John was born on the 23rd January 1847 at 3a.m. at Boardmans to Thomas (HM059) and Rachel (HM060). Details of his birth certificate are shown below:

Registration District Bury Lancashire
1847 Birth in the Sub-District of Holcombe 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
439 Twenty Third
January
1847
3 A M
Boardmans		 John Boy Thomas
Mangnall		 Rachel
Mangnall
formerly
Isherwood		 Labourer X The mark of
Rachel Mangnall
Mother
Boardmans		 Twenty
Third
February
1847		 Robert
Wolstenholme
Registrar

The 1851 census shows that John was 4 years old and living at Boardmans with his family.

John married Sarah Hargreaves (FM020) on the 5th March 1870 at Holy Trinity Church in Habergham Eaves. According to their marriage certificate John was 23, a miner, living at Wood Top and Sarah was 18 years old, a weaver, also living at Wood Top. John’s father Thomas is shown as deceased, Sarah’s father was Sagar Hargreaves who was a miner. (Sagar is quite an unusual name but I have come across it a couple of times in my research. Does any one know where it comes from?) Witnesses at the wedding were Thomas Fletcher and Rachel Magnall. All four signed with a cross. Rachel may well have been John’s younger sister Rachel (FM193) who later married Thomas Fletcher.

1870 Marriage solemnized at Holy Trinity Church in the Parish of H.T. Habergham Eaves in the County Lancaster
No. When married Name and surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of marriage Father’s Name and Surname Rank or Profession of Father
451 March 5 John Magnall

Sarah Hargreaves

 23

18

 Bachelor

Spinster

 Miner

Weaver

 Wood Top

Wood Top

 Thomas Magnall

Sagar Hargreaves

 Deceased

Miner
Married in the Church of the Holy Trinity according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after Banns by me,
C.(?)L.Reynolds
This Marriage
was solemnized
between us		 John Magnall X

Sarah Hargreaves X

 in the
presence
of us		 Thomas Fletcher X

Rachel Magnall X

John and Sarah had the following children:-

  • John Thomas (FM085) born 18th August 1870, christened 10th September 1870 at Holy Trinity Church in Habergham Eaves, died 1872, buried Burnley Cemetery 28 February 1872 (there is also an entry in the register for a John Thomas Magnall born 18 August 1870 and baptised 14 July 1872!);
  • Catherine (FM058) born 23rd April 1872, christened 13 August 1872 at Holy Trinity Church in Habergham Eaves;
  • Sagar (FM093) born 30th October 1874, christened 25th November 1874 at Holy Trinity Church in Habergham Eaves, died 1875 (RoD Burnley 1875 Q1 8e 170 age 0), buried Burnley Cemetery 23 January 1875;
  • Albert (EM015) born 6th November 1875, christened 7th December 1875 at Holy Trinity Church in Habergham Eaves;
  • Sarah Jane (EM057) born 29th November 1876, christened 24th January 1877 (VRI), died 1877 (RoD Burnley 1877 Q2 8e 152 age 0);
  • Ann Elizabeth (EM017) born in 1878;
  • Florence (EM016) born 1st February 1880; christened 11th February 1880 (VRI);
  • Rachel (EM220) born 29th July 1881; christened 7th September 1881 (VRI);
  • Willie (EM039) born 10th June 1883; christened 26th September 1883 (VRI), died 1881 (RoD Burnley 1883 Q4 8e 137 age 0);
  • Arthur (EM040) born 26th November 1884; christened 22nd January 1885 (VRI), died 1885 (Burnley 1885 Q3 8e 116 age 0);
  • Edith (EM198) born 10th April 1886; christened 20th May 1886 (VRI);
  • Wilbert (EM042) born 21st June 1887; christened 7th July 1887 (VRI), died 1887 (Burnley 1887 Q4 8e 153 age 0);
  • Edwin (EM044) born 6th March 1889; christened 4th April 1889 (VRI), died 1890 (Burnley 1890 Q3 8e 139 age 1);
  • Lewis (EM221) born 21st August 1890; christened 18th September 1890 (VRI);
  • Joseph (EM047) born 9th November 1893; christened 7th December 1893 (VRI), died 1894 (Burnley 1894 Q2 8e 132 age 0);

Eight out of the fifteen children that Sarah bore died in infancy.

John and Sarah’s first son, John Thomas (or John Tommy) (FM085) was born on the 18th August 1870 (VRI). He was christened on the 10th September 1870 (VRI) but there is a confusing record in the VRI which suggests that he was also christened on the 14th July 1872, however he died earlier that year and was buried on the 28 February 1872 – there is a note in the register that says W.T.

In the 1871 Census John is recorded as a coal miner living with his wife and his son John T(ommy?) (FM085a) who was 7 months old. They were living on Cog Lane in Habergham Eaves. We think that John T. died in Q1 1872 (RoD Burnley 1872 Q1 8e 172 age 1).

The 1881 census shows that John (aged 34) had moved along the road and was now living at 45 Cog Lane, the Peeping Tom Inn, in Habergham Eaves and was a Beer Seller. Sarah was now 29 and they had four surviving children:- Catherine (FM058), Albert (EM015), Ann Elizabeth (EM017) born in 1878 and Lawrence (or Florence!)(EM016).

By the time of the 1891 census John (now aged 44) had again moved along the road (or the houses had been renumbered!) and was now living at 69 & 71 Cog Lane which was also known as the Shepherds Arms as a beer seller. The following children were shown to be living with them:-

  • Albert (EM015) aged 15, a cotton weaver;
  • Ann Elizabeth (EM017), now 13 and a scholar;
  • Florence (EM016), aged 11 and a scholar. (NOTE that in the 1881 Census Florence must have been mistaken by the enumarator for a boy and called Lawrence!);
  • Rachel (EM220) aged 9 and a scholar;
  • Edith (EM198) aged 4;
  • Lewis (EM221) aged 7 months.
  • Catherine (FM058) married James Henry Duerden on 29th January 1891 in Burnley (VRI).

The 1901 Census shows that the family were still living at the Shepherd’s Arms.

John died at home on the 27th December 1904, a day after the anniversary of his mother’s death. Details of his death certificate are shown below:

No. When and
where died		 Name and
surname		 Sex Age Occupation Cause of death Signature, description and residence of informant When
registered		 Signature of
registrar
251 Twenty seventh
December 1904
71 Cog Lane
Burnley
U.D.		 John
Magnall		 Male 57
years		 Inn-
keeper		 Bronchitis 5 days
Cardiac dilation
Pulmonary
oedema
Certified by
J.W.Clegg L.S.A.		 Albert Magnall
Son
Present at death
236 Accrington Road
Burnley		 Twenty
Eigth
December
1904		 W.T.
Clegg
Registrar

W.T. Clegg was the Deputy Registrar at the time of Rachel’s death.

VRI – (Vital Records Index)

[Last updated 22 Dec 2011]