Jane has a friend who has professional genealogy knowledge. Jane asked them to take a look in to Leigh and Joseph Leigh Hunter, the following she shared with Ian in December 2020:
Conclusion :
Amid the miasma of mystery, a few things become apparent. Firstly, the name Leigh does not make sense. There are no traced records of Joseph Leigh Hunter until his marriage. There are no traced records for Leigh Hunter, birth, marriage, death or census returns.
The details on Joseph Leigh Hunter’s marriage record (and death record) are erroneous. Whether that was deliberate or unintentional is unknown. The following are possible explanations:
- Joseph Leigh Hunter was illegitimate. Leigh Hunter may have been his father, but the total
inability to find any reference to him makes this dubious. He may have been born and
registered as Joseph Leigh (doubtful), Joseph Walton or Joseph Hunter. - Joseph Leigh Hunter was not born in England or in Scotland.
- Joseph Leigh Hunter was seeking to hide his true identity.
