Irish Community Preston - 19th Century

[Lee 6th Gen Irish]

Hi all,

I'm undertaking some quite detailed research into the Irish community in Preston, particularly the Canal Street area - known as Little Ireland - in 1871.

Do anyone have any ideas or tips on where to best present/publicise my findings?

What I've found so far is that there were almost two separate Irish populations, some very settled large families, who effectively became a "clan" living in the area for 100 years and a transient population that didn't seem to stay for more than a couple of years before moving on to the next time.

The main families I've found so far include:
Pendergast
Churchill
McCann
Joyce
McNulty
Waldron
Flynn
Roach
Connell
Sinclair

If anyone has Irish ancestry living in Preston around 1871 I'll be happy to look to see if they were in the canal Street area.

Regards

Lee

[spendlove]

Hi,

I suggest you contact

Preston Historical Society or Lancashire Archaeological Society.

Spendlove

[Pennines]

Well done on your endeavours, Lee.

In addition to spendlove's excellent suggestions, Lancashire Family history and Heraldry Society have an Irish Branch - in fact the Branch have a 'meet up' for helping both Society members and members of the public -- on Saturday 12th February at one of the Society's Research Centres at 2, Straits, Oswaldtwistle from 1.00pm.

It's the first physical meet up since Covid started!

They may be interested in what you are doing and may be able to help.

Website;
https://www.lfhhs.org/branch.php?br=7

Contact email for the Irish Branch;
 irish@lfhhs.org.uk

Good luck with your research!

[Lee 6th Gen Irish]

Thank you for the advice, looks like a couple of good starting points.

[Maiden Stone]

Blog Preston https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/category/history/
My Irish family in Preston was Nicholson (various spellings).

[Lee 6th Gen Irish]

Blog Preston https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/category/history/
My Irish family in Preston was Nicholson (various spellings).

Good shout with blog Preston, they do publish a few history pieces, mainly on a Sunday night. I might sound them out and see if they're interested in doing a feature.

I've not come across the Nicholson family yet so I'll have a look to see if I can find them.

[Maiden Stone]

I've not come across the Nicholson family yet so I'll have a look to see if I can find them.

William Nicholson & family including son Michael who were in Preston from 1860s. Addresses changed and the  boys went to more than 1 school. There were several other Nicholson families related to them. Mrs Nicholson was MacNamara.

[Lee 6th Gen Irish]

I've not come across the Nicholson family yet so I'll have a look to see if I can find them.

William Nicholson & family including son Michael who were in Preston from 1860s. Addresses changed and the  boys went to more than 1 school. There were several other Nicholson families related to them. Mrs Nicholson was MacNamara.

Was the family mainly based around the Lancaster Road area of town? Westmoreland Street, Higginson Street?

Was their any link to Mrs Nicholson and Bernard MacNamara who was killed in the 1842 Plug Riots?