This project began as an attempt to identify and find out about my own ancestors - those individuals belonging to the Aspin and Tomlinson families of my parents. Of course, there are many people with these names throughout the world, and a project of this type could not possibly identify or research all of them. It would be more accurate, therefore, to say that the Aspin-Tomlinson website is intended to identify and record the family heritage of those individuals who are the ancestors or the descendants of my four grandparents:    

Norman Aspin	Rebecca Margison
Hannah (Winifred) Wood	Maurice Tomlinson

It is not (and probably never will be) as full or complete a record as I would like - but that remains the aim. Research has taken place over many years, and it was always the intention to share the information with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and anyone else who to some extent or other shares part or all of this ancestry. Many of us have a natural curiosity to know more about our background, and what it is that makes us us. The BBC have developed a TV programme on this very notion, the popular ‘Who do you think you are?' For those who possess such an interest, I hope that this information satisfies some of that curiosity.

Please remember that it is the story of two families - the Aspin's and the Tomlinson's - from whom I am descended. Those with links to just one side will need to pick carefully the articles that you read - wherever possible I have identified whether an item will be of most interest to the Aspin or the Tomlinson clans.

There is also potential for this website to become a modern day information resource or ‘newsletter' for surviving members of these individual families. That process has already commenced with the inclusion of features such as the Family Directories and News items. There is so much more that could be developed in this vein with contributions coming from those who wish to, but that is for the family members to decide. I would welcome everyone's views on this.

Using the web to share this information means that additions and amendments can be made relatively easily without the need to reprint many copies of a written document, and I would encourage you to visit regularly. However, it also means that those family members with no access or interest in computers do not have the same opportunity to share it. I hope to be able to produce printed versions of this work where there is interest, and would ask that those who are able to access the website will help to share details with those who can not.

David Aspin

January 2007