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I also found on one of the censuses, can't recall which now, a 'George Bates', listed as Uncle (with the Lunns) That's a surname that might link in somewhere eventually.

It's an unusual name isn't it? Must descend from a surname somewhere in the past. Seems to end with Wright Lunn though. Perhaps i I'll have to bring back in!

Thanks Gwyn/Christine for the further info. :)

It is beautiful isn't it Gwyn. A friend of mine goes every year to the various cemeteries and gives me photographs to post on another site.

I couldn't resist a look for his parents marriage Suzanne and I came across a surprise. I had never come across the first name of Wright before until the father of Mary Ellen Lunn. Then when I found what I think Is Joe Sykes father in 1881 his father also seems to be Wright Sykes,
Joe is a joiner and his father Wright is a Woolen weaver.
In 1891 after Joe's marriage in June 1895 to Sarah Ann Lodge, they are living next door to his parents and his widowed sister.

1881 -

Name: Joe Sykes
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Wright Sykes
Mother's Name: Mary A. Sykes
Gender: Male
Where born: Netherton, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: South Crosland
County/Island: Yorkshire
Street Address: Marten Nest
Occupation: Joiner

Registration district: Huddersfield
Sub-registration district: Honley

Wright Sykes 57
Mary A. Sykes 56
Joe Sykes 26
Mary H. Sykes 20
Ellen Sykes 33

1891 -

Name: Joe Sykes
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Sarah Ann Sykes
Gender: Male
Where born: Netherton, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: South Crosland
Ecclesiastical parish: Holy Trinity
Town: Maglordship
County/Island: Yorkshire

Registration district: Huddersfield
Sub-registration district: Honley

Joe Sykes 36
Sarah Ann Sykes 34
Arthur Sykes 5
George Sykes 3
Harriett Emily Sykes 2

I've been to Arras cemetery.
It is kept beautifully, as are all those cared for by the Commonwealth Graves Commitee.

If you click on George's memorial page and then click on the red writing about the cemetery there are more details about the site.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1671802

Arras town has many underground tunnels which were used in the War. They are open to the public and the guides tell you about the part they played. Very interesting and worth a visit.

Gwyn

Yes I do. Thanks everyone. This forum's great! :)

I'll try to be better informed next time I get stuck!! ;)

You should have plenty to go at now Suzanne :)

If you get stuck again just give us a shout :)

p.s. You're very welcome.

Aw, thanks Christine. I'll keep that pic.

So sad he died so young. But also explains why Grandma was an only child and she wouldn't have known him. It also explains the strong matriachal figures in my Grandmas life, and a lot about her character too. I didn't know this til this morning.

I think we are!!!

Edward (of the twin scenario) from original post must be a red herring, but like I say mum mum can't swear, now quesitoned, that they were twins, nor that the brother was called Edward, it's been a lifelong assumption, but I'll check the graves for certainty.

Wilfred features heavily in my family history, I think he's Ethel's husband (baker of wonderful cakes), I'll follow that up, Ill recognise the names if I see them.

It's a pity photographs don't come up on here. In the middle of this is a photograph of the cemetary where he's buried -

In Memory of
Private GEORGE SYKES

61647, 206th Coy., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
who died age 31
on 13 May 1917
Son of Joe and Sarah Ann Sykes, of Moor Lane, Netherton; husband of Mary Ellen Sykes, of North End, South Crosland, Netherton, Huddersfield.
Remembered with honour
ARRAS MEMORIAL

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

If you copy this into your browser you should see the photograph -

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=1671802

ooh you little star! That must be him. It's coming together. There're still Sykes out at North End/Moor End.

?????????

Name: SYKES, GEORGE
Initials: G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Unit Text: 206th Coy.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 13/05/1917
Service No: 61647
Additional information: Son of Joe and Sarah Ann Sykes, of Moor Lane, Netherton; husband of Mary Ellen Sykes, of North End, South Crosland, Netherton, Huddersfield.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 10.
Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL

I think we might be getting somewhere now -

This looks like him with parents in 1901 -

Name: George Sykes
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1888
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Joe Sykes
Mother's Name: Sarah Ann Sykes
Gender: Male
Where born: South Crosland, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: South Crosland
Ecclesiastical parish: South Crosland Holy Trinity
County/Island: Yorkshire
Registration district: Huddersfield
Sub-registration district: Honley
Joe Sykes 45
Sarah Ann Sykes 44
Arthur S Sykes 15
George Sykes 13
Harriet Emily Sykes 12
Marion Sykes 9
Henry Sykes 8
Ada Sykes 6
Wilfred Sykes 3

I'll pose the question, 'did Mary Ellen Re-marry... ?' . I've set my mother off now so we'll go visit a cousin of hers to see if she knows more.

Well this looks like his death -

Casualty Details
Name: SYKES, GEORGE
Initials: G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Unit Text: 206th Coy.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 13/05/1917
Service No: 61647
Additional information: Son of Joe and Sarah Ann Sykes, of Moor Lane, Netherton; husband of Mary Ellen Sykes, of North End, South Crosland, Netherton, Huddersfield.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 10.
Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL

That's them Christine,

All of my mums grandparents were dead by the time she was born. that was 1943 but they were def called Wright and Jemima and lived at Stoney Batter, so I'm confident they're my relatives.

My mum thinks Mabels mum is called Mary though and not May (and looking at the original, it def says May), as she remembers an Auntie Mary and an Auntie Annie who lived at Stoney Batter later, in the 1940s. Of course May could have died and there be another Mary knocking around by that time. I called all aged friends and relatives 'Auntie' when I was a kid so it does get confusing. Mabel was always Auntie Mabel as were her pals Edi and Edna who weren't related at all.

Norman and his Wife May and daughter, Mabel, lived with his Parents by the looks of the 1911 census

My mum thinks she might have a picture somewhere of George in uniform so I may be able to find out his regiment from that

p.s. This looks like the birth of Mary Ellen -

Births Jun 1893
Lunn Mary Ellen Huddersfield 9a 273

I was just going to post this when I saw your reply - now I'm wondering whether perhaps Mary Ellen Sykes remarried?

I have just been looking again at the 1911 that you think might be your Mabel Lunn etc. I assume you are wondering if the Mary Ellen Lunn is the one who married George?
I can't find a death for a Mary E Sykes, or a Mary Ellen Sykes in Huddersfield of the right age. Can anyone else?

This is the 1911 easier to read -

Address Stoney Batter South Crosland Near Huddersfield
Parish South Crosland
Type of Building Farm
Administrative County Yorkshire (West Riding)
Registration District Huddersfield
Registration Sub District Honley

Name Wright Lunn - Head – M – 60 - c1851
Occupation Rock Quarrier and Farmer
Place of Birth Yorks Meltham

Jemmia Lunn – Wife – F - married - Age 56 – c1855 - married 32 Years - Place of Birth Yorks Crosland
Total Children Born Alive 3
Children Still Living 3

Mary Ellen Lunn – Daughter – F – 18 – c1893 - Place of Birth Yorks Crosland – Mother of Winifred Sykes?

Norman Lunn – son – M – 29 – c1882 - Farmers Son Working On Farm - Place of Birth Yorks Crosland

May Elizabeth Lunn - Daughter In Law - F – 28 – c1883 – Married 5 Years - Total Children Born Alive 1 - Children Still Living 1
Place of Birth Yorks Meltham

Name Mabel B Lunn – Granddaughter – F – 4 – c1907 –
Place of Birth Yorks Crosland

Sorry, forgot to add, Stoney Batter, is the address that 1901 Census above entry is for

Right, bit more information.

The address, Stoney Batter South Crosland, Definitely where my mums family lived... for many years. Including aged Aunts later on, so they won't be on the census but they could be found on old electoral roles I guess? There was a quarry just above the cottages so that all makes sense with the occupations.

Wright and Jemima were def Mary Ellens parents my great great grandparents.

Sykes: George Sykes died in WW1. My mum can't swear for def that George and Edward were twins, she's made the assumption based on her brothers (twins) being named after them. But she still thinks that they were. They are both buried (well it's a memorial stone for George) in South Crosland and she's seen the stones, so I'll go out there with her soon and look them up myself, might I be able to glean vital info from these?

Thanks for the reply re second name Flick. Sorry, the phone rang.

The reason for asking about the death dates and places Suzanne was to get an idea of when they might have been born. The death ref would give us either a birth date or age (depending on the year they died) as long as the person registering the death knew their correct age/dob.