The county of Durham has no ancient Taskers listed on the IGI and only 37 listed altogether, the earliest being colonisers in the mid 1600s. It seems likely that there was a family of Taskers in Gateshead at this time, as Margaret Tasker married John Middleton in Gateshead on 22 May 1654. Some 70 years later the family of Richard Tasker at Gateshead included Ann (christened on 3 July 1726), John (27 August 1732) and Margaret (22 June 1735). Mary Tasker marrying Jacob Elwell at nearby Whickham on 12 August 1732 could also be a sister of Richard, as could Barbara Tasker who married Peter Anderson in Gateshead on 9 June 1742. However there are several lose ends that need tying up here!