Alexander, 71, explains: ''I am the only child of a second marriage for Nicolas Alexander Anfilogoff to Grace. Nicolas was born in Riga in 1875, of Russian parents - Alexander Nicolas Anfilogoff, a barrister, and his wife Hannah.

''My father came to this country in 1894/96. He married Christine Keary in 1898 and they had eight children of whom four survived - Dr Nicolas Lionel Anfilogoff, Dr Ernest Anthony, Mary and Agnes Christine. All four are now deceased but I am in contact with their children.

''Because of the second marriage and the age gap there has been very little contact between myself and the earlier family. My father was very well-known in scientific circles as he designed and built the first oil refinery in this country at Thames Haven in 1908.

''As a child I remember an Aunt Aeida and her husband Philip. I was told as a child that Philip was Polish, but I have no idea of his surname.

''I am now trying to trace Rita, who I think is the daughter of Aeida and Philip. In 1942, two years after father's death, Aeida, Philip and Rita lived at 122 Belotte Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester. It is my belief that at that time Rita was possibly 15-years-old.''

Sasha added: ''If she is still alive she is my only contact with the Russian side of my family in this country and I would dearly love to meet her.

''Our surname, Anfilogoff (Anfilogov), is so rare that I believe there are no more than 25 or 30 of us worldwide. I am currently in touch with a Professor Anfilogov in Russia who believes we are connected.''

Write to 68 Cobden Road, Southport PR9 7TJ, telephone 01704-2202805 or email anfilogoff@supanet.com

DR MARTIN Swartz of Maryland is trying to trace relatives of his mother Lotte (nee Hofmann), grandmother Elise Hofmann (nee Kemeny), grandfather John Hofmann and great-grandmother Helen Kemeny (nee Kohn), who were all born in Vienna and went to America as refugees in 1939-40.

Helen had a cousin, Bruno Rosenfeld, born around 1890, who lived in Glasgow until the 1970's.

Another cousin, Marlene Mayer (possibly nee Rapaport, earlier married name Marlene Shamsi), and daughter Jayne Mandy, resided in Newton Mearns in the 1960's and possibly Giffnock in the 1970's.

John Hofmann had a cousin Rudi Raudnitz who served in the BEF in France in 1940 and may have survived the war.

John also had a cousin, Otto Oesterreicher, who was working as an attorney in London during the war.

Write to 10707 Woodsdale Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20901-1547 USA, or email mmswartz@att.net.

HARRY Herman of Cheadle Hulme is trying to trace his cousin Eric Herman, with whom he lost touch some years ago.

Eric lived in Prestwich at one time and is believed to have worked in Handforth, Cheshire.

He is believed to be in his 50's. Harry, who is now in his 80's, would also like to trace an old friend from Prestwich, Mo Barrison. Contact 0161 486 0161.

FAY Winston (nee Klapisch) of Australia wants to know what happened to her half brother Larry Klapisch, who disappeared from Manchester about 60 years ago.

Write to 4 Lansell Rd, East Brighton, Victoria, Australia 3187, telephone 03 95992404 or email fay_syd@tpg.com.au

SARAH-Jane Refson is searching for information on her great grandfather Josiah Refson born in Sunderland in 1902.

Josiah's family owned a clothing company and they lived in the Hendon area of Sunderland.

Write to 1/15 Leigh Tce, Glenfield, Auckland, New Zealand or email her at nthshoregirl@hotmail.com

BLOSSOM Glassman of Massachussetts is researching her grandmother's family, Rabinovitz.

Her grandmother's family was from Belarus, Smolyany and Vitebsk. She had three sisters and two brothers. In the late 1890's one of her sisters emigrated to England.

She raised a family of four sons. They settled in London and possibly later in Birmingham. In 1908, Blossom's grandmother Chassya, and her six children came to Worcester, Masachussetts where her husband Zorach Hurwitz was a rabbi.

The families kept in touch until 1943 when Chassaya died. Blossom's yiddish name is Ette Baile which her mother told her was after her aunt who lived in England. Write to 26 Crawford St, Randolph, Mass, USA 02368 or email her at molar321@comcast.net

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY: Blossom Glassman's photographs of her great aunt's children. The photograph of the lady was taken at Suss Studios,25 Whitechapel Rd, Commercial Rd, E London, while the other picture was taken in Birmingham at Baker & Hudson Studios on Coach St