Hello
This is a long, long long shot inquiry and I hope somebody can help. Family hearsay is that my branch of the Cormack Family, at some stage (don't know when) moved from Caithness to London. My family have lived in London since at least 1730 and my 5th great grandfather, John William Cormack was living at 8 Whitechapel Road,Bermondsey in London. His name, and that of his wife Jane appears on the baptism records of his son John born in 1762. He is also listed in Desmond (Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturalists). John William was a nurseyman with land at North Road, Whitechapel. Over the next 100 years and over 4 generations, the Cormacks built up an acclaimed Nursery and seeds business on 40 acres of land at New Cross, near Deptford on the outskirts of London. They opened the first flower shop in Covent Garden and developed a range of grass seeds that greatly improved the productivity of permanent pasture and the fattening of cattle and sheep and the production of Milk. In 1788 the business Cormack and Son was joined by a Mr Crombie as a partner. In 1827, Mr Sinclair became another partner who had been head gardener to the Duke of Bedford. Both Mr Crombie and Mr Sinclair came from Caithness. We have not been able to trace the timing of the family move from Scotland to London which is a source of great frustration. It would have been helpful if we knew if John William spoke with a Scottish or English accent! I have reached a brick wall and any further knowledge that I can gain through the Caithness Forum will be greatly appreciated.

David Cormack