Question
I have found and copied the article on the Bankes family. It was very helpful. Thank you.
There is a link with Sir Joseph Banks (President of the Royal Society). William Banks who bought Winstanly was brother to an ancestor of Sir Joseph .. Richard Bankes of Bank Newton (in Yorkshire?) married Joan Norton and they had at least two children, William and John Bankes ancestor to Joseph.
I expect you already know that the Banks are by marriage connected with the Woodcocks of Wigan.
It has occurred to me that perhaps John Leland, Henry VIII's librarian, could be a Leigh of Lyme, also in the Banks family tree. Do you have any information on John Leland's family?
Answer
Thanks very much for this information, it is very interesting. I'm sorry I don't have any information on John Leland - other than he visited Wigan around 1536 and wrote a description of it (see Heritage of Wigan on our website).