Smith was born about 1823. According to the IGI he was baptised on the 14th December 1823 at All Saints, Bolton Le Moors, and was the son of Ralph Mangnall (JM060) and his wife Sarah (JM061). Smith was Sarah’s family name.
The 1841 Census shows that he was living with his mother, three sisters and a brother at Golborne Cottage, Golborne. The family must have been reasonably wealthy as Sarah is described as being “Independent” and they had a cook and a house maid. Smith’s brother James was also shown as an “Engineer”. We think they probably worked at the local Charles Tayleur and Company which later became the Vulcan Foundry. See Wikipedia and the Anson Engine Museum websites for more information about the Foundry.
In 1851, at the time of the Census, Smith was an Engineer living in accommodation at the Vulcan Foundry. He was 24 years old.
Smith had been promoted to Foreman by the time of the 1861 Census. He was lodging with Mr and Mrs John Leather at Wargrave House, 6 Victoria Cottage.
The 1871 census describes Smith as a Locomotive Engineer living at 11 Birdige Street in Newton.
In the 1881 Census Smith is shown to be a retired Loco Engineer lodging at Wargrave View with John and Elizabeth Hutt. He is only 51 years old.
Smith died in 1888 and was buried on the 20th December 1888 at St Peters, Newton-in-Makerfield. At the time of his death he was Estimates Clerk at the Vulcan Foundry.
[Last updated 22 Nov 2009]