Hi thanks for your reply My Grandfather was Menter (note the spelling of the name with an 'e' rather than an 'o'. he was born "around 1900" according to the record I have seen - I have him in a census aged 11 living at Ann Street which I believe is or was in Hendon Sunderland.
Menter married Jane Stephenson in June 1927 and they had 3 children: Joan I'm named after her),
Raymond and my father Norman. All three children were given the middle name of Stoker and I have been told by a cousin that this was because somewhere in the family tree - possibly Menter's mother was called Sarah Stoker.
Menter sadly died at age 44 leaving Jane (who we all knew as Nanna Jenny) to bring up her 3 children alone. she did remarry some years later.
I think the connection to this line of descent came because of the unusual Christian name of Menter and also the connection with the middle name of Stoker.
I am exploring lots of options but according to my cousin we are in some way connected to the original William Wilkinson and I have now just seen that his father was called Thomas to I'm pleased to have been able to go back even further. It was very interesting to visit Whitburn Parish church and actually see Williams grave and also see the house that he had built for him - he was clearly a wealthy man of some importance in the local area.
I also found a document relating to marriages at Whitburn Church and there are two listings for William Wilkinson - he married Sarah Wilson on 8th September 1760 but then there is a wedding listed between William Wilkinson and Isabella Robinson on 1st May 1782. I wonder if this would explain children out of wedlock or perhaps two separated lines of children.
I am very new to all of this and sadly as my grandfather died when my father and his siblings were quite young I have very limited knowledge of his family history
Any help will be great
Thanks in anticipation.
Hello he’s down as a bachelor when he married Isabella Robinson and she’s a spinster. He has connections with Newcastle Upon Tyne, Whitburn and Monkwearmouth. I’m sure there should be a parish record for the children of a wealthy man, whether you can access it is another matter.
Good luck
John
