The Wilkin Family resource page

This page covers information on the Wilkin family who lived in Montserrat. 

This page contains information collected by Allanah Brown. She is searching for Jonathan and Augustus Wilkin. Jonathan was born in Montserrat around 1870 and at one time she saw a John Wilkin born there around 1868.The information appears as it was received by e-mails so I will have to clean it up and edit it. But the main thing is to share the information as soon as possible and not keep it to ourselves! So here it is in its raw format.

David O'Carroll 5th May 2001

Ray Andrews has replied to my message and he tells me that there is supposedly no census recordson the island. Also no land records until 20 years ago. He commentedthat he felt this was "outrageous" but this is whathe was told when he called the land office. I have tried to contactthe PRO in the UK but have had little success....however I have not pursued all 'avenues' and may be able to get some information from the Colonial Office in London. This could be a long processbut I have come this far and have finally realized that I mustbe patient in this search for Augustus and Jonathan Wilkin! Iguess what I am saying is that there is no point in having someonesearch for records at this time. Barbara Wilkins (Jonathan's granddaughter)does have his birth certificate and I have the information fromthat about the date of his birth and location. Augustus was namedas informant and Mary Jeffers was listed as mother in 1870.

I would like to tell you just a littleabout Jonathan and his descendants as I have not done so up tonow. Jonathan apparently left Montserrat at a very early age andwe suspect this was because he was the child of a plantation owner(Augustus Wilkin we have heard was a land owner) and an estateworker and therefore not fully accepted by either family members.This is only speculation, of course, but as we have been toldthat he 'ran away to sea' at the age of 14, I suspect this mayhave been the case. He apparently had a love for the sea and spentmany years as a Merchant Mariner and did receive two medals forwar services in the Mechantile Marine 1914-1918. His oldest sonwas George Herbert Wilkins and this was Paul, Mark and Barbara's father. Paul lives in Fort Worth, Texas; Mark in Vancouver, BritishColumbia, Canada (where I was born and also met and married Paul)and Barbara lives in England. Paul and Mark remember their grandfather,Jonathan, taking them to see the famous ship 'Cutty Sark' andthis was in Greenwich where he apparently lived in his later years.The family has very little information about Jonathan's wife,Mary Fribence, but I have been searching for information and havesome very good leads. We believe that Jonathan and Mary were marriedin Gloucester.....which may be where Augustus and, perhaps WilliamWilkin, were from originally. Jonathan had 3 children, George,Rose, and Harold. Rose was apparently in the Wrens (stands forWRNS.....Women's Royal Naval Service) and was written up in anational newspaper at one time. I am presently trying to findinformation about her. Harold was apparently a very tall man andwas considered "quite a character"and I believe wasquite liked by everyone in the family back then. I have no other information about him but I do have a photograph of him and haveconsidered sending a copy of it to everyone in case someone cansee a family resemblance! I certainly will do so if anyone wouldlike to see it. Now, as far as a photo of George goes, I am afraidthat I do not have as good a photo but do have some. He apparentlywas a more serious man and I have to tell you that he was notof a very pleasant sort! He apparently was resentful of his 'colour' (Mark tells me he always appeared to have a "tan"....whichnone of us these days thinks is such a bad thing!) and he blamedhis father for this! This caused a drift between he and his fatherand subsequently with his siblings. Despite the fact that he hada rather eccentric personality (which also caused a great dealof hardship for his wife and children) he did, however, have certainqualities that often go along with that personality type. He wasnot only a fine painter, writer (he wrote constantly but do notthink anything was ever published) but he was also a fine musician.He played the cello and was in the string orchestra during histime spent in India. I know little about his time there (nor dohis children) but do have a photograph of that orchestra withhim in it. Now, let me tell you about his son, Paul. He could write a book and I have often told him he should do so! He started playing the violin at a very early age and by the time he was7 yrs he was entered into the Royal Academy of Music in London.While playing in the Royal orchestra years later at BuckinghamPalace he met a fellow musician who became one of his best friendsand who eventually married his sister Barbara. I can't remember what Iain's last name was (although I believe it was Rafferty)but it was changed to Sutherland when he became recognized asan accomplished composer several years later. Barbara and Iainnow live near Brighton and Iain continues to compose music andtravels often to Europe with his orchestra. I have a wonderfulCD of his latest compositions. Paul, on the other hand (and much to the disappointment of his family) ended up leaving his musicalcareer in his early 20's and started building a boat which heeventually sailed to South America on. Paul has an insatiablelove for the sea which I suppose comes naturally given his heritage!It is truly an interesting story and I can tell you that he isa man of many interests and one of the most intelligent men Ihave ever met! I cannot begin to tell you all about his life butit is one of extreme fascination. Mark is a computer programerand works for the B.C. government. He, as well, has many interestsand I am pleased that we have remained close and have been ableto be in frequent contact via e-mail. Paul and I separated in1994 but we do get along well now.

One of the reasons I am telling youabout the Wilkin family that I know so well is because I trulybelieve that they are related to your ancestors. I also need totake a break from my research as I feel that I have gone as faras I can right now with my search...but did not want to do sountil I had a chance to tell you more about my Wilkin interests! I will continue to pursue information but will have to do so overa longer period of time. I frankly am quite exhausted with tryingto find connections here and need to 'step away' for a while fromit.
So..now you have some informationabout the Wilkin(s) that I have come to know and love .........mychildren being my greatest love of all. I think one day that Candiceand Tayler Wilkins will find my correspondence with my Caribbeanconnections most interesting .......despite the fact that we maynever know if indeed we are connected!
Enough said!
My thanks to you all for the informationyou have given to me thus far and I hope that this search of minehas been as interesting to you as it has been for me!
I will keep in touch and let youknow of anything further that I find 'down the road"!
Until then....my best wishes to youall.
Alannah

29th April 2001- Open e-mail to Wilkin descendants

[Where I have extra or different information I have added this in red- DavidO'Carroll]

Hello Everyone!

From the information that I havegathered from you all this is what I know thus far about the Wilkinfamily from Montserrat. Please correct anything that I may havemisinterpreted and please send any further information as it becomesavailable. David O'Carroll has a website of his ancestors andI am sure that he will be adding the Wilkin information in timeand will do so in a much better format than I have presented here!

I am actually rather tired rightnow as I was up late last evening putting this information togetherso please excuse any spelling, punctuation errors etc.! I havepromised long enough that I would get this information out toyou all and I am not going to put it off any longer! David O'Carrollwas able to give me the information that suggests that the firstWilkin to go to the West Indies was William Wilkin(s) but it ispossible that there was a Wilkin relation already there at thetime. I have a contact that has told me of a Captain J. Wilkinwho travelled on a slave ship called the Aurora which left LondonOct. 31, 1803 and arrived in Kingston Jamaica in June 1804. Ihave a very reliable Jamaican contact and I believe this is informationthat we may want to pursue further later. I have additional informationabout the ship and will also send if anyone would like me to at this point.

William Wilkin (s) b.1810 came from England (?date) andmarried Sarah Evelina Tucker who was born in 1832 in Antigua.William died in 1883 and Sarah in 1904...both in Montserrat. Iwill abbreviate Montserrat as Msrat although realize that maynot be a correct way to do so!

William's family originally came from Middlesborough in England. The family moved to Dagenham in SE England when he was young. There one day, William saved the life of a woman on a runaway horse by successfully bringing the horse to a halt. The owner of the horse was much taken by William's abilities and thought he would be just the right person to become an overseer on his estate in Montserrat called Dagenham. And so it was that he came to live in the West Indies and marry Sarah Tucker.
Children of William and Sarah were:Emily, Eva Mary, Ada Ann, Laura, Margaret, William Henry andYork. I will now enter information that I have regarding eachchild and their descendants and hope that it won't be too confusingto you all!

Emily Wilkin: This is David O'Carroll's great grandmother.David gave me the very valuable information about William andSarah and will be providing further information regarding descendantsof Emily soon.

Emily married Manserge Pace DUKE. Theirchildren were: (1) Elmina, (2) Manserge Val, (3) Oriel (Konks),(4) Sybil (m. Rev Bolton), (5)Aileen (m. Gall), (6) William, (7)Ismay (m. Winter), (8) Rawson, (9) Sarah (m.Hardy), (10) Manserge Pace (Toony), (11) Basil

Manserge's (3) daughter Angela married Eric Inglesbyand they had three children- Richard, Kate and David.

Sybil had threechildren, Peggy (m. Clayton), Rosemary (m. Warren) and Michael.Peggy's children are Ian, Mike and Doon. Rosemary's children areFrancis, Patrick, Melanie and Tim.

Aileen had twodaughters Cynthia and Clara (m.Michael O'Carroll) who had twochildren Gillian and David.

Ismay had a daughterAnn (lives in Canada)

Sarah had a daughterBetty (m. Verdery) who had three children, Katherine, David andMargaret

Eva Mary Wilkin: Eva became a well known artist in Nevis.Jane does not think she had children.

Ada Ann Wilkin: I have no information at this point. Ada mariedKing P Penchoen and their daughter married Charles Martin. They had three children Maud, Sidney and Margot. I met Sidney and hiswife Margaret and his sister a few times as my Aunt Cynthia Gallkept in contact. (In fact this information was gleaned by her).Sidney ran a bookshop in the centre of Cheltenham, though hishouse seemed to have more books in it when I last visited himin 1969 on my way to Swansea University.

Margaret Wilkin: Also no information

William HenryWilkin: William was aplantation owner and the great grandfather of Jane Grell who has provided me with much information over the pastmonths. Jane does not know the birth and death dates of Williamand the cemetery where he is buried is currently covered in ashand is in the danger zone of the volcano. We are trying to contacta relative (Jennifer) who may be able to provide dates. Williamwas never married but he had a daughter by an estate worker. Thiswas Violet Amanda Wilkin and she was born around 1888. Violet married Edmund Burke.....both died in 1950. Violet'schildren were Mary and John Burke. Mary's daughteris Jane Grell (Violet Jane). Mary Burke is currently living ina senior citizens home in Msrat. John Burke died early (1961?)and his English wife took their four children back to England.Two of the children are Jennifer Levy and Margaret and both marriedmilitary personnel and currently live in the U.S. Jane is seekingfurther information about them as well as siblings in England.I will help you, Jane, as best I can with that search! Jane isa librarian (since 1974) worked in Msrat until 1997 when she tookup a contract with the Government of Anguilla where she currentlylives.

Now there is a Rose Wilkinwho Jane knew as an elder in Msrat and Jane thinks that she mayalso have been a daughter of William Henry and that Rose's motherwas from Dominica. Again that information is being pursued! JamalJeffers (will mention the Jeffers connection later) seemsto recall that he had heard that William (called Willie apparently) had some connection to the sea or lived in the village of Kinsalewhich no longer exists.

Laura Wilkin: Lauramarried Harry Howes * who was also a plantation owner and thiswas most likely because he and Laura inherited most of WilliamHenry's estate (Gages and Dagenham estates). Now this is whereI am a little confused and am sure Jane will be able to help mewith this! Just bear with me for now! I have heard that Monicawas the wife of Harry Howes and that Monica died sometime between1957-1959. Anyway, from various sources, I have found out thatHarry Howes was a well known plantation owner in Msrat and thatHowes were 'a large family' and that two of the cousins were Loisand Kingsley. Harry had a son Jackie (d. 1961) and a daughterDaphne. When Harry died, Jackie and Monica (Laura?) ran the estatefor sometime. Jackie's wife was also his first cousin and apparentlyher name was Maureen Howes. She has since passed away and hertwo daughters live in England. Jane is currently seeking their addresses. Now there was a William Wilkin Howes also and he emigratedto Canada in the 1950s. Douglas Fraites is a gentleman who contactedme earlier this year and who first gave me the information I neededto pursue other contacts. He lives in Ontario, Canada, but workedin Montserrat many years ago and hence was able to provide mewith my initial information. I am so grateful to him for thisand will be sending a copy of this to him so that he knows howmuch information has been gathered thus far....and because ofhis first letter to me! I'm sorry as I know that I am ramblingon here but wanted you to know of him!

So there are Howes descendantsin England and Canada. No Howes in Montserrat now as estates subdividedfor real estate before Howes emigrated. A few acres of Gages estatewere inherited by Violet Jane's family (Wilkin/Burke) and Janebuilt a home on some of the land, moved in 1994 and had to evacuateon April 3, 1996 and all has been destroyed by the volcanic eruptions.One can only imagine how devastating these eruptions were forJane and her family and all others who lived in the affected areas of Montserrat. By the way, there are apparently records stillin Plymouth but will discuss this in a later message.

* Laura marriedSeymore Howes and their son was HARRY. His children were (1) Laura(Loz) who married Bill Sandford. Their daughter Janet marrieda Mr Reynolds and has a son James. (2)Daphne m. Comacho, daughterGillian. (3) Jackie, children Dillis and Penny. (4) June m. Murphy.(5) Lillian m. Moore, children Simon, Tina and Tim. Lillian livedin Ealing (West London) a mile or so from my first house but Isaw her family infrequently.

York Wilkin: York was also a plantation owner and his son wasDr. Arthur Edmond Wilkin who was born in 1888 in Msrat. Douglas Fraites remembers him during his time in Msrat and was able togive me the addresses of Arthur's two descendants, Calvin Wilkinand Imelda. Both Calvin and Imelda live in St. Kitts and it isCalvins son, Mark Wilkin, who gave me the above information asresult of a letter that I had sent to his father by post. I hopeto hear further from Mark and I also will be sending a copy ofall of this by post to his father.

NOW where do I fit into all ofthis, you ask?! I am not sure if I do as yet myself but I am surelytrying my best to find out! I was married to Paul Wilkins. Paul'sbrother is also named Mark and he and I have been communicatingregularly about the Wilkin connection in Msrat. By the way an's' has been added to the Wilkin surname along the way. AnywayPaul and Mark's grandfather, Jonathan Wilkin, was born in PalmettoPoint Estate which was the census district for the southeasternarea of Msrat. I won't go into any further details here as I thinkthat you all know the story of my interests by now! The fact isthat in an article by John Titford in the March 2001 edition ofthe UK Family Tree Magazine, J. Wilkin is listed as an estateproprietor in 1888-1889 along with Howes S(?). Now who J. Wilkin was is a mystery and one which I simply must solve! Augustus Wilkin(British) was named as the informant on Jonathan's birth certificateand the mother was listed as Mary Jeffers who was from the WestIndies. I have been in touch with several Jeffers family membersbut as yet we have not connected an ancestor with Jonathan orAugustus. Jonathan's only daughter was named Rose but this mayor may not be relevant as this ,of course, was not an uncommonname and may be one of his wife's mother. Mary Fribance was thename of Jonathan's wife and I am constantly searching for her!Unfortunately we have no further information about Rose or ofher brother Harold Wilkin who were born in England (possibly Gloucester)around 1902 along with Mark and Paul's father George Herbert Wilkin.The fact also is that there were very few British inhabitants in Msrat in those days so it is hard for me not to believe thatAugustus was not related to your ancestors! I obviously have muchwork to do to obtain further information and this will probablyhave to be done by post to the PRO in England where some of thecolonial records are kept. I have been told that I will probablyhave to visit Plymouth myself in order to view records there asinformation is not forthcoming from the Registrar General or from anyone who I have posted messages to thus far. Of course it isunderstandable that the eruptions have greatly affected life thereand it would not be a priority for someone to look up recordsfor me!.

I have been told, however, thatit is possible that someone would if I offered a search fee andI do have a name of someone who may be able to do this. This willbe something that I will do shortly.

SO...... there you have all thatI know up to this point! There is other information that I havethat may prove to be helpful as time goes on and other informationis found.

Again do let me know if I havemade any errors and I suspect that Jane may have some commentsto add regarding Laura Wilkin and Harry Howes!

Best wishes to you all and pleasekeep in touch!

Sincerely,

Alannah

Contact: AlannahB@aol.com