William Mangnall was born about 1781. We now think that his parents were John Mangnall and Mary.

William married Ann Atkinson (JM112) on 6th July 1814 at St John’s, Manchester and they had the following children:-

  • Mary (HM111) born 25 May 1815, baptised 8 Aug 1815 St Ann, Manchester;
  • Ann, born 23 May 1816, died 2 April 1816;
  • Frances / Fanny (HM090) born 18 September 1819 in Prestwich;
  • Eliza (HM194) born 17 April 1821, baptised 20 April 1821 St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich;
  • William (HM120) born about 1822 in Prestwich;
  • Jane (HM091) born 4 August 1823 in Prestwich;
  • Edward (GM280) born 25 March 1825;
  • Lucy (GM144) born 29 November 1826 in Prestwich;
  • Fenton (GM142) born about 1829 in Prestwich;
  • Alfred (GM106) born about 1835 in Manchester.

When his daughter Mary was baptised on the 8 Aug 1815 at St Annes Church, Manchester he was recorded as a manufacturer. At the time of Eliza’s baptism on the 20 April 1821 he was shown to be a bleacher. The 1834 Pigots Directory of Lancashire shows that William was working as an agent and was either working from or living at 25 Turner Street.

In the 1841 Census William is shown as an Agent living on St Stephen’s Street in Salford with his wife Ann and his surviving children.

William died on 30th April 1843 in Salford (RoD Salford 1843 Q2 20 581) and was buried in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, Eccles.

Absolom Watkin (1787-1861) kept a diary and recorded how on the 28th March 1824, he had been for a walk on Kersal Moor and on his way home he called in at Mangnall’s bleach works. Mr Mangnall explained how he ran his business:

“He told us that he had now all his work done by piece and that in consequence he got twice as much work done in the same time and with the same number of hands as he did at his commencement. He told us that his men worked night and day. That his bowker would begin at two in the morning and work till ten at night, in which time he would bowk two bowkings, for which he was paid five shillings and fourpence. The next day the same man would bowk on bowking, beginning at two in the morning and giving over about eleven in the forenoon and for this he would receive two shillings and eightpence. His whole weekly wages therefore would be twenty-four shillings. This Mr Mangnall called by comparison extravagant wages. The work is laborious, so that the sweat runs down the man’s face while he is employed in it and he [Mangnall] is all the time surrounded by them. Mr Mangnall observed that his men worked harder than the West Indian slaves, ‘but then,’ said he, ‘it is free labour’.” (from The Diaries of Absolum Watkin – A Manchester Man 1787-1861)

I believe that the Mr Mangnall referred to here is William.


[Last updated 7 Apr 2016]