Hi Viv.

The Donkin's appear in the records of Longton and Stone in the 1700's. In the 1800's some Irish immigrants with the Donkin surname also settled in the Longton area.

My own Donkin family tree goes back to William Donkin and Sarah Boardman who married in Newcastle, Staffs in 1782. Sarah is buried in Caverswall Church Yard with who is assumed to be her father, William Boardman 1733-1795. I think his father was Robert but can not prove this.

There were other Donkin's in the area at this time that I have been unable to connect to William.

William and Sarah had at least 7 children, two of whom were boys. William JR who was baptised in 1782 at Stoke and Robert Donkin born in 1800 at Longton. Robert had a son called William who lived at 16 Heath’s passage in 1831. Here is William’s family:

Name: William Donkin
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Birth: 1831 Staffordshire, England
Occupation: Collier (1851,81)
Father: Robert Donkin (1800-)
Mother: Ann Davis (1797-)
Spouse: Margaret
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Birth: 1833 Carlow, Ireland

Children:
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1 M: Robert Donkin
Birth: 1862 Longton, Staffordshire, England
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2 F: Jane Donkin
Birth: 1864 Longton, Staffordshire, England
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3 M: John Donkin
Birth: 1867 Longton, Staffordshire, England
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4 M: William Donkin
Birth: 1870 Longton, Staffordshire, England
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5 M: Charles Donkin
Birth: 1872 Longton, Staffordshire, England
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6 F: Martha Donkin
Birth: 1865 Longton, Staffordshire, England


Notes for William Donkin
1881 Census Place, 16 Heaths Passage , Stoke Upon Trent

Any connection?

Regards Earl