Matthew Callaghan B. 1837 Ireland

[keren]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me, my son is trying to find any info about the above Gent, for a school history topic.

His son Joseph was killed in the first world war, and part of the topic, is to find the man and his history prior to joining the army. My son thought he would track his father before his son being born.

I have found them on the 1891 census, living at 63 Duke street Windle St Helens, but we are struggling to find them anywhere else.

I have access to findmypast, but they dont have Lancs on the 1871 yet. I cant find them on the 1881 either!

What we thought would be an easy thing, is proving quite difficult.

Matthew is a Schoolmaster, born in Ireland on the 1891, and his wife is Ellen, B C.1860, we assume she is his second wife unless she gave birth to the first child while only 16! assuming the ages are correct on the 1891.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, he was a bit devastated that this Joseph didnt turn out to be the Joseph callaghan from our family tree, but since he has put lots of work in tracking his army career and researching the battle he died in, it looks like I am going to help him find his family history! after spending over 10 years trying to track our own Callaghans.

[Wirral]

Hi Keren
It is a 2nd marriage, Matthew Callaghan married Mary Ellen Eden in September Q 1881 Prescot registration district, volume 8b, page 1010. LancashireBMD gives the marriage as at "Prescot Register Office or Registrar Attended".
In the 1891 census, Matthew is a Schoemaker [sic], not a Schoolmaster. So far, I haven't found him in 1881, but here he is in 1871 with his 1st wife:
RG10/3863 folio 160, page 6, 3 Barrow St, Windle, St Helens, Lancs
Matthew Callaghan, head, M 36, Shoemaker, Co. Cavan, Ireland
Ellen Callaghan, wife, M 32, Co. Cavan, Ireland
Matthew Callaghan, son, 11, Co. Cavan Ireland
Mary Ellen Callaghan, dau, 11m, St Helens, Lancs

[Wirral]

1901 census RG13/3520 f41 p3, 4 Court, Duke St, St Helens, Lancs
Ellen Callaghan, head, wid, 41, St Helens, Lancs
Mary ", dau, S, 19, Housemaid domestic, St Helens
Joseph ", son S 18, General labourer, St Helens
Ellen ", dau, S 15, Errand girl, St Helens
Rose A. ", dau, S 13, St Helens
Agnes " dau 9, St Helens
Thomas ", son, 7, St Helens
Aloysius " son 6, St Helens
Norah ", dau, 5, St Helens
Thomas Fitzpatrick, boarder, S, 23, General labourer, Prescot, Lancs

Matthew Callaghan died Sep 1897 Prescot 8b 631 age 61.
Ellen Callaghan died Dec 1879 Prescot 8b 544, age 43.
Mary Ellen Callaghan died June 1874 Prescot 8b 474, age 4.

[Wirral]

It must have been a pretty tough life for Joseph & his family. By the 1901 census they were living in a court off Duke St. If this was anything like the courts in Liverpool, then conditions were pretty dire. http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server...=ConGallery.67These are likely deaths of some of his siblings:
Rose Ann Callaghan died March 1902 Prescot, age 13.
Agnes Callaghan died Dec 1906 Prescot, age 15.
Thomas Callaghan died Dec 1909, age 16.

A possible marriage - Joseph Callaghan married Agnes Hughes in 1907 at Prescot Register Office or Registrar Attended. n.b. nearly all the Callaghan marriages in Prescot were at the register office, probably means the family were Roman Catholic. Also, birth of Eileen M. Callaghan Dec 1913, Prescot 8b 1455.

Aloysius Callaghan married Elizabeth Blackburn 1920 at West Derby Reg. Off.

[keren]

Thank you so much, I have printed the info off and saved the links for him.

I cant beleive that his life would be that grim! I was quietly proud that a Callaghan fresh from Ireland would make it as a school teacher!

I think I have found Mathew on the 1861 census as a gunner at Pater battery in Pembroke.

Thank you again for looking them up for me, and I will let you know if he gets a good mark, and how much he finds out about the living conditions.

Your last note about Aloysius will make him smile! as his name is Blackburn Callaghan, as I was loath to give up my Callaghan name.