Thanks for this - I have the Lydney mob in my tree but haven't yet made connections to the Ruardean lot. There has to be a link though as Esaias (mistransribed as Esaras) is very much a family name which survived from way back to the grandfather generation. Sadly, it now seems to have died out: the short version, Zay, is quite zippy so perhaps it will make a comeback!

Back to the Meeks, no relations of mine, afaik, but the link is that Ann Pewtner (b 1801 Whitchurch and daughter of Esaias b 1773) married Edward Watkins (b 1788 Ruardean) and their daughter, Martha Watkins (b 1833 Micheldean) married William Meek (b 1832 Ruardean).

Best wishes

Joss