DOOLINGO FAMILY GATHERINGS

Story of the Thorntons

Thornton

For all the descendants of John Thornton
of Whitkirk, Yorkshire, England, born around 1597

These are the chronicles of a family starting at the end of the 16th Century. As we retrace their steps over more than 400 years, we'll take on another mission: To try to find and bring together the thousands of living descendants of one single Yorkshire-man all these centuries later. This is the story of the Thornton family of Castleford and surrounding areas.

John Thornton was born in 1597 in Whitkirk, a village to the East of Leeds. He was a miner and as far as we know, he was the first known ancestor of the Thornton family of Castleford and surrounding areas today. However, I believe I have strong evidence of an even older ancestor and likely candidate for John's father. The question is do you believe John is the true patriarch of the modern-day Thorntons of Castleford? Can I show proof? Read on and let's find out.

About the Front Page Picture
The picture shows a meeting of miners at the Bay Horse pub following a strike in 1963. Far left is Andrew 'Danny' Thornton and far right his brother Major Thornton.