme and Burlescombe, DEV Metford of Taunton and Glastonbury, SOM Anderdon of Bath and Ruishton (Henlade House), SOM Badcock of Bampton, DEV, later Taunton, SOM (the Bankers) Hulet, Hulett, Hewlett and Hewlett of Street, SOM Parker of Bampton, DEV Prockter alias Mathew and Mathewe alias Prockter of Ruishton, SOM Mabson of Glaston, SOM Dinham of Taunton, SOM (allied) Button of Taunton, SOM (allied) I have other allied families (like Wright and Mallet/Mallett), but others are not my research (Clothier, Clarke, Rawes). I am grateful to Jonathan Hepworth over the years for the latter. I have Will extracts from Metford and Ellis I will share if anyone is interested. I would also like to trace back further and sort out my strays (don't we all!). Michel Metford-Platt