Early Records from Morpeth re Donkin

[c-side]

Hi Marama

I had a look at the Morpeth parish records today and the child's name is definitely William.  I would have been surprised to find two different transcriptions with the same error.

Out of interest the surname is written as Domkin though I wouldn't be worried about a discrepancy like that.

As for Samuel - you can't rely on IGI to tell you everything.  There are a number of parishes in Northumberland which are not covered on IGI and those which are do not always go back to the early records you need.  In other words your Samuel will be out there somewhere - possibly in a neighbouring parish to Morpeth.

Christine

[Marama]

Hi Christine
      Thankyou very much for going to all that trouble for me.  I can see I'll have to come to Morpeth one day and have alook at all those surrounding areas.  By the way, do you think his family might have nicknamed him Sam to distinguish him from his father?  Quite possible but quite unprovable, I should think!
       Thanks once again,  Marama.

[kathboon]

Hi Marama
I am researching the Blyth Donkin family, but if my recollection is correct, there were two families and they were not related.
I know my Donkins are supposedly not related to the Rothbury ones, but I think that once they came to Northumberland the family scattered all over the country looking for work.  I know some of mine came from Newcastle to Stannington and then to Blyth, but we are supposed to still have relations around Corbridge/Hexham and that area (don't know how true, though).
Kath

[Marama]

Hi Kath
      Thankyou very much for your letter.  Have you ever heard the theory that there were Duncans who left Scotland and became Donkins when they reached Northumberland?  If that is true then there are probably unrelated Donkin families all over Northumberland.  I know there are several families of them in Australia. I'd be interested to hear how your family got yo Blyth via Stannington and Newcastle - and also about the ones in Hexham and Corbridge.  Are we allowed to put email addresses here?  Maybe we can write to each other that way.
                                                        Marama.

[esdel]

Have you ever heard the theory that there were Duncans who left Scotland and became Donkins when they reached Northumberland?                          Marama.

Yes, I have Dunkin (of Carlisle, Cumberland) in my tree so that is "half way" by name (as well as nearly all the way into Scotland!)
esdel

[c-side]

Donkin and Duncan are certainly interchangeable - I have a bunch in Norfolk.

It's all down to regional accents and how they were misheard by people not familiar with the accent.  Remembering that most ordinary folk couldn't read or write - to them everything was phonetic.

Christine

[pityackafromblyth]

Re the Donkins,  Look for North East Memorial Project, on Google.  A Sgt. H. DONKIN, of Blyth fell in WWI.  He is shown under the Masonic section for Blyth.  He was a member of the Blagdon Lodge.  The site covers Northumberland and Durham Counties, and list each town etc., and the names of men who died in the war.  Also shows teachers who died, and lists which school they were from; also railway workers who joined up/conscripted.

[pityackafromblyth]

Further to my last post, re Sgt. H. Donkin, it appears that his Christian name was Henry.  This is also on the North East War Memorial project.  That site covers the men who lst their lives in WWI, and who were from between the Tweed and the Tees.  Not only are cities and towns covered, villages are also included.  If visiting the Blyth section, one will be surprised at the number of memorials, plaques, etc., situated throughout the town.

[VictoriaDonkin]

Hi Janet,
    Thanks for your letter.  When my grandfather, Frank Donkin, died in a country town in New South Wales in 1943 the editor of the local paper wrote an obituary quoting that very same article!  Frank was only 80 so didn't do as well as his ancestor Samuel I'm afraid.   
         Marama

Marama,

We are both defendants from the same Donkin Family  My grandfather was Jack Donkin, my great great Grandfather was Thomas Donkin who moved from NSW to Innisfail in Far North Queensland. It appears we both have had similar troubles in getting further past Samuel Donkin and hopefully one day the mystery can be solved. You can view and obtain both HH Donkin WWI andJack Donkin's WWII full military service records online. Jack's mothers name was Mary (aka Molly) Donkin if that helps to ensure the correct record.. Unfortunately I can not help much with your research because I kept mine electronically and lost it all a few years ago so I learnt a valuable research lesson (hard copies and regular back ups are essential). From memory, Frank's obituary had quite a bit of information to follow the breadcrumbs