Find Ancestors

I have his book on Kindle. It really brings home the meaning of the word ‘slum’.
“Angel Meadow : Victorian Britain’s Most Notorious Slum”

Execellent article relative to Angel Meadow.....



https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/my-forefathers-life-in-manchesters-slums-discovering-family-roots-in-the-hell-on-earth-of-angel-a6896021.html

Oh dear! What would my mother have said; she always considered herself to be a cut above the neighbours. It does explain the break-up of the family in the mid 1870s. Matthew’s wife died in Feb 1874, I suspect in childbirth as Winifred was born the same month/year. She died a year later, in the workhouse. By the 1881 census Matthew appears to be in Leeds (a rag trade city), the older children were independent and lodging locally, my grandfather and his younger brother were inmates at the Moral & Industrial School, and their sister was in an orphanage in Manchester. So this clears up a lot of questions and I can now focus my research a lot better. Thank you AustinQ.

Using traditional Irish naming patterns I'd assume Matthew's father was Joseph

This record gives his birth date as October 1824

Manchester Prison Registers

name(s) Matthew Lannigan
Age 51
Gender Male
Birth year 1824
Birth place Westmeath
Birth county Westmeath
Event year 1875
When received date Mar 1875
Place Manchester
County Lancashire
Offence: Drunk & riotous at Salford
Sentence: 7 days
Age: 51 last October
Height & Weight: 5ft 5", 8st 4lb
Complexion, hair, eyes: sallow, brown, brown
Trade: tailor
Marks: Scar on? left eyebrow, lost several front teeth
Religion: RC (widower- 5 living children)
Discharged: March 13th 1875
Locality of record Manchester Strangeways Prison
Title of records Male Registers
-----------------------------------

He's also inside again in November of the same year- under surname Langan:

name(s) Matthew Langan
Age 53
Gender Male
Birth year 1822
Birth place Ireland
Event year 1875
When received date Nov 1875
Offence: Wilful neglect of children
Sentence: 3 mths hard labour
Height: 5ft 4 3/4 ", Sallow complexion, brown hair, brown eyes
Marks: Scar on forehead, blue dot back left hand, boil mark left buttock
Trade: Tailor
Last residence: son Joseph Bk ? Alley, Corporation St
Religion RC, widowed
Discharged: 1 Feb 1876
Place West Gorton
County Lancashire
Locality of record Belle Vue prison, West Gorton (Manchester City & Borough Gaol)

Ian, although the entry on the church record may not have witness details, the actual marriage certificate will have. It'll also name his father if he knew him. AustinQ has given you the link to order a copy of the certificate using the references that Maddie posted earlier.

I think buying his marriage certificate would be the next step

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

@rootgatherer. Unfortunately the only document I’ve found is the entry in the register that he married Mary Riley in 1858. There is no mention of parents, witnesses, etc. Thanks for the suggestion though.

info on previous threads (for ref)
https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1331520
https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1266929

Ian, I believe there was no penalty for not registering a birth prior to 1875 but surely deaths had to be registered from the start of statutory registration regardless of religious beliefs. Did Michael name his father on his marriage certificate?

I now spotted a Lanigan in another part of Westmeath - Athlone.

Thanks Kucinta. It was finding Michael on a search for Westmeath that directed my attention to Taghmon.

You probably know the parents of Michael Lanaghan from the record you found, but just in case...

Name: Michael Lanagan
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 1825
Baptism Date: 21 Feb 1825
Baptism Place: Taghmon, Westmeath, Ireland
Parish Variants: Taghmon and Turin, Taughmon, Taughmon and Turin, Turin
Diocese: Meath
Father: Timothy Lanagan<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mother: Maigan Kinery <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Sorry Kath. I didn’t express myself well. I’ve tracked back from myself and have a good picture of my mother’s family, including my grandparents and their siblings, and also made good progress on three of my maternal great grandparents, but the Lanigan stem grinds to a halt with Matthew.

Exactly what information are you looking for? Your initial post said you only had a census record with his birthplace as Westmeath.

Kath. x

Thanks for all the contributions, much valued although they seem to find the same sources that I did. I suspect I’m going to have to get in some professional help to track down parish records in Manchester/Salford. The family were Catholic and so didn’t have to register births or deaths other than at their local church.
The only clues I have for Ireland probably also call for a professional researcher.

Possible death of his wife:-

First name(s) MARY
Last name LANAGAN
Gender Female
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1838
Age 36
Death quarter 1
Death year 1874
District Salford
County Lancashire
Volume 8D
Page 100
Country England
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007

Kath. x

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Lloyd Street, Salford, Lancashire, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Birth place Occupation
Joseph Lanigan Head Married Male 33 1858 Lancashire, England Engraver & Printer
Transcription
Isabella Lanigan Wife Married Female 37 1854 Lancashire, England -
Transcription
Matthias Lanigan Son - Male 4 1887 Lancashire, England -
Transcription
John Lanigan Son - Male 1 1890 Lancashire, England -
Transcription
James Reynard Stepson - Male 14 1877 Lancashire, England Printers Errand Boy
Transcription
Ada Reynard Stepdaughter - Female 12 1879 Salford, Lancashire, England -
Transcription
Matthew Lanigan Visitor Widower Male 66 1825 Ireland Tailor

is this his marriage

England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
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View Record
Name Matthew Lanagan
Registration Year 1858
Registration Quarter Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district Manchester
Parishes for this Registration District Manchester
Inferred County Lancashire
Volume 8d
Page 583
Household Members
Name Age
Joseph Dowdall
Margaret Foulkes
Matthew Lanagan
Mary Riley