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HI there

I have Weardale ancestors.  My ggg grandfather was Albany Forster, later known as Obadiah Forster, born in St Johns Chapel in 1828.  His parents were John Forster and Mary Sproat or Sprout.  Like many people in that part of the world, they were lead miners.  At some point in the 1830s they moved to Kenton near Newcastle (now a suburb of Newcastle) and appear on the 1841 census as coal miners.

I haven't been able to get any further back with certainty.  There are various John Forsters who could be my ancestor, but I don't know which one. 

If you have any more info, I would be grateful. 

Thanks

Hi there

I am descended from Charles Hiett (depending on how far you have got with your researches, you may recognise my sign-in name...).  Although the census says Staunton, this is in fact Stanton Fitzwarren, near Swindon, and when I was over that way a couple of years ago I looked up the parish records in the Swindon Record Office.  Charles was born in 1782 and his father was Robert Hiett.  The Will of Robert Hiett is available on Documents Online.    I have since found out that the Swindon Record Office has a lot of papers from the solicitors who dealt with the estate of Robert Hiett after his death, but I haven't been able to get over there again to look at them - I don't suppose you're anywhere near Swindon?

I am new to this site, so I don't know whether I can send you a private message - if so, I am happy to chat further about my researches into the Hietts so far.