DO YOU have any information about Charles Neufeld, who was captured in the Sudan by the Khaleefa, spent 12 years in captivity and was branded a traitor when he returned.

His wife, whom he married in 1880, was the daughter of Charles Netherton, a Northwich tailor.

The photograph was found by Bob Alderson in a box of photographs he inherited from his parents after they died.

He has discovered that Mrs Neufeld was the sister of his great grandmother Jessie Swell Netherton, who was marred to George Alderson.

Bob, who lives in Aberdeenshire, is appealing for information on the Netherton family and he wants to prove that Charles Nuefeld was no traitor.

References to Nuefeld in an army museum state he was strongly accused.

The story goes that after Mr Neufelds release he came home to collect his wife, however, when she found out he had two wives out there she refused to go back with him to Egypt.

Bob said: My father remembered seeing a book written by Neufeld called A prisoner of Khaleefa.

The book has a number of photographic plates showing him in chains and also with his wives and children.

Unfortunately the only reference to his first wife was My English lady wife but no name, so I was still no wiser.

Further investigation showed that he was mentioned a number of books by other writers of the period and that after his release he was branded a traitor in this country by certain newspapers.

They maintained that he helped the Khaleefa to make gunpowder and had designed the forts on the Nile resulting in the death of many British soldiers.

Meanwhile Bob has found this extract from the Daily Telegraph on September 8 1898, which brings a few more details on Mrs Neufeld.

Mrs Charles Neufeld, the English wife of the Prussian, Neufeld, who has been rescued by the British troops from a living death at Omdurman and Khartoum was again seen yesterday.

She is the daughter of a Northwich tailor, named Netherton, and at present has charge of the Infectious Diseases Hospital of the Northwich Rural Council at Marbury.

She was a governess in Cairo when she met Neufeld and their marriage took place in June 1880.

She passed through the revolution and the great cholera plague and during Arabi Pashas rising Neufeld herself and their infant daughter, who is now with her doing hospital duty, spent 15 days and nights in an open boat on the Nile, enduring great sufferings.

Bob added: It would seem from this that my great great aunt was quite a lady in her own right. We later discovered that the daughter was called Evelyn.

If anyone knows about the Netherton family from Northwich, write to R. Alderson, Upper Killyquharn, New Aberdour, Fraserburgh, AB437LP or ring 01346 561218.