Hi Stephen, much thanks for your reply. Thomas was rumored to have hailed from Aberdeen although there is no solid proof of that. The fact he described himself as a Mariner makes me think he may have lived beside the coast somewhere, he was definately Scottish His sons were all born in New Zealand and 3 or 4 were educated in NSW, Australia. I understand there was a Scottish school established there in the 1820s but have found very little info about that. John, Robert,James,Parick, Andrew, George and Sarah are all names we believe came from Thomas's previous history.The mother of his children was what Europeons describe as, a Maori Princess. These were not Maori names which is why we think they may relate to his earlier life Now I shall have to find a map and see where Fife is Joy