I REFER to the Down Memory Lane feature and follow-up item on Ushers Cooperage, which appeared in the Wiltshire Times on January 24 and February 7.

My name is Flukes, brought with me to Westbury 34 years ago from the Midlands.

It is rather an unusual name and I am the only one listed in the telephone directory but there might be some descendants of Albert Flukes, who was pictured in the Ushers photograph, in the area.

I have had a contact from Tasmania endeavouring to trace his family history and also whilst recently in Melbourne saw the name S Flukes listed in a memorial book dedicated to Australians who were killed in the 1914-18 War. I have also had a contact from someone living in Cornwall.

Names do get changed over the years through misspelling but assuming the spelling is authentic it may be connected to whaling (the lobes of a whale's tail are known as flukes) or farming insofar as a fluke is a worm which attacks sheep, or fishing where it is a flat fish, although the common understanding is that a fluke is an accidental stroke of luck.

If there are any Flukes in the area researching their family history they are welcome to contact me.

J STAN FLUKES,

25 The Butts,

Westbury,

BA13 3EU.

Tel: (01373) 823246.