Question
I stumbled across your website while looking into the Bankes family of Wigan in the hope that I might be able to find a link with them and Sir Joseph Banks the botanist who sailed with Capt. Cook.
Do you know if they were the same family? If you have any information which might help this research I would be very grateful.
Answer
I'm sorry I don't have any information about a link with Capt. Cook's botanist but here is a short history of the Bankes family which may help with your research. It was compiled by A G Mitchell of the Billinge Historical Society and was downloaded from their website which you can find at www.billinge-history.co.uk . If you ever do find a link I would be very interest to hear about it.