Acknowledgements

I am indebted to many people for the help and support over the last few years. The problem is knowing when to stop. Vivienne Marshall, Agnes Burton, Rachel Henderson, Janice Morris, and Jean Thomas have been great e-friends throughout this time. Others have helped tremendously on particular biographies and I have acknowledged them in the references for the individual chapters.

Crispin Powell and the staff of Northamptonshire Record Office have been unfailingly helpful. The Huntingdonshire and Leicestershire and Manchester Record Offices have also been of great help. The Northampton Central Library Local Studies staff have been of great assistance. Less used, but very important, has been the National Archives at Kew. All at a time when they are all under great strain because of budget cuts.

A number of commercial organisations have allowed me to use images at no, or very little, cost and almost without exception people have been willing to give me more time than I can reasonably expect from them.

As you will see from the references many other people, both in Ringstead and all over the world, have generously given me their time, knowledge and expertise and I would like, collectively, to thank them all. Of course, any errors are entirely my responsibility.

I would like to thank my wife, Betty for her patience and my three sons, Tom, Jack and Seth, for giving me the time by growing up and leaving home.

David Ball