My family is researching the lives of our grandparents Annie Holden Peck (nee Ackroyd) and Gerard Septimus Peck who lived in Victoria Road, Heaton, from 1910 until 1921 when they emigrated to Alberta, Canada.

They had four sons Hubert, Edward, Oswald and David, all of whom were educated at Terra Nova and Sedbergh Schools and also went to Canada.

Gerard was a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, Owner and Managing Director of William Ryders Ltd, Bolton, manufacturers of spindles and flyers.

He was also a member of various public and charitable bodies, and by all accounts had some standing in the Bolton area, so it seems very surprising that they gave it all up to go farming in the virgin territory of the prairies.

I am particularly interested to learn why they went to Canada and what happened to William Ryders after 1921.

This is of course well beyond the memory of anyone living today, but hopefully someone's parents or grandparents might have passed on some snippets which they might remember now or there may be some documents which give some answers.

I would be most grateful if anyone having information, however remote it might be, could let me know.

Tel: 01326 376067/07931 438070 rabpeck@flushing.wanadoo.co.uk