Manchester Electoral Registers

[Darryl Nugent]

Can anyone please tell me if the Electoral Registers for Gorton are online? My relative worked (lived in) in a shoeshop on Hyde Road between 1911 and the 1950's. I am trying to find out exactly then she worked there and also who she worked for (I think it was a shop owned by the Maskells).
Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Darryl Nugent

[CaroleW]

Not online for that period and there will be gaps during WW1 & WW2

Your best bet is trade directories for the Maskell's to establish the full address and then visit the RO to look up the address in the available ER's

[Barbara.H]

Depending on your female relative's status, it is unlikely that she would be listed in the electoral registers before 1928.
Some women over the age of 30 gained the vote in 1918, but full suffrage (to all men and women over the age of 21) was not gained until 1928.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_Kingdom#Timeline

  Barbara

[Darryl Nugent]

Thanks Barbara
I knw she moved to Manchester from Derbyshire with one of the Maskells shortly after 1911 but remained in the shoe trade until she retired to the Isle of Man in the 1950s. She would not have been a householder but the addresses of the Maskell shops point to where she lived prior to 1928. After this she would appear on the ERs - hopefully with the Maskells -  until their business closed.

Darryl

[Barbara.H]

I've looked on the 1929 Manchester Directory in Ancestry but couldn't see any shoemaking Maskells or Nugents listed in that. Nor any Maskells/Nugents in the Gorton area. I don't know of any later directories that are online. I think you might have to wait until the Manchester library & archive reopens to get any further with this 

However you could try checking out the Manchester Online burial records to see if any other relatives remained in the area
http://www.burialrecords.manchester.gov.uk/GenSearch.aspx

I saw an entry for Edric Maskell, buried Gorton Cemetery 22 June 1940. A nice searchable name!
In census, he seems to be a shoemaker with Derbyshire connections - might be worth paying for credits to see if there is an address?

  Barbara

[BumbleB]

When Edrick Maskell - Shoemaker, son of John Maskell, Shoemaker -  married in 1894, he gave his address as 103 Hyde Road - marriage at St Mark, Gorton.  One of the witnesses was Eliza Maskell. By 1895, when son John Frederick is baptised, the address is 94 Margaret Street, and remains so when Clara is baptised in 1902 - occupation is Shoemaker in both instances.  However, by 1926 Edric appears to be a Packer, and the address for his daughter, Clara, is 94 Margaret Street.  Again the marriage was at St Mark, Gorton.

[BumbleB]

From Historical Directories - www.historicaldirectories.org

1895 Slater's Directory
103 Hyde Road - John Maskell, Bootmaker
1911 Slater's Directory
9 Cross Street - Matthew Maskell Senior - boot and shoe makers
Mrs Esther Maskell - 95 Hyde Road
Matthew Maskell Junior - 43 Hyde Road and 127 Cross Street

[Darryl Nugent]

Thanks for all the information. I think that maybe John Maskell and Matthew Maskell were brothers. Both were born in Ireland and both were shoemakers. Also both married Derbyshire girls - Matthew married Ann Bradwell in Bradwell and John married Hannah Blackwell who was from nearby Eyam - too much for a coincidence. My ancester, Helena Nugent was a "cousin" of Matthew's daughter, Gertrude. Perhaps by 1929 the shop(s) had been bought out by one of the showshop chains since the children of Matthew Maskell died quite wealthy.

Darryl