Reply to Mr Penny asking which record offices I've contacted
I've visited Carlisle, Barrow, the Institute of Civil Engineers, Kew,
Hertfordshire and Hereford/Worcestershire about ten years back. (The record
office may have begun with an H). This year I resumed the search with the
London Metropolitan,(Middlessex was where he was last reported), Reading for
Berkshire, Woking for Surrey and the Bodleian at Oxford who (from Archon) I
found have some correspondence from a William Donaldson of about the correct
period; but only about criminal statistics.
However my man had a degree in Maths from Cambridge, and the Bodleian
Donaldson was writing to Lord Ponsonby. Ponsonby is a village near Eskdale.
My Donaldson's partners were reputedly the sons of James Allport, one time
general manager of the Midland railway, and their sister had married the
owner of Irton Hall (near to Eskdale). Lord Ponsonby might well be related
to her family.
Sorry that's rather a long responce. I plan to contact the Bodleian
again to find their Donaldson's address and then Hampshire.
