Gentlemen of the Kirk family

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  Part of the Kirk family moved from Bottesford to Retford to work on the railway and then moved from there to Todwick and Kiveton in South Yorkshire and became small holders and miners(my branch of the family). I too have struggled with the links and family lines in Bottesford. My relatives seem mainly to have been John Kirk

  By Nicola Devas (06/09/2023)
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  My great great grandfather is William Kirk in this photograph. His daughter Mary, is my maternal great grandmother.

  By Jane (16/12/2023)
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  Does anyone have a photograph of Ann Kirk (nee Miller) who was married to William Kirk. Ann was born in Stathern in 1839. She is my Maternal Great Great Grandmother.

  By J B (06/10/2024)
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  Jane..My great grandfather was a William Kirk/Kirks..born about 1816 in Virginia . Married twice..Mary Sampson and then to Susan Kimbro/Kinebrew?..
  My grandfather was of the second marriage to Susan..his name being Pinkley Boaz Kirk/Kirks..born in1876 and lived in west Kentucky he had several siblings including one Mary Ann Kirk/Kirks born in 1875…could this be the one you are looking for?

  By Michael Kirk (25/11/2024)
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  The comments above caught my curiosity, so I just put together a Kirk tree on Ancestry (named “Kirk Plungar Bottesford”) to see who is connected to the people in the photograph. Hopefully the following observations are of use:
  – the Kirks in Dennis Kirk’s album are very focused on the village of Plungar in Leicestershire, England.
  – William Kirk (the father listed in the photograph) lived from 1828 to 1909 in Plungar. So the picture was taken around 1904 to 1909, rather than the suggested 1910-20.
  – William Kirk had at least six children with his wife Ann Miller, two girls Mary b.1865 and Lissie 1867, then four boys James 1869, Herbert 1871, John William 1877 and Ernest 1881. Hence they were Jim, Herbert, Jack and Ernest in the photo.
  – FYI James was incorrectly listed as a daughter Jane in the 1871 census, a fairly common enumerator error.
  – William Kirk was Dennis Kirk’s 2xGreat Uncle, because he was the brother of Thomas Kirk 1826-1912 who married Ann Bonser. Hence it is Thomas and Ann, Dennis’ great grandparents, who have descendants with Bonser in their names, including Dennis who was Dennis J Bonser Kirk.
  – the father of William and Thomas was Thomas Kirk 1786-1866 (born in Hickling) who married Sarah Caunt in 1825. In various pages of census records you can see the Kirk, Miller, Caunt etc families living close by to each other in Plungar.
  – @Nicola, I suspect it is a different Kirk family that has the links to railway workers in Yorkshire. There were many John W Kirks born in the Nottingham-Grantham corridor in the mid 19th century, it was a common name in the area.
  – @Michael, this Kirk family were all farmers around Plungar in Leicestershire, England. They did not have links to the USA, sorry, but thanks for your offer of info.
  – Two men were baptised Tom Bonser Kirk. The first was born to Thomas and Ann in 1864 and became known as Tom Senior. He did not marry and died in 1938. His nephew, born to John Bonser Kirk and Sarah in 1889 was known as Tom Junior – he married Ethel Poyzer and they were Dennis’ parents.
  – The other men in the back row of the photo have very similar facial characteristics to the named men. They might well include William’s brother Thomas and/or his sons John Bonser Kirk and Tom Bonser Kirk (Snr), as they all lived in Plungar at that time.
  – Thus Dennis Kirk’s paternal line was Thomas Kirk 1786-1866, Thomas Kirk 1826-1912, John Bonser Kirk 1866-1947, Tom Bonser Kirk (Jnr) 1889-1971, then Dennis.
  Hope that helps,
  Bill

  By Bill Pinfold (26/11/2024)
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  Thanks Bill.

  Great job.

  Very helpful.

  By David Middleton (27/11/2024)