From: Pam Bedsor pjcj@one.net.au 10th January 2000

I am writing from Sydney Australia and would like to hear from anyone who has a link to the Renton or Steel families. I have traced my ancestors back to Paxton in Hutton Parish Berwickshire to the 1700s. James Renton was born in Paxton in 1790 and was a saddler in Berwick when his son George was born in 1811. George married firstly Mary Ann Steel and this is where I am descended from but he married twice more and lived to be in his 80's. He was a ship's carpenter and spent all of his adult life in Berwick upon Tweed. His son Henry Steel Renton came to Australia in 1910 with his adult family. One of George Renton's daughters Alice married a Watson and another Mary Ann married a West. His eldest son William Renton was an adventurer and served in the American Civil War and also in Africa. I have no other information on him. His younger children Thomas and Georgina are also a mystery. I'm sure James Renton had more children which would have descendents in the Berwick upon Tweed area. I'm almost positive that there would be some family in the area who have the same background as myself. I would love to hear from any connections which would enable me to find out more about my ancestors.

Pam Bedsor