Ralph was born on the 2nd March 1853 in Castle Hill Wood in Birtle, Lancashire. His parents were Richard Magnall (HM028 / GM079?) and Elizabeth Bilsbury (GM020). The details from his Register of Birth is shown below:
.
| Registration District Bury Lancashire |
| 1853 Birth in the Sub-District of Birtle in the County of Lancaster |
| No. | When and where born |
Name, if any | Sex | Name and surname of father |
Name, surname and maiden surname of mother |
Occupation of father |
Signature, description and residence of informant |
When registered |
Signature of registrar |
Name entered after registration |
| 481 | Second March 1853 Castle Hill Wood. Birtle. |
Ralph | Boy | Richard Magnall |
Elizabeth Magnall formerly Bilsbury |
Weaver | X The mark of Elizabeth Magnall Mother Castle Hill Wood. Birtle. |
Twentyeighth March 1853 |
James Jackson Registrar |
The 1861 Census shows that Ralph was living with his family at Birtle Moor. Ralph was 8 years old.
At the time of the 1871 Census, Ralph was a Cotton Weaver living with his parents and siblings in Old Birtle.
By the time of the 1881 Census Ralph was a Cotton Ball Warper and the family had moved to 142 Pits O’th’ Moor, Bury.
Later in 1881 Ralph married Elizabeth Howarth (RoM Bury 1881 Q2 8e 591) and they had at least the following children:-
- Joseph (EM062), born 1882 in Bury;
- Arthur (EM064), born 1883 in Bury;
- Fred (EM246), born 1887 in Bury;
- Eda (EM253), born in 1889 in Heywood;
- Jane Ellen (EM258), born in 1891 in Norden.
In the 1891 Census the family are shown to be living at 8 Tenterfield (Edenfield Rd), Norden. Assuming that houses weren’t renumbered, the family had moved to 26 New Road by the time of the 1901 Census and Jane Ellen had been born.
Elizabeth died in 1926 aged 72. Ralph was 84 years old when he died in 1937 in Rochdale (RoD Rochdale 1937 Q1 8e 69 age 84).
[Last updated 19 Aug 2006]