WALLBANKS IN ELLASTONE, STAFFORDSHIRE

Ellastone's parish registers survive from 1538 , the year decreed by Thomas Cromwell for the proper keeping of records of baptism , marriage and burials. Wallbank and variants first appeared in 1586 with the burial of Margaret Wallbank. Thereafter upto 1812 Ellastone has more records of Wallbank ceremonies than any other Staffordshire parish. From about that date emigration to the neighbouring industrial towns saw the gradual disappearance of the name.