Published at 13:37, Thursday, 15 May 2008

I’M inquiring about your article the bastle at Low Hartleycleugh (Courant, April 4).

I’ve traced my geneology back to Thomas Coates (my great-grandfather), born in London on April 14, 1847. H his father was Thomas Coates (married to MatildaWood).

I'm wondering if the Thomas Coates or Edward Coates you mention in the article might be related to me. I would appreciate any help.

Could it have been the Coates or Coats family, recorded in the census of 1861 as living at ‘Hearty Cleugh’ just north of Blackcleugh, and mostly making a living by mining or dressing lead?

Even 10-year-old Thomas Coates was a wage earner. Back in 1841 Edward Coates was living at Hearty Cleugh, and he was giving house room to his nephew, William Whitfield, son of another very numerous West Allen family.

THOMAS COATES,

22220 W Lyndon Loop,

Castro Valley,

California,

USA

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