David Mangnall was born in 1846 in Kearsley, Lancashire (RoB Bury L 1846 Q4 21 333 or 371), the son of John Mangnall (HM009) and Ellen (HM108). He was baptised at St Saviour Church in Ringley on the 8th November 1846. He appears in the 1851 Census as a four year old scholar living with his parents on Wigan Road, Hindley. By the time of the 1861 Census he was living with his widowed mother and two of his sisters at Foggs Farm near Platt Bridge and he was working as a Coal Pit Drawer.

The 1871 Census shows that David and his younger sister Mary were lodgers in the home of Ann Baldwin in Foggs Fold, Ince. David was 24 and a coal miner.

He married Elizabeth (FM018) (possibly in 1871) who was born in Pemberton and they had at least six children:-

  • John (FM019) born in 1873;
  • William (EM012) born in 1875;
  • Peter (EM013) born in 1878;
  • James (EM014) born in 1881;
  • Mary Ellen (EM294) born in 1883;
  • Elizabeth (EM295) born in 1888.

At the time of the of the 1881 Census David and Elizabeth were living at 10 Albert Terrace in Platt Bridge, Ince in Makerfield with William, Peter and James. David was described as a coal miner.

In 1891 at the time of the Census the family were living at 10 Adelaide Street in Ince in Makerfield. I think that 10 Albert Terrace was renamed as 10 Adelaide Street but this has yet to be confirmed. David was still a coal miner and his three eldest sons, John, William and Peter, had all followed him into coal mining. The youngest three children were all scholars.

The family had moved to 30 Victoria Road by the time of the 1901 Census. David was now 53 years old but was still a coal miner – he is described as a “coal hewer below ground”. All six children were still living at home but William was now married to Nancy and they had a daughter also called Nancy.

When David’s son James (EM014) married Sarah in 1905 he was still working at the mine as a “collier”.

The 1911 census shows that the family were still at 30 Victoria Road in Platt Bridge and that David still worked as a “Coal Mine Labourer below ground”.

On 23 December 1911, just two days before Christmas, David was working in Bamfurlong No.1 colliery owned by Cross Tetley and Co Ltd when:

“A miner working to the rise in the Ince Seven Feet Mine, in a place eleven feet six inches by five feet, holed through to an old level driven from an old shaft worked prior to 1848. In consequence an rush of water occurred from the old working and from the surface which was flooded with casual water. Deceased when attempting to leave the mine got drowned, and was found jammed between tubs in a shunt in the main level.”

David was buried on the 28 December 1911 at St john the Evangelist, Abram.

Probate was on the 20 January 1912 and read:

Mangnall David of 30 Victoria-road Platt Bridge near Wigan miner died 23 December 1911 at Bamfurlong Colliery Bamfurlong Lancashire Administration Liverpool 20 January to James Mangnall miner.
Effects £94 16s.


[Last updated 05 May 2022]