Death Certificate of Michael Hennigan

Michael Hennigan was one of my 3xgreat-grandfathers. I wrote previously about him and his family. One hindrance to this line of research is that his last name can be (mis)spelled in many ways including Hennigan, Hannigan, Henigan, Hanigan, Hennighan, Hannighan, Hennigon etc.

In this entry I am showing a copy of Michael’s death certificate. This was kindly provided to me by Mrs K. Moreton a couple of years ago, but I have just got round to looking at some more of my Hennigan ancestry.

(click to enlarge)

Michael Hennigan was born somewhere in Ireland between 1832-1834. I believe his father’s name was Charles Hennigan. The family moved to England in the 1840s or early 1850s and Michael married Catherine Grogan (b1840), daughter of Thomas Grogan, on 14^th Oct 1860 at St. Peter’s Chapel, Birmingham (this information is from their marriage certificate though I have yet to get a copy myself).

He died on 5^th January 1885, at the Weston Road Workhouse, Birmingham. His name is spelled “Michael Hannigan” and he is 51 years old. His occupation is described as “labourer of Birmingham” which is quite general. The cause of death is given as “Chronic Bronchitis Dilated Heart” – though it’s not hard to imagine that he was likely in terrible physical condition. He was born in Ireland before coming over to England during the worst of the potato famine and ended up living in quite awful poverty.

The first census record that Michael appeared in is the 1861 English census (clicking the link will take you to a copy of the image). I cannot find him in the 1851 census suggesting he move to England after this date.. In 1861, he is living in one room of a house on Tindal St., Birmingham and is working as a paper maker. In 1871 Michael is working as a bricklayer’s labourer living in one room on Windmill St Birmingham. Things got worse for Michael as by 1881 he had moved to the Marston Green Cottage homes which were actually part of the Birmingham workhouse. Sadly, he is living here with his four youngest children – Margaret, Ellen, James and Michael.

The informant of the death in 1885 was his wife Catherine Hennigan who was apparently in attendance at the death. Her residence was 10 Beak Street. She was living on the same street four years previously in 1881 (the time when Michael was in the workhouse) when she described herself as a ‘laundress’. She also said that she was a widow on this census. Her older children John, Jane and Catherine are living with her as is Jane’s illegitimate son John Curley. Jane went on to marry my 2xgreat-grandfather Thomas Curley.

I do not know how long Catherine went on to live for. I cannot find her in the 1911 census or find her death certificate. I do know that she lived until at least 1901 as she appears in this census living on Beak St. She is unemployed and living with her unmarried daughter Mary Ann (b1860-2) who is a spoon polisher. They are living two doors away from one of the sisters who in 1881 was forced to live in the workhouse – Ellen Hennigan (b1875) and her husband Thomas Moore.

Mary Ann Hennigan can be found in 1911 living with Thomas and Ellen Moore (Ellen had had 9 children by this time but only 5 had survived). Mary Ann is still a spoon polisher. Mary Ann Hennigan possibly died in Apr-Jun 1930 according to the death register indexes, though I’d need to get the certificate to confirm this.

The original Curley

Introduction
In three previous posts - here, here, and here - I have discussed my Birmingham Irish ancestry along my Curley and Hennigan lines. To recap, my grandfather was Cornelius Curley, whose father was Thomas Curley, whose father was also called Thomas Curley. This Thomas Curley was married (according to family sources and some documentary evidence) to Jane Hennigan. It has not been easy to piece together the lives of either Thomas Curley or Jane Hennigan. One piece of evidence which until now had evaded my grasp was the marriage certificate of Thomas and Jane - well today I was delighted to receive through the post the following:

• 14th February 1888, at St. Catherine's Roman Catholic Church, Birmingham

• Thomas Curley, 28 years, batchelor, spoon polisher, of 9 Beak Street, father Michael Curley, labourer.

• Jane Hanigan, 25 years, spinster, of 9 Beak Street, father Michael Hanigan (deceased), labourer.

• Witnesses - William Curley & Annie Underhill

How does this help?
1. Michael Hanigan is confirmed as the father of Jane Hanigan. As posted earlier, Michael Hennigan was born in Ireland in 1832 and died in Birmingham in 1885. He was a bricklayer's labourer and the latter part of his life was spent in the workhouse. He is confirmed as deceased on this marriage certificate.

2. One of the witnesses is Annie Underhill (a French polisher), who in 1881 was living as a boarder in the house of Jane's mother Catharine. This is good confirmation that I have the correct Hennigan family. Further confirmation is that Jane Hanigan's address is given as Beak Street where she and her family had been living in the 1881 census.

3. Jane Hanigan is named a spinster. This is important as it shows that she was not previously married and widowed. Therefore the children that she may have had before she married Thomas Curley will have been illigetimate. The added fact from the certificate that both Jane and Thomas lived at the same address - 9 Beak Street - suggests that Thomas and Jane had been living together and having children before they married. I have no idea currently why they delayed in getting married.

4. Thomas Curley's father is given as Michael Curley, which is new information to me! William Curley is another of the witnesses - he may be a brother, uncle or cousin to Thomas.



Michael Curley - the first 'English' Curley
Knowing Thomas' father's name I have been able to find out further information about the Curleys in the census. In the 1871 census I found Michael Curley with his wife Margaret and children Thomas, Mary Ann, Jane and William. They were living in a room in a house at 100 1/2 Bath Row, Birmingham, in the next house to the 'Trees Inn' public house. The licensed victualler in 1871 was William Hicken who was born in Shustoke. The pub is pictured (available online at digital Ladywood) - it survived until the mid 1960s before it was demolished. Wheeleys Lane runs off to the left in this picture. I believe that Michael Curley and family would have lived behind and to the right of the pub.

Michael and Margaret were born in Ireland, but all their children were born in Birmingham. I have yet to find a reference to when they came from Ireland, but it must have been prior to 1859 when Thomas was born. Soon after they arrived, in 1861, they are living in the heavily Irish area - Greens Village. Michael is working as a castor and Margaret is working as a nail cutter. In addition to Thomas, they also have a son called John. They may have had several other children who died in infancy - I would have to look at the Roman Catholic Church records to find this out.

It appears as if Michael Curley died at some point between 1873 and 1881. In the 1881 census, Margaret Curley is living at Myrtles Row in Birmingham and is said to be a widow. Her youngest child is John Curley who was born in 1873, therefore it is likely that Michael Curley died between these dates. According to the GRO index, there are two possible matches for the death certificate which I shall obtain in time.

In 1891, the widowed Margaret is now living at Suffolk St. 6 Court House 2 with her youngest sons William, Michael and John, as well as a grand-daughter Mary Ann Curley and a boarder Mary Caston and her child. I cannot find Margaret Curley in the 1901 census, so she may have re-married or passed away.


Summary
I have therefore managed to get back my Curley ancestry to the Curley who came over from Ireland. Michael Curley was born in 1837 in Ireland and came to live in Birmingham. I do not know if he came by himself or with his parents. Nevertheless, he is, in my family, the original Curley - I am therfore a sixth generation English Curley! Unfortunately I do not have any idea whereabouts in Ireland he came from. The Curley name is most common on the West coast of Ireland in Galway and Roscommon, but until I can find some other records I will not know for sure.

Hennigan, Henigan, Hanigan, Shenanigans

Introduction
The word 'shenaningan' sounds like it should be of Irish origin. Some think it comes from the Irish gaelic sionnachuighim meaning 'I play the fox'. In researching my Hennigan- Henigan-Hanigan ancestry I have already come across some funny shenanigans which are certainly of Birmingham Irish origin.

My great-great-grandfather Thomas Curley married Jane Hennigan in 1888, which was about four years after their son my great-grandfather, also called Thomas Curley, was born. I posted previously about how I have found it hard to confirm documentarily my family's view that Jane Hennigan was the mother of my great-grandfather as I haven't been able to find Thomas Curley jnr's birth certificate. Things may change soon as I have ordered Thomas & Jane's marriage certificate and am in the process of hiring a researcher to search the Birmingham Roman Catholic registers. (update here).

Nevertheless, I have started to follow Jane Hennigan's family history, and indeed studying the history of the Hennigan-Henigan-Hanigan name (in its various spellings) in Birmingham. This was prompted by a helpful email from someone who had seen me post about the Hennigan name on the Birmingham Rootsweb list. The correspondent is also descendend from one of the Birmingham Hennigans. The below is the product of her research, of which I am very thankful, and some extra findings by myself. Needless to say, I have to prove a lot of the relationships with some extra documentary evidence, but I am confident the following is accurate. Throughout this article I will spell the Hennigan name how it appears in the individual record.

The Birmingham Hennigans
The Irish have a long history in Birmingham. Although the Irish had been coming to Birmingham for centuries, large scale immigration did not occur until the early 1800s, with the largest influx occurring around the time of the Irish potato famine of the 1840s.

Looking at the 1871 census for Birmingham, I can find only a few families with the Hanagan surname. The first is Fergus Hanagan, b.1811, Roscommon, Ireland, with his wife and son. Two houses away is a Martin Hanigan, b.1809, Roscommon, Ireland. It is very probable that Fergus and Martin are brothers. Fergus is listed as a labourer while Martin was a rag gatherer. They are both living on London Prentice Street, a street that is particularly renowned for being 'Irish'. According to one poster on a rootsweb mailing list, it was apparently a very hard place to live; it was so rough that policeman were forced to go around in twos, and several gangs roamed the street. Among these were a gang known as 'cappies' who carried razor blades sewn into the front of their caps. This article by Carl Chinn describes more about the history of the Irish Birmingham. In it, Chinn recalls how:

"...over in Birmingham one author welcomed the disappearance of London Prentice Street in the late 19th Century as the sweeping away of a "nasty, dirty, stinking street" in which children could learn lessons of depravity; and in 1863, a reporter from the Birmingham Gazette damned the people of the street as a mixture of the worst class of Irish and regular thieves. In a unique voice from the Irish poor of this period, J Goffey responded to this slur. He was resident at 13 London Prentice Street and explained there was no more than one house harbouring thieves. J Goffey went on to object to the condemnation of 700 Irish for the evil doings of a few."

Elsewhere in 1871, at Water Street there is a James Hannagan (b. Ireland, 1843) living with his wife and son. Living at Cottage Yard in the St. George district is a William Hinighan (b. Birmingham, 1855) is living in lodgings. Both of these 'Hennigan's are bricklayer's labourers.

The final family found in the 1871 census is a Michael Hanigan (b.1832, Ireland) and his wife Catherine (b.1840, Ireland). Their children are called Mary A (b.1862), Jane (b.1863), John (b.1865), Catherine (b.1867) & Margaret (b.1869). Michael is working as a bricklayer's labourer and the family is living in one room at 4 C 2 H Windmill St. in the St. Thomas part of Birmingham.

Michael & Catherine Hennigan
It is highly likely that Jane Hennigan, the daughter of Micahel & Catherine, is the Jane Hanigan who eventually marries Thomas Curley. (update here). The couple had two more children, Ellen and James. In 1881, times have been hard for Michael and he appears in the Birmingham Workhouse at Western Road. Catherine Hennigon is living at Beak St. with her children John, Jane and Catherine. Catherine is working as a laundress, Jane is a spoon polisher, Catherine jnr is a wire drawer, and John is a filer of brass casts. Their is also a grandchild also called John, who may be an illigetimate child of Jane - see below and this post. In what may be described as a shenanigan, Catherine Hennigan says that she is a widow even though Michael is still alive.

The four youngest children - Margaret, Ellen, James and Michael are all inmates at the newly opened Marston Green Cottage Homes (part of the Birmingham Workhouse system - see link for pictures). These cottage homes had been established the previous year to house pauper children over the age of three years. It was organised as a "village" located away from the workhouse in an airy rural setting.

Michael Hannigan died four years later in 1885, aged 51 according to this GRO reference -
"Michael Hannigan - MAR 1885 Birmingham 6d 121".

Catherine Hennighan was still alive and working as a laundress in 1891, living at Beak St. with her children Ellen and James, who were obviously now out of the workhouse. By this time, of course, Jane had married Thomas Curley - In the census entry Thomas is called William see this post
- the illigetimate son from the 1881 census, John Hennigan, is now known as John Curley. Thomas and Jane are both spoon polishers.

By 1901 Catherine Hennigan was unemployed and still living at Beak St, with her unmarried daughter Mary who was working as a spoon polisher. Two doors away another daughter Ellen, was living with her husband Thomas Moore.

The earlier life of Michael & Catherine Hennigan
Where were Michael and Catherine Hennigan living prior to 1871? And when did they arrive in England? In 1861 we find them married and living in Birmingham in a room on Tindal St. and Michael is working as a paper maker. Catherine is only 21 while Michael is 28 - given how young Catherine is the marriage may have occurred in England, but I have not found the GRO index. Also in 1861 living next door to Michael and Catherine is a John Hennigan who is lodging with Timothy Ward and is six years younger than Michael - It is highly likely that they are related and probably even brothers. I cannot find Michael Hennigan earlier than 1861. It will be tough to know where in Ireland my Hennigans came from, but given that many other Hennigans in 1871 came from Roscommon, Michael Hennigan may have also. As with my other Birmingham-Irish ancestors, I am going to have to search through the Roman Catholic registers.

If you are interested in the Hennigan name itself, please visit the Heneghan information pages which contain much information about Hennigans everywhere!

Thomas Curley and Jane Hennigan

Introduction
The father of my grandfather Cornelius Curley was called Thomas Curley, a polisher of brass (in 1904 on his marriage certificate to Mary Driscoll) and bicycles (in 1909 on birth certificate of his daughter Doris Mary). Information from relatives had told me that Thomas Curley's parents were called Thomas Curley and Jane Hennigan, who both came from Birmingham. The family tree above has been constructed from this family information. However, actually confirming the family tree in the records has not been easy or successful just yet.


Searching for Thomas Curley's parents in the records
a) The marriage record of Thomas Curley jnr
Thomas' father was confirmed as Thomas Curley, from his marriage certificate. He was married on 26th Decemeber at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Birmingham: age - 20 years, occupation - brass polisher, address - 3 Holiday Street, father - Thomas Curley, father's occupation - metal polisher. The witnesses at the marriage were Lillian Turner and John Hennigan. From a marriage certicicate, there is obviously no more information about the mother of Thomas Curley, though from what I know from the family John Hennigan may be a relative.

b) Finding a record to the marriage of the parents of Thomas Curley
One of the first things I tried to do was to find the marriage of Thomas Curley and Jane Hennigan, as these were the names I was given for Cornelius Curley's grandparents. It took me a long time for two reasons. The main reason was because I was searching for the marriage up to 1884 (as Thomas Curley jnr was married aged 20 in 1904, giving him a birthdate of 1884). The other reason was because foolishly I did not anticipate the number of ways in which one could spell Hennigan. I have finally found what I think is the GRO index to their marriage.

Thomas Curley & Jane Hanigan Birmingham 6d 237 March 1888

The only problem here is that the marriage appears to be registered four years after the birth of Thomas Curley. There could be a few reasons for this including: 1) The marriage was late in being registered, which seems unlikely, 2) Jane was not the first wife of Thomas, and Thomas jnr may be the son of a different wife. I have not yet got the marriage certificate, but I'm hoping that it may clear up these questions. Also, I have still not had chance to visit the Roman Catholic records in Birmingham. They would likely provide many answers.

A third possibility is that Thomas and Jane lived together but did not marry for some time. This would seem to be very unusual in Roman Catholic families, but it is not entirely impossible, especially as I have been told by relatives that Jane may have had an eldest son, Bernard Hennigan, out of wedlock prior to her marriage to Thomas Curley. (update here).

c) Finding a birth record for Thomas Curley jnr
Finding the birth certificate of Thomas Curley jnr (born c1884) would also give information about the mother and father of Thomas. However, I have yet to find anywhere in the GRO index a reference to the birth of a Thomas Curley in Birmingham (or thereabouts) in the 1880s. A family member told me that they thought that Thomas Curley was born on 23rd April 1887, but until I find the birth record in either the GRO or Roman Catholic Church Records, then there is no way to be sure.

d) Any assistance from the census?
From the marriage certificate of Thomas Curley we know that he was born in about 1884 and that his father was called Thomas Curley. We also know that they were living at 3 Holiday Street and that both Thomas' worked as polishers. Searching the 1891 and the 1901 censuses, the picture becomes even murkier.

Here is what I believe to be the family in 1901, living in Hackers Building, Holiday Street. Thomas is listed as a jeweller's polisher. Many of the children's names match with those given to me by relatives. However, Thomas junior is not there - Indeed, I cannot find him anywhere in the 1901 census - I have tried numerous name combinations without success.

In the 1891 census, I have the reverse problem! I can find a son Thomas Curley with a mother Jane. But here, the father is called William. However, I think this may be an error - the occupation of this William is a spoon polisher like Thomas' should be. Also both William and Jane's birthdates are the same as those from the 1901 census. Finally, one of the children - Maragaret has the same birthdate. I am not too worried that not all of the children's names match, as according to relatives they had at least 13 children - so it would not be too unusual for not all of the children to be living in the one room under one roof on census night. In this census, they are living in one of the rooms in a house in St. Martin's Street, Birmingham. Again, I cannot find a Thomas Curley snr anywhere in the 1891 census. Significantly, a William Curley of this age does not appear on any other census, and so could be Thomas though this is yet to be proved. Finally, a Jane Curley from Birmingham only appears indexed once in both the 1891 and 1901 censuses - each of those being the above entries.

Overall, the census has proved to be very confusing and has not provided any concrete evidence. I am still trying to put this information together and to think of new leads (any suggestions welcome). I think it is important for me to get the marriage certificate of Thomas Curley and Jane Hennigan in 1888. It would also be good for me to get hold of the baptismal, marriage and death records in the Birmingham Roman Catholic Churches, but I've not had the time for this yet.

e) Any other solutions?
Another solution may be to try and follow some of the extra lines. For instance, following the Hennigans - such as Bernard Hennigan (the supposed illegitimate son of Jane) or John Hennigan, the witness at the marriage of Thomas Curley and Jane Hennigan. I'll talk more about these in later posts - see here for example.