I HAVE an interest in the history of Slingsby and have a copy of a photo of John Hicks, the landlord of the Howard ArmsIt is quite likely that he was my great, great, great, greatgrandfather.

The name that appears on the marriage certificate of my great, great, great-grandfather Edward Kirk (his second marriage) in 1842.

Ed ward’s mother, Sarah, gave birth as a single person, to Edward, in about 1804 in Appleton-le-Street.

This was before John was married, which was some time before he started to raise his own family.

While this is mainly assumed, the dates and places tie in well and there do not appear to be any other similar possibilities.

I also have connections to the Kneeshaw family, some of whom came from Slingsby, and Penelope Gray nee Bowes, whose gravestone appears to be about the oldest still legible (just) in the churchyard.

If anyone is able to give me some more information about the family, I shall be delighted to hear from them. Email me via rwkirk42@ hotmail.com

Robert Kirk, York