Jerry Flanagan - man of mystery!!

[Katharine75]

Hi. Hoping someone with sharper eyes that mine might be able to find something on my mysterious ancestor....
On the 1851 Census for Liverpool
Living at Richmond Terrace
Jerry Flanegan, head, 58, mar, Shoemaker, Ireland
Margaret, wife, 53, mar, Ireland
Ann, dau. 34, widow, Ireland
Mary, dau. 24, U, Ireland
Margaret, dau. 19, U, Ireland
Catherine, dau. 11, U, Ireland
Michael Gilligan, cousin, 29, mar, Porter, Ireland

Michael Gilligan was actually married to Mary age 24 at this stage. I think she has incorrectly been recorded as unmarried. I am not sure he is cousin. Cousin might be meaning son in law in this case??
Anyway....from the marriage of Michael and Mary, I can see that Jerry is record as Gerard.

This is all I can seem to find! I cannot see Jerry/Gerard/Gerald's death or any further entries in census. Am wondering if he and Margaret might have gone elsewhere?

[Ruskie]

Do you have any of the other family members in later censuses, or is everyone missing?

As youngest "daughter" Catherine is aged 11 and was born in Ireland, the family may still have been in Ireland in 1841.

Have you considered that Catherine may be Jerry's grand daughter rather than a daughter? (possibly daughter of widowed daughter Ann aged 34?) If Ann is a widow shouldn't she have a different surname? You say that daughter Mary is married to Michael Gilligan at this time so there are obviously a couple of inaccuracies in what is written on the census. I may be wrong with the Catherine as grand daughter theory of course. 

Did Mary and Michael Gilligan marry in England?

[Katharine75]

That's a possibility for Catherine. Mind you they were still young enough to be her parents too.
I wondered the same about Ann. She could be their daughter in law, or if their own daughter should be under a different surname presumably.
Mary and Michael married in Liverpool. I have them on later census records, but parents not living with them. There is a Mary Flanagan with them at one stage who could well be a neice, but haven't placed her yet.

[Ruskie]

I had a bit of a dig around the 1841 and 1861 census but you are right - the family don't want to be found. I had a look in Toxteth cemetery  for Ger*/Jer* Flanagan but couldn't see him there either. Of course I couple have missed him, or he could well be elsewhere.

Generally when people disappear I advise them to check immigration to USA or Australia.

I did find a Catherine Flanagan lodger b 1838 Ireland on the 1861 census (I think in Staffordshire), but not enough to go on to know if it is your Catherine, but it does give a county of birth in Ireland (can't recall what it was though I'm sorry). The daughters could all have married by next census and be under another surname, making it even more difficult to trace them.

Have you check freebmd for possible marriages? 

Not much help sorry.

[whiteout7]

Death?
Jeremiah Flannagan
Year 1855
District
Manchester
Lancashire

Not that far away in location?

Check this census maybe?
Jeremiah Flannigan
1841
London, Surrey
Birth Year 1796
Age 45
St Saviour Southwark

See if he had his wife Margaret with him but not Ann?

[maddys52]

There is this marriage (though it doesn't help to find Jerry, except that presumably he was still alive in 1862 to give consent?):
Catherine FLANAGAN (minor, Spinster, Marybone) married John COSTELLO (minor, shoemaker, Bachelor, Scotland Rd) on  7 Apr 1862 at St Peter, Liverpool

Groom's Father: James Costello, Nailmaker
Bride's Father: Jeremiah Flannigan, Shoemaker
Witness: Patrick Kennedy; Bridget Coleman
Married by Banns

[maddys52]

There is also Margaret FLANAGAN (single, shoebinder) married Joseph NOLAN (single, shoemaker) on 17 August 1856 at St George's Manchester

Groom's Father: Patrick Nolan, shoemaker
Bride's Father: Jeremiah Flanagan, shoemaker
Witness: John and Mary Cartwright
Married by Banns

[maddys52]

There is also a J Flanagan, boot and shoemaker, Liverpool who was bankrupt in Oct 1865 (report in Preston Chronicle, Saturday, October 21, 1865. A possibility, though I don't know how many J Flanagan's would be in Liverpool at the time?

[Katharine75]

Wow! That all looks promising. I didn't think to search with name Jeremiah.
If he is the one who did in 1855, then not sure how he could be bankrupt ten years later. Maybe the death is a son?

Wonder what happened to Margaret his wife then? And still doesn't fully explain his absence from 1861 census if still alive.