About the Author

Sheila Haines, MA PhD, was born in Crowborough, Sussex, and lives in Brighton. As a mature student she took a BA at the University of Sussex followed by post graduate studies in English and History and a Certificate in Education. Sheila taught history for many years for the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex. She edited No Trifling Matter (University of Sussex, 1990) an account of the voyage of the Petworth ship British Tar, written by members of her Worthing Adult Education study group. In 1990 she began research for Wordforce and the Jackman Foundation, Toronto, into the history of the Petworth Emigration Scheme; two books were published in Canada in 2000: Assisting Emigration and English Immigrant Voices. Since No Trifling Matter Sheila has had a continuing interest in the organiser of the Petworth scheme, the rector Thomas Sockett. She has lectured extensively and written many articles on emigration.Leigh Lawson was born in Littlehampton, grew up in Horsham and now lives in Worthing. On leaving school, she studied textiles and theatre design at West Sussex College of Design and worked in theatre wardrobe for seven years. She was a contributor to No Trifling Matter and assisted greatly with the genealogical research in the UK for the database of emigrants, an important part of the Petworth books. She organised the Anglo-Canadian launch of these books at Petworth House. She has compiled an updated list of post-1837 emigrants on the Petworth Emigration website. At the request of the Hon. H. N. R. Jackman of Toronto, Leigh has written a genealogical history, The Jackman Family in West Sussex 1565-1836. Sheila and Leigh are partners in Kinship, which specialises in genealogical research in Sussex.