Hi David, Thanks for your speedy reply. I now have a further question? Would you respond negatively to an American writing you who may or may not be a distant relative? I wouldn't want anything. This wouldn't be a scam.
What I would do is not necessarily what the man on the Clapham omnibus would do. It would depend on how the letter was phrased, whether I had any interest at all in corresponding with a possible very distant relative, whether I had an interest in genealogy etc. The chances are I would bin it, although if an email address were included courtesy would prompt me to send an email in response.
But in your position I think I would do more research into your great grandfather's family (knowing your grandfather left no male siblings in the UK) to see if he had any brothers who might have perpetuated the Rutter name before writing any letters, as opposed to adopting a scattergun approach and doing a mass mailing to anyone bearing the Rutter name in the Wisbech/north Cambs area. As with all speculative mailshots you've got to research your market!
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Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Beds: Cople: Luke/Spencer Everton: Hale Henlow: Cooper/Watts/Sabey Potton: Merrill Southill: Faulkner/Litchfield/Sabey Woburn/Husborne Crawley: Surkitt Hunts: Gt Gransden: Merrill/Chandler/Medlock Toseland: Surkitt/Hedge/Corn Cambs: Bourn: Bowd Eltisley: Medlock Graveley: Ford/Revell
David, Thanks for the insight. You must be a marketing major. That is not a slam. Having gone through business school, I now recognize that. Having said that, I think I will look up leads on this side of the pond. My grandfather had a nephew, George, who was a good deal younger than he. I will try to look descends of him.