John was born on 16 August 1810 to James Mangnall (JM022) and Elizabeth (nee Blundell) in Hindley. He was baptised on 7 October 1810 at All Saints Church in Hindley.

John worked as a spinner and by 1832 had started a family with Ellen. We have so far found records for:

  • James b.abt.1832
  • Elizabeth b.1833
  • William (GM112) b.1836
  • James b.1838, died before 1841
  • Lena b.abt. 1840
  • Ellen (GM045) b.1844
  • David (GM006) b.1846
  • Mary b.26 June 1850, died before 1854
  • Ann b.21 May 1852
  • Mary (FM320) b.22 March 1854

The baptism records before 1841 show John as a spinner living in Kearsley. The 1841 Census and subsequent baptism records show that he was working as a labourer – the baptism record for Mary in 1854 shows him as a railway labourer.

John died in a tragic accident on 8 June 1854 which was recorded in the Guardian newspaper:

A breaksman killed at Hindley – On Saturday last, Mr Driffield, county coroner, held an inquest at the Bird-i’th’-Hand, Hindley, on the body of John Magnall, breaksman, in the employment of the Strangeways Hall Coal Company. It appeared that on Thursday a locomotive engine was being driven backwards to a train of waggons filled with coal, at the company’s colliery, Low Green, in order that it might be attached to then, and the deceased was caught between one of the buffers of the engine and the end of the foremost waggon. He was killed upon the spot. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”

John was buried at All Saints Church in Hindley on 11 June 1854, he was 43 years old.

[Last updated 16 Feb 2021]