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Details below when I've cut and pasted it. Apologies for how long-winded it might seem but wanted to include all the info I have!

To my knowledge, my 5x grandfather was STONEHOUSE Stuart, a Trinity Pilot, this is the name/occupation he used on his children’s baptism records, its on his death cert and on the 2 census records I have before his death in 1853 aged 98. So far, I’ve struggled to locate a baptism for him c.1756 or find a record of his marriage to Elizabeth (Randfield?) c.1788, in any of the usual places, but have assumed that the records I need haven’t survived the ravages of time. On the 1841 Essex census, he is stated as born out of county, 1851 states his birthplace as Sunderland. My little problem has now arisen as such: I’ve obtained Elizabeth’s 1843 death certificate, it is definitely the correct one as the address matches that from the 1841 census but she is stated as ‘Wife of Anthony Stuart’ (informant is her son in law). In addition, I’ve also been in contact with someone researching the same person who states that Stonehouse was born in Scotland and that the Sunderland in question is ‘Sunderland’ on the Isle of Islay. I’ve googled and come up with nothing to indicate there is a Sunderland in Scotland, only a place called Sutherland. Another birthplace possibility is ‘Belmont’ in Scotland; one of their children claimed in later life to have been born there although he was baptised in Harwich, Essex, and there is no evidence that Stonehouse and Elizabeth were ever in Scotland I’m at a bit of a loss as to where to go next with this one. Does anyone have access to Scottish baptisms who could maybe help me throw some light on this? I’ve had a look on IGI but nothing leapt out at me as being an obvious possibility for either Stonehouse or Anthony Stuart Thanks Lou

According to Steetmap, there are several Sunderlands_ Sunderland, Cumbria CA13 [Other Town] Sunderland, Lancashire [City/Town/Village] Sunderland, Scottish Borders Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR1 [3rd Order] Sunderland, Kent [Antiquity (non Roman)] Re the 1841 census, if someone was born in Scotland, there should be an 'S' in the right hand column (as well as a 'N' in the column before that).

Does the other person have a source for believing he was from Islay?? There is no Sunderland on Multimap except for the ones in England, but my AA Road Atlas does have Sunderland on the Isle of Islay as well!! Sarah

Hi Geoff/Sarah No 'S', just the 'N' for out of county. I have nothing to indicate that he was born in Scotland and the person who contacted me didn't say why that was his assumption. The 1851 clearly says Sunderland, Northumberland as his birthplace Lou

There is a Sunderland in the Scottish Borders, just north of Selkirk. Kath. x

Ouch! So not only do I have a choice of Christian names for him now but there are Sunderland's in 2 different countries. Oh boy, this is definitely beating head against brick wall again time!

There is a place in Northumberland called North Sunderland. So if you want a Sunderland that is in Northumberland rather than in County Durham (or Scotland for that matter!) then could it be there. I think the other researcher would need some pretty strong evidence for his/her Islay theory! Sarah

Apparantly they make quite a splendid malt whiskey there. That was the only information I was able to glean from him. Rather annoying when I'd given him everything I have on the entire family back as far as c1780. Was hoping for rather more in return than that. Ah well....belated happy birthday by the way, hon! Lou

If he was a Trinity Pilot, at least North Sunderland is right by the sea (It's near where Grace Darling came from and we all know about her heroics - maybe she was inspired by your Stonehouse Stuart's family? lol) Sarah

Hi Julie Trinity Lighthouses, a pilot was someone who manned one I thought of planes at first till I realised the century didn't fit! Lou

Cat Balou On the Scottish side of my family I have some pretty peculiar first names too, such as Waterhouse. Stonehouse sounds pretty Scottish to me and I wonder if it was his mother/grandmother's maiden name? (I know this doesnt fit with the marriage you found but sometimes its a bit obscure, they seemed to go back several generations with the funny names in Scotland). I am assuming you have looked for Alexander Stonehouse? Also, if I remember rightly, bits of Northumberland used to be in Scotland and vice versa. Im rambling again, I'll shut up, good luck! Olde Crone

Hi Crone! I haven't found a marriage, I'm basing Elizabeth's maiden name being Randfield on the fact that 9 out of their 12 children had Randfield as their middle name and I have been 'told' by this other researcher that her maiden name was Randfield. I'm searching for the evidence! Every generation of my Stuart line has at least one male with Stonehouse as either their christian name or their middle name so agree that its probably relevant way back when! I just need that little leg up to get me part way up and over this brickwall! Lou

Olde Crone - I don't understand the ref to Alexander Stonehouse??? But there are these birth regs: 1. PETER STONEHOUSE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 13 JUL 1752 Bamburgh, Northumberland, England 2. JANE STONEHOUSE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 03 JUL 1757 Bamburgh, Northumberland, England 3. RICHARD STONEHOUSE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 22 JUN 1755 Bamburgh, Northumberland, England 4. ALEXANDER STANHOUSE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 17 JUN 1750 Bamburgh, Northumberland, England where the father of numbers 1, 3 and 4 is Alexander Stonehouse. Bamburgh is the parish for North Sunderland that I keep harping on about in Northumberland!! (There were some Stuarts bap there too, but none named Stonehouse/Anthony or Alexander.) Sarah

Sarah, No, I dont understand my reference to Alexander Stonehouse either! I meant of course, Anthony Stonehouse. (I plead lack of split-screen facility, m'lud, and my inability to hold a name in my head for more than a second) Erm, you dont think his loving family called him 'Tone' for short, Stonehouse being a bit of a mouthful, and the BIL who registered the death always thought 'Tone' stood for Anthony??? No???? Ah well, just a thought... Olde Crone

Oh, Olde Crone and Lesley - that is brilliant stuff!!! And son-in-law was a man, so that means he was only ever half listening to anything.....wonder if he was in trouble when he got back from the registrars???? (hope so lol) Sarah

Pasted from Guildhall library manuscripts section 2) PILOTS Pilots were licensed, not employed, by the Corporation of Trinity House. When a pilot first applied to be licensed, he had to have British nationality, have several years' experience as a watch-keeping officer of a ship, hold a foreign-going Master Mariner's certificate (or Naval certificate of service) and be under 35.The Corporation examined London Pilotage district pilots itself (about two-thirds of all pilots). The London Pilotage district extended from Felixstowe to Dungeness, taking in all the intermediate harbours and the River Thames up to London Bridge. In the forty outport districts, sub-commissioners of pilotage, appointed by the Corporation, examined pilots and recommended them for licences. In the smaller ports, 'Trinity House pilots' were often fishermen. Major family history sources are : Registers of pilots' licences (London) 1808-1929 (Ms 30172) (indexed in Ms 30173A, held on Reading Room open shelves) Registers of pilots' licences (outports) 1808-46 & 1810-76 covering different ports (Ms 30174) Both these series of registers give pilot's age, residence, qualifications and physical description. Lists of pilots already working in outports 1808 (Ms 30193) Returns of pilotage listing pilots (by port) 1854-1912, giving name, age and qualification (Ms 30198) Julie

Nice one Julie, you beat me to it ... glad I read ALL the thread ! Elaine :-) Hi Lou, Good Luck with this one x Elaine :-)

Hi Lou you might want to read the info on this web addy, to much info to paste. http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/thouse.htm julie

Thanks for the suggestions! Kew and the Guildhall Library have already been checked for his Trinity Pilot papers and I've got them for 3 of his son's but nothing for him. However, they were checked for Stonehouse Stuart, not Anthony! The staff at Trinity House were very helpful when I first contacted them and apparantly, lots of records were destroyed when a bomb landed on Trinity House during WW2 so they were obviously only able to transfer what survived. Just my luck as usual! Lou