So, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Martin to you, aka Angela's chap. Martin is a very important person as he arranges our not-often-enough curries at the Ranga Matti (excuse the spelling, I'm not a Wednesfield walla!), giving him a unique social standing, as Chief Curry Organiser. Not only that, but he's a very nice bloke, who, like all, welcomed me into the family with open arms. Only trouble is, he kissed me aswell! Martin runs a couple of websites, that are excellent genealogy reference points. No babe, that's got nothing to do with jeans! You can see them here: http://www.rushtonspencer.info/ & http://rushtonspencer.wordpress.com/

Here he is, on his snowboard in The Alps.

So, on with the Questions and Answers, I think you'll agree he has some very interesting replies:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE THAT YOU HAVE VISITED?

I’ve seen many places usually from a coach at night, but I don’t think you can beat climbing Haystacks in the Lake District (the mountain not the bales of hay found on farms Ian) (IAN: I knew that, honest) and watching the sun set, although it does mean you have to "walk out" in the dark.

NAME SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF?

Well as the deadly sins now seem to be virtues I could say my arrogance my ego or my boyish good looks (Ian falls over laughing at this point), but at the end of the day, I am what I am and I’m comfortable with that.

WHO WOULD PLAY ME IN A FILM?

That’s an ambiguous question, if you mean who would play you then it would have to be John Candy as he was always good for a laugh, but having heard your cd then possibly Meat Loaf.

On the other hand if you mean me then, Brad Pitt as people say that he looks like me, though I don’t see it myself – well may be a little. Unfortunately the only people to tell me I look like Mr Pitt are pensioners and men and that includes some lad who stared at me while I was making use of a urinal then looking rather awe struck said "you look like Brad Pitt" not the most comfortable of experiences, but better than the time an old man kept trying to stroke my inner thigh on the bus.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR, AND WHY?

Horses for courses I’m afraid, in an ideal world I’d have three. A Honda Accord, the 2.4 litre sporty version with the 18" alloys and sports suspension for day to day use. For rufty tufty countryside stuff then it would have to be a tossup between the Toyota Landcrusier Amazon and the Hilux Crewcab, I think the Landcrusier would win for comfort but I’d lose out on the load space of the Hilux. That just leaves the car for the weekend, long drives etc, and I suppose the dream car, it would be an Aston Martin DB9 but with the body work of the N24 as I like the silhouette of the N24 but the lack of aircon, radio, windows that open etc is a little off putting to say the least – remember James May driving naked in the Alps? That was an N24, so for me it would be the DB9 sent to prodrive for a bit of work on the handling, engine and that GT look.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GO TO A VILLA GAME?

I’ve been to a few villas and played a few games, some of them at villas, but if you are referring to Aston Villa I have to admit that I dislike football and so haven’t been to one, and have no plans to do so. Sorry.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF OUR WEDDING?

It’s difficult to highlight a single part as a favourite, the ceremony itself was moving, the meal was excellent and the magician was a nice touch, perhaps Craig making an ass of himself on the stage at the end of the night stands out in my mind, but then again. (Ian: this was proper wedding do hilarity as it should be!)

DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING, AND IF SO WHAT?

What a question this will make me look rather sad! Useless information is the main thing that I collect; the "did you know …" sort of thing is my speciality. Other things, and for the life of me I don’t know why, included corks from wine bottles & tops from beer bottles, but for God’s sake don’t send me any. I seem to have a lot of music, books & magazines lying about as well, as far as proper collecting goes I was into numismatics for a time and have an album of uncirculated South American currency. Perhaps I need to start collecting anoraks!

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MUSICAL ARTISTS?

Wagner, as I just love heavy opera.

Justin Sullivan/New Model Army, I think that songs should have some sort of message and their songs do, although I feel that some of our views would be diametrically opposed when it came to hunting and the countryside. Chumbawamba used to have a good political edge to their music, but I feel that they sold out not long after releasing "Slap!"

A third how can anyone make such a choice? Nirvana, Beethoven, Mother Love Bone, Carl Orff, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, I can’t make such a choice two was hard enough.

WHAT IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE SONG?

I Wanna Be Your Dog, by the Stooges, it’s the sexiest song in the world! (Martin! I can never look at Angela in the same way again)

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD?

I’d like to say my mother’s home cooking but it’s not, mine’s better, but seriously although I like Asian and fusion cooking my favourite would always have to be modern French/European.

WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST EVER MEMORY?

To personal to put online I’m afraid, you’ll just have to guess. (Ian: er, in that case no thankyou! :) )

IF YOU COULD MEET A FAMOUS PERSON WHO WOULD IT BE?

As they say worship your hero’s from afar in case they turn out to be complete and utter w*rs that rules out most people. Having said that Marx & Engels would have been good for discussing social reform and philosophy – I totally agree with the first half of the Communist Manifesto just swop the ruling classes or corporations and it’s as relevant now as when it was written. Norm Chomsky would be good as well, his books are hard going but Listen to him on an audio book or at a lecture and he is very enlightening. The Duke of Edinburgh, to talk about conservation, the countryside, hunting and shooting, as I bet we share many of the same views on such issues.

AS SOME MAY KNOW, YOU MAINTAIN AN EXCELLENT GENEALOGY WEBSITE, WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO START IT?

Rebecca! She came home one day saying that Julie (step mom or dance tutor I’m not to sure which) was researching her family tree and she wanted to have a go, so while helping with that I thought that I would start tracing my family history, which is how I got started.

The motivation behind the website is partially financial! Not to make money for myself though some funding would be useful, but to save people money. I’m lucky in that I live both close to Stafford Archives and within easy reach (about 1 hours drive) of the parish where my maternal Grandmother’s ancestors lived from the late 1500s, that is as far back as I’ve traced them so far, until the early 1900s. If I had to pay someone to carry out research for me it would be upwards of £20 per hour, and all the major websites require subscriptions to access their data. So being the rebel that I am I have taken the step of making as much historical information as possibly for the parish of St. Lawrence, Rushton Spencer freely available online. Partly as a thank you to the people who helped me with my research, to help others with their research and to continue my research.

Well as I said, that was very interesting, thankyou Martin. Feel free to add comments, all good, of course. Good luck with your research and we'll see you after the holidays, thanks again.