According to the marriage certificate for Frederick Irwin (b. 1842), his father was George Irwin. The 1871 census shows a Jane Ann Irwin, as a domestic servant, staying in the house then, just after one of their children was born. It was not unusual for relatives to act as domestic servants - and a new born baby would be a good reason for wanting someone to help. Jane's parents were George Irwin and Ann Curry, who I have traced to Allendale. Whilst there is no definitive proof, it seems more likely than not that George is also Frederick's father. Furthermore, George and his father Benjamin have engineering backgrounds, a tradition carried on down the Irwin line. The first two generations are a little speculative. There are no records for St Margaret's Church, Tanfield prior to 1720. It is possible that Alexander's parents were from Tanfield and that the records no longer exist. However, an Alexander Urwin, son of Thomas Irwin, was baptised at Whickham (the adjacent parish). That would make him 20 years old in 1732 and thus the right age to marry Isabel Richardson. Their first son, christened the following year, was called Thomas, if we have the right Alexander, after his paternal grandfather. There is also a record for a marriage of Thomas Urwin to Ann Kirkhouse, in Whickham, on 26 December 1710. More speculatively, there is a Thomas Urwen, son of Alexander Urwen, baptised in Whickham on 12 May 1679, making Thomas 31 years of age at the time of his marriage - late but not impossible.

• Alexander Urwen (b. abt. 1645)
• m. Issable Pilkinton (b. 1645, Whickham, d. 1682, Whickham), 1668, Whickham
• ....Thomas Irwin (b. 1679, Whickham)
• ....m. Ann Kirkhouse (b. 1682), 1710, Whickham
• ........Alexander Irvine (b. 1712, Whickham, d. 1777, Beamish)
• ........m. Isabel Richardson (m. 1732)
• ............Thomas (b. 1733)
• ............William (b. 1735)
• ............John (b. 1739)
• ............Ann (b. 1741)
• ............George (b. 1744)
• ............m. Jane Smith 1762, Allendale
• ................Margaret Irwin (b. 1777, Ninebanks)
• ................William Irwin (b. 1778, Ninebanks)
• ....................John Irwin (b. 1811, Teams, Durham, d. 1874, Union Workhouse, Newcastle upon Tyne)
• ....................m. Charlotte Brown (b. 1807, Newcastle upon Tyne, d. 1867, Newcastle upon Tyne) 1838, St Andrew, Newcastle upon Tyne
• ............Alexander (b. 1747)
• ............Roger (b. 1749)
• ............Benjamin (b. 1752, twin with Joseph)
• ............Joseph Oron (Irwin) (b. 1752, Beckley Engine, Chester le Street, Durham)
• ............m. Alice Lonesdale (b. 1754), 1779, Tanfield
• ................Joseph Oron (Irwin) (b. 1788)
• ................Alice Irwin (b. 1784)
• ................Benjamin Irwin (b. 1786)
• ................m1. Margaret Vickers (b. 1785, Stanhope, d. 1811), 1807, Stanhope
• .....................Joseph (b. 1808, Frosterley)
• .....................Benjamin (b. 1811, Frosterley) - wrote Notes on Allendale, published 1880
• ................m2. Frances Philipson (b. 1786), 1817 in St Peter's & Allenheads Chapelries
• .....................George Irwin (1818-1899)
• .....................partnered (1) Margaret Brown, sister of Charlotte who married John above
• ..........................Frederick Irwin (1842-1884)
• ..........................m. Frances Dorothy Bousfield (b. 1839)
• ..............................Sarah Charlotte Irwin (b. 1870, d. 1958)
• ..............................m. Fred Hulme-Sharpe
• ..............................Herbert Irwin (b. 1872, d. 1908, at sea)
• ..............................m. Florence Lavington, 1899, Newcastle upon TYne
• ..............................Sydney Bousfield Irwin (b. 1873, Gateshead, d. 1970, Hove)
• ..............................m. Edith McBride
• ..............................Frederick Irwin (b. 1875, Gateshead, d. 1967, Camberley)
• ..............................m. Catherine Donkin, 1913, Newcastle upon Tyne
• ..............................Hew (b. 1878, Newcastle upon Tyne, d. 1957, Newcastle upon Tyne)
• ..............................m. Marion Charlton, 1917, Tynemouth
• .....................m2. Ann Curry ( 1821-1851) in St Peter's & Allenheads Chapelries and lived at Dudley Place, Allenheads and then with father at Lea Hall Cottages, Allenheads
• ...........................Joseph Hunter Irwin (b. 1848)
• ...........................Jane Ann Irwin (b. 1850)
• .....................m3. Jane Whaley (and lived at New Houses, Allenheads)
• .....................Mary Irwin (b. 1820)
• .....................m. Pearson Reed
• .....................Thomas Irwin (b. 1823)
• .....................m. Margaret
• ..........................Benjamin Irwin (b. 1847)
• ..........................Joseph Irwin (b. 1849)
• ..........................James Irwin (b. 1851)
• .....................Ann Irwin (b. 1825)
• .....................Alice Irwin (b. 1827)
• .....................Frances Irwin (b. 1830)
• ................Matthew (b.1789, White House, Chester-le-St, d. 1854)
• ................John Irwin (b. 1791)
• ................Thomas Irwin (b. 1793)
• ................Eleanor Jane Irwin (b. 1795)
• ................Isabella Irwin (b. 1797)
• ................George (b.1800, possibly to a different mother)
• ............Ralph (b.1756)