Hi Barbara
I am descended from the Walker family of Athboy, County Meath, and I have dug up a few tidbits, mostly from Ancestry.com:
- on August 11, 1901, banns were issued, at Paris, for the marriage of May Isabel Leyns Walker, d. of Gerald Walker & Emma Kenny, with Henry Alfred Perrot.
- there are several references to Gerald "Layne" Walker, b abt 1878, arriving by ship in England from India, where he works as an engineer. I'm sure he is really Leyns, because:
-on 31 August 1929, a young man named Gerald Leyns Walker took ship in Belfast for Quebec, travelling 3rd class He was born in Ussipur, India, in 1907. He gave his occupation as army officer, but his proposed job in Canada was farming. He was on his way to Peace River, Alberta, to work on the farm of B MacRory. His fare was paid by his mother, Mrs G L Walker of Cloneymore, Athboy, Irish Free State.
I don't know how long young Gerald lasted in Canada, but a Google search comes up with a Gerald Leyns Walker being commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the British Army in 1943.
My connection is this: Eliza Sarah Walker, b 26 Jan.1849, do of Gerald Walker,Esq. of Balrath, Athboy, Co. Meath, was married on 17 May 1871 in St Stephen's Church, Dublin, to John Gunning Davy, of Lincolnshire. The Davys were prosperous farmers, but by the late 1800s they were moving down in the world. John and Eliza had to emigrate to Canada in 1892 to attempt to mend their fortunes. I am descended from their eldest son, who was of course christened Gerald. I know this is same Walker family, because one daughter was named Violet Edith Leyns Davy. Eliza must be the sister of the Gerald Walker who married in Norfolk.
I'm glad some others researching this branch of my family.
John