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One of my Stanworths married into the Whitaker family and this is a bit of information I have picked up during my research which does not, as yet, link to me.
There is a William Whitaker born 2nd March 1806 and christened 8th June 1806, son of Bernard and Ann (Crabtree) Whitaker. Bernard was an innkeeper, Burnley. Bernards father, grandfather and great grandfather were all named William and were from the Cliviger area.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Hi Ruth

I think I agree with most of what you have there, except that my Gt4 grandfather, John (b. 1793), gamekeeper, is Thomas' (b. 1787) brother, not nephew.

William (b. 1807/8) is a mystery to me as well.
The only clue I have is from St Peter parish records:
This is what I have on him, but some is a bit speculative-

William WHITAKER
b. 1807 Briercliffe
Baptism: 1 Nov 1807 St Peter, Burnley, Lancs.
William Whitaker - base son of Jane Whitaker
Abode: Briercliffe
Baptised by: J. Raws Assistant Curate
Source: LDS Film 1517690
1841: Lab., 35, of Shay Lane, Extwistle
1851: House Proprietor, Relation, 43, of Monk Hall, St Johns, Extwistle, living with John WHITAKER
1861: Farm Lab. & Uncle, 54, of Gannow Lane, Habergham Eaves, living with Thomas & Ellen WHITTAKER (Thomas – son of John)
1871: Labourer, 64, UnM, of Burnley Union Workhouse, Royle Road, Burnley (born Habergham??)
Burial: 28 Feb 1877 St James, Briercliffe, Lancashire, England
William Whitaker -
Age: 70
Abode: The Workhouse
Buried by: Wm. Spooner Hoole
Register: Burials 1841 - 1900, Page 140, Entry 1115
Source: LDS Film 1526409

Jane (Sister to both Thomas and John) was born in 1789, so its possible its the same Jane, and therefore William would be John's nephew.

Martin Whittaker

Hi Martin

Oops, yes, a lapse of attention on my part. That's just one of the reasons why this forum is so useful!

My 3x great grandfather Thomas (born 1787) is the older brother of your 4 x great grandfather John (b 1793)

I think I became confused with the next generation, in which my Thomas had a son John (from whom I am descended), and your John had a son Thomas! That's without getting in to all the Thomases and Johns elswhere in this burgeoning Whitaker family tree!

Regards Ruth

I seem to have deleted my first attempt to post an update on my Whitaker research. So I'll try again - though this time it will be briefer, which is perhaps no bad thing!

Sadly, I have found that I am not descended from the Extwistle Whitakers. 20 years ago, I traced my ancestry through Alice Whitaker, daughter of John Whitaker and Margaret Stanworth. Unfortunately, I had found the wrong marriage Whitaker-Bannister marriage. The Extwistle Alice Whitaker married John Thomas Bannister at Burnley Register Office in 1883. This matched for date for them to be the parents of my grandmother Mary Martha Bannister. Without the benefit of computerised records I did not realise quite how many Whitakers and Bannisters there were in the area. In fact, the marriage I needed was between a different Alice Whitaker and John Banniste, at Colne Parish Church in 1874.

With input from MartinW, who contacted me through this forum, it became apparent that the Extwistle Alice was not my ancestor. The bad news was that I lost my Extwistle link. The good news was that I was given the opportunity to re-research a quarter of my family tree using computerised resources from the comfort of my own home!

I have found that I am descended on my mother's side from Trawden and Colne Whitakers. (I had always known that I had many Trawden and Colne ancestors on my father's side.) The new trail was complicated and fascinating. The Whitaker name passed down through two generations on the female side, with my Whitaker ancestors (Alice and her mother Nancy) being born before their mothers married. Early deaths (Mary Martha, my grandmother, aged 24, when my mother was 2; and Alice, my great-grandmother, aged 34, when Mary Martha was 6 months old.) complicated the picture and remarriages created complicated households with 'blended' families reminiscent of today.

So, sadly, I am putting the record straight. I am not after all an Extwistle descendant, but still love your forum!

Ruth