Hi Lesley

Thank you so much for your reply, I'm not on Genes reunited, but will give them a try. I'd traced the Fergusons back from Tynemouth and found to my amazement that they lived in Felton. I lived in Felton myself until about 18 months ago, but only discovered the connection about 3 months ago!! I wasn't there for family reasons, but simply because it was a delightful village close to work!! Such a shame I didn't have all this info back then.

I'm now in Ireland, so visiting isn't so easy. I've asked a neighbour to go and have a look for me, but haven't heard anything. Never mind. We get back to the UK from time to time, so will pay the ancestors a visit before too long.

The Fergusons also crop up in the next-door village, West Thirston (it's really one big village, but one side of the river is Felton, and the other side is West Thirston), and also in a village called 'Framlington' in the records. There's no village of this name anymore, but there is a village close to Felton called Longframlington, so I'm guessing it's the same. Thomas Ferguson (who married Dorothy Wilson) had parents Robert Ferguson (born 1718, Framlington) and Ellinor Elliott (born 1718, Woodham). I've never heard of a place called 'Woodham' but there is a village called 'Woodhorn', so it's possible there's a transcription error here.

Would be very interested to hear how far you've got back with the Fergusons.

kind regards

Shelagh