My uncle Jodie Barton was killed in a pit accident in the early 1920's in Cumbria and that his body was never recovered I was told by mother. I have since found out that he was born before my grandparents were married and his full name was Jonathan possibly Mathers or Barton. I was wondering if anyone can tell me where to look for information about him.

I realise it is not the same as you have suggested, but I wonder if this was his death registration
Deaths Jun 1931
MATHERS John H 27 Whitehaven 10b 740

Perhaps, because he was known as Jodie no one was sure of his real name :/

Births Sep 1903
BARTON Joseph Henry Whitehaven 10b 726

Do you know which pit the accident occurred?

My apologies I got the wrong brother, Jodie was called George Barton(born abt 1903) and his father also a miner was called Razla Barton. I don't know which pit the accident was at but my mother was born in Distington and then they moved to Moresby Parks. Several of my mothers brothers were also miners but I don't know the name of the pit they worked at unfortunately.

Ah

Razla BARTON married Margaret MATHERS in 1900. In the 1901 census, living in Arlecdon, they had a son William John aged 3. I guess he was William John MATHERS whose birth was registered in 1898.

I suggest "Jodie" was actually "Geordie" if his name was George.

Thanks Geoff I hadn't thought about the spelling

1911 census, Razla 37 and Margaret 35 appear to have the following children
William John 13
George 11
Mary J 9
Thomas Razla 5
Robert Cuthbert 2

Perhaps this was George's birth registration
Births Dec 1899
MATHERS George Whitehaven 10b 691

so he should have been on the 1901 census ... EDIT: I think he was with McAVOY relations.

Here's a death-
Deaths Dec 1926
BARTON George (27) Whitehaven 10b 717

Thanks for your help Geoff, I shall have to have a look at the Mcavoy relations as I don't know where they fit into the family

The person with "McAVOY relations" appears as George MATTHEWS 3 Whitehaven - the reason I think it may be him is the existence of this family in 1881 http://tinyurl.com/yeoggp3

There is clearly some sort of link between the two families - but the age is wrong ... and there were several MATHERS girls, so it need not be him.