DAVID Rowbottom who lived in Leigh until 1965 would like to hear from anyone who remembers him -- especially neighbour Ian Snape --from the days when he lived on St Helens Road and attended secondary school in Windmere Road. He's at ironical@blueyonder.co.uk and lives in Paignton, Devon.

ANGELA McGregor is trying to trace family from the Leigh area.

Writing from Sydney, Australia (mcgregangel@bigpond.com) she says: "My grandparents Thomas & Alice Shaw (nee Clarke) emigrated to Australia with their two boys in 1952.

"Thomas had an older brother, Joseph, born in 1891, and sister, Florence, born in 1894. Florence had three daughters -- Olive, Lily, & Barbara. Lily married a man named Geoff and had children John & Mary who would have been in their mid 20s in 1964.

A REQUEST from Down Under asks if anyone knows of Ellen Sefton born in Leigh in the late 1880s. We're told she spent time in India with her husband Edward (Ted) and daughter Freda. Any information should be sent to jamac@iinet.net.au who is in New South Wales.

BLACK Country man Doug Carter wants to find information about the Halliday Family, which will compete his late mother's family history.

"My mother was the daughter of Henry Walters, son of Samuel Walters, a Staffordshire coal miner who migrated to Atherton in the late 19th century.

"As a baby Henry was sent to live with his aunt in Staffordshire in late 1890s and subsequently married and had a daughter, my mother. Henry was killed in France in the first world war."

BARB McBride Barclayba@hotmail.com writes:

"I can't even remember what school I went to in Atherton, I went to too many schools. In school (1978) you knew me as Barbara (Bubu) Barclay.

"I would love to contact anyone I used to go to school with, Pikey (Katherine), Fiona, Paula, Skeeter, Gibb. Also any from the old neighbourhood. Are you out there Christian?

"Looking forward to hearing from everyone. If you read this and know any of these people please let them know. Thanks. See ya! "

She's at Box 2245, Port Hardy, British Columbia V0N 2P0.

BILL Simister would like to contact anyone who attended Leigh Tech between 1957 and 1959. He tells us Tech mates Barry Davis, Colin Hankey, Tony Foxwell, John Prescot and Gordon Evans spring to mind.

Contact Bill via email at billsimister@telkomsa.net or write to him at: PO box 416, Anerley 4230 KZN, South Africa.

DAVID Warren writes from Eire hoping to contact friends from his 1970s St Mary's schooldays.

"I've been living in Ireland for the last 20 years, if you remember me send e-mail. Hope you are all still cool, look forward to hearing from you," says David who is at DWarren@meteor.ie or Beaghbeg, Caherlistrane, Galway, Republic of Ireland.

SALLYANNE Redden asks if anyone served with her father in the Royal Navy between 1941-1946.

She says: "His name was John William Thomas Hill known as 'Jack' and he was a Stoker 1st & 2nd class PO. The only two ships that I know he served on for sure are HMS Keppel and HMS Rockingham, Destroyer (10-7-1941).

"He was based at HMS Royal Arthur, Victory, Ferret, Quebec, Dinosaur and Copra. I am trying to write his life story and any information would be gratefully received." She is at skippy.redden@ntlworld.com

MARK Lazarre is seeking anyone researching family history of Allred, Aldred or Alldred families of the Leigh, Atherton and Eccles area. He is at rootsmark@aol.com and based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

KENNETH Thomas Naughton of Telford Crescent in Leigh is trying to find living descendants of Joseph Longson, born in 1884 in Chinley or Buxworth, Derbyshire. He married a Mary (maiden name unknown) from Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

He said: "The 1881 census has him living in Cannell Bank Cottages, Chinley. He had two sons, Job and George born in Whaley, Derby, aged 10 and 9 respectively. He worked on the canals, and the 1901 census shows him living at 19, Marsland Green, Astley.

"I am keen to find if he had any brothers or sisters. It would be a bonus if I could discover his wife's maiden name. Are there any Longsons out there with info?" Contact him at kenmar44@hotmail.com or 3, Telford Crescent, Leigh.

He is also seeking descendants of William Griffiths married to Maria Phoenix.

Mr Naughton said: "The 1881 census shows them living in Poolmouth, Denbigh. William was born in Cerney, Denbigh, in 1837 and died between 1881 and 1891, probably in Leigh. Maria was born in Poolmouth, Denbigh in 1841, and died in Leigh.

"They had six children Harriet, Thomas Henry, James, Selina, Llewellyn and Simon Thomas. Prior to 1891 the family moved to the Lancs coalfield and all eventually settled in Leigh.

"I have been pretty succesful in tracing most of the family, but have hit a brick wall re James and Selina. James had nine children and married Margaret Ellen Brown in 1893 at St Peters Church in Firs Lane."

BRENDA Jones asks: "Is there anyone out there who attended St Mary's at Astley from when the girls school first opened, leaving around 1962, or Sacred Heart School, Leigh before that?

"My Maiden name was Walsh and my elder brother is Vincent, we both still live in the Leigh area and would like to hear of any old school antics that you may remember..."

Contact her at brendajones258@msn.com

MAUREEN Taylor is seeking readers who remember the Wakefeild famliy who lived at 160 and 162 Bolton Old Road, Atherton in the1920s to 1940s. She's at ttoo1b3383@blueyonder.co.uk

PETER Sutcliffe asks if anyone knows the whereabouts of Joanne Whalley who went to Green Hall School in Atherton in the 1960s. He's at pete@sutcliffe134.fsnet.co.uk or write to him at 20 Darc'y Court, Selby, Y08 8DY.

EDDIE Worthington writes from the north east asking if any reader has or had a Moses or Abraham Worthington in their family to help his family history research. He's at edwworthington@aol.com or

31 Greathead Crescent, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5DW.

LUCY Prideaux (formerly Hatton) would like to contact anyone who was in form 5.1 at Lowton High School. She's at lotty28@msn.com

MRS Kaye Gorringe (nee Corbett) wants to contact Kathleen Barnes (nee Mulcahey). She's at kazieg@hotmail.com

STAN Bond from Mosley Common wants to contact Brian Hindley who in the early 1960s lived at Shakerley Rd in Tyldesley and joined the Royal Navy serving on HMS Ganges.

"He was also a keen Blackpool fan," says Stan who is at stan.bond@melchemicals.com or write to him at 16 Dunster Road, Mosley Common.

MARGARET Thomas is trying to trace her ancestors the Derbyshires who in 1901 lived at 392 Wigan Road in Leigh. Thomas, who was 44 at that time was a coal miner. He and his wife Alice had eight children and their youngest, Amy, was her grandma.

"Thomas and his son Henry where killed in a mining accident, but I don't know where or when. Any information would be great," writes Margaret who is at aradia1@f2s.com

MARLENE Sawyer (nee Derbyshire) is seeking relatives of George Derbyshire born in 1899 in Leigh.

"George married Elizabeth Sharples in 1927. They divorced and he remarried in 1948 to Edna Alldred," says

Marlene of 29 Fairview Rd, Ash, Aldershot, Hants or tomsawyer1960@aol.com

WRITING from Australia, Stuart Nugent, tells us he is trying to find old friends from Freddies.

"I left at the end of 1977, anyone remember me?" asks Stu, who'd like to hear from Mark Dalton, Gillian Pearson and David Clarke. He's at snugent@medau.jnj.com.au

"DOES anybody remember my uncle George Derbyshire who was born on May 28, 1914 and died around1988 in Leigh?" asks judybrook@ntlworld.com

MICHAEL Roe is searching for three friends who went to Westleigh High from 1981-1985.

"We were all in Mrs Tomlinson's fifth form. If anyone knows Raymond Pilkington (Pilky), Dean Butler or big Nick Walton please let me know," writes Michael who is at tracey@rattlesnake.fsnet.co.uk

RAY Hunter is attempting to trace Matthew Henry Hunter who lived in Tyldesley from 1858 to 1935, and is believed to have married Elizabeth Higson. Contact him at Ray@winwick100.freeserve.co.uk

LINCOLN Kay is looking for Nicola Wilshaw who was born at Golborne in December 1973. He's at lincoln_kay2003@yahoo.com

ROBERT Mather says: "I understand that my ancestors originated in the Bedford area of Leigh in the very early part of the 19th century. I would appreciate any information on Mathers in the area about that time. He's at Bob@Mather.Go-plus.net or South Hockwell, Newton St. Petrock, Devon, EX22 7LS.

KAREN Cotter is searching for Vince Jackson who was born between 1940-1950 in Atherton and married Doreen Jeffs. She is at k.cotter@ntlworld.com

GILLIAN Sutcliffe would like to find her partner Peter Horrocks' old university friends.

He was at Manchester University in 1984 studing zoology. Contact her at gillian_sutcliffe@hotmail.com

"I AM trying to locate Norma Yates who lived at Pennington Road in Leigh in 1965," writes K Ainscough who is at darren_ainscough@msn.com

DEREK Ward is seeking Trevor Roberts from Leigh.

"I lost your e-mail, could you please get in touch?" asks Derek who is at derekandpat.ward@sympatico.ca

or 405-62 Spencer Street East, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada K9A 1C2.

MARLENE Sawyer from Aldershot in Hampshire wants to contact a son of George and Elizabeth Derbyshire, who was born between 1936 and 1938 and lived in Union Street, Tyldesley. She is also seeking relatives of Irish-born Mary, who married John Marsh in 1901. She was born in Kildare, Ireland about 1855. Contact her at tomsawyer1960@aol.com

BRIGITTE Cox (nee Grundy) is busy researching her family tree.

She says: "I would like to contact descendants of Fergus, Simeon and Holland Grundy, sons of Joseph Grundy and Margaret Cross of Blackmoor, Astley."

She's at dbdcox@netspeed.com.au or 45 Millen St, Hughes, ACT 2605, Australia.

KIM Pattimore is searching for Ann Marie Roberts whose mother's name was Mary Jane Roberts (nee Fursey). She's at kimpatti2000@yahoo.co.uk

GARY Grimshaw writes from America in search of former workmate Ann Radcliffe "she lived behind The Railway pub and I lived in Leigh. We both worked at Atherton Egg Packing. I would love to hear from her." He is at garygrimshaw@optonline.net and 5, Elm Terrace, Parlin, NJ 08859, U.S.A.

THOMAS Allan is looking for anyone who knew his grandfather, Francis Binnie ALLAN who lived at 63, The Avenue in Leigh until 1947. If you can help contact Thomas at 61 Crofton Avenue, Glasgow, E44 5HY (tel 0141 583 0615).

CATHY Rowley from Unstone Green in Derbyshire wishes to contact those who remember her from her days in Leigh. She went to XII Apostles School and worked at the Pearl Assurance Company. She's at Rowley822@aol.com

"I AM trying to find a William Bent, whose wife's name is Mary (nee Unsworth). They have a son Peter who lives in Darwin, North Australia," writes Anne Jackson, who would be grateful for any information. Contact her at irene.carter2@btopenworld.com

DAVE Millington tells us: "I lived in Atherton in the early 1970s and would like to hear from any old pals who know me." He is at davidmillington997@msn.com and lives in Scotland.