Richard Shanks was born about 1837 in Ireland, son of Richard Shanks, Flax Dealer
Now, Richard's age is given as 43 in the 1881 census, 50 in 1891 and 62 at his death in March 1899. These are not quite consistent and for the time being, I shall assume that he was born about 1837 and at the time of his marriage, he was about 30. Again from the 1881 Census, his birthplace is given as Ireland; his father's occupation of Flax Dealer points to the northern counties, assuming that he was dealing with flax when Richard was born. I'm told there is a concentration of Shanks in Co. Down but have no definite connection as yet.
I don't yet know when he joined the army but, after service in India, he had left and was settled in Manchester by 1877. For the next few years, he seems to have been a Labourer, then by 1893, Watchman at a Rubber Works (possibly the Dunlop Rubber Works in Cambridge Street or Redfern Rubber Works in Red Bank).
[The 68th Regiment of Foot was formed in 1758 from the 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Foot which had been formed two years earlier at Leicester. In our time frame, the regiment was in India for several years before serving in New Zealand 1863-66 where it saw action at Gate Pah (April 27, 1864) and Te Ranga. [I have seen a casualty list for Te Ranga (published in the NZ Herald of 7 July 1864) and there is no mention of any Shanks.] It then spent some years in England before returning to India 1872-1887. In 1881 under the Cardwell Reforms, it became the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, with the 106th Regt (Bombay Light Infantry) forming a second battalion.
Information courtesy of Durham Light Infantry, http://www.lightinfantry.org/dli.htm]Rose Anna Hegan was born about 1850 in Armagh (probably the city), Ireland, daughter of James Hegan, Shoemaker.
1867 On Monday, February 25 Richard Shanks and Rose Anna Hegan were married after Banns in the Parish Church in the Parish of Portsmouth in the County of Southampton, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church. The marriage was registered No.354 in the District of Portsea Island.
Richard claimed to be of "full" age [over 21], a Bachelor, Private, 68th Regiment, residing at Cambridge Barracks. His father is recorded as Richard Shanks, Flax Dealer.
Rose also claimed to be of "full" age [but see below], a Spinster, also residing at Cambridge Barracks. her father is recorded as James Hegan, Shoemaker.
The celebrand was John S. McGhie, Vicar, and the witnesses were Richard Jamison and Margaret Fagan (who made her mark).
Was Rose of "full" age? The 1881 Census gives her age as 30 which would make her about 16 at the time of the marriage. It is not unknown for folk to claim "full" age to avoid any complications over parental consent to a marriage, on the other hand she might have understated or approximated her age for the census enumerator. The census gives her birthplace as Ireland.
On the four birth certificates I have collected so far, her name is variously given as Rose Ann Hegan, Rosanna Hegan, Rose Anne Higgin and Rose Hagan. In the 1881 Census, her name is Rosina.
[In the 1881 Census, there is an Irish born James Higgins, Shoemaker, aged 60 residing in Water Street, Manchester with wife Catherine and a son Edward, born about 1852 in Blackburn.]
Richard and Rose had the following children (that I know of), all born in Ardwick, Manchester unless otherwise stated —
James born in 1868 in Farnborough, Surrey, last sighting 1881 in Ardwick. Maria born about 1875 in India, married James McGee in 1903 and died in 1918. Lucy born in 1877, married Herbert McMahon, last sighting 1901. Richard born in 1880, last sighting 1881. Polly ? born in 188X, only appears in photos so far! John born in 1886, last sighting 1911. Rose born in 1888, married George Ernest Wheeler in 1919, last sighting 1919. Herbert born in 1893, married Frances Minnie Howard in 1915 and died in France in 1917. According to the count in the 1911 census, Rose gave birth to 13 children, 6 of whom were still alive at that date. We know the six still alive, so it would appear that James and Richard have died and we have another five short-lived children to find.
1868 James Shanks was born on Sunday, January 5 at South Camp, Farnborough to Rose Ann Shanks, formerly Hegan and Richard Shanks, Private, 68th Regiment. His birth was registered No.467 in the Sub-district of Farnborough in the District of Hartley Witney in the Counties of Southampton and Surrey on January 21 by R. Shanks, Father.
1875 May 30 Maria was born in India, at Manau according to my mother and Aunt Hilda. The 1881 Census suggests she was born in 1874 and my mother's notes state she was born in 1876 but her marriage and death certificates both imply that she was born in 1875 so I'll go with that date for the time being. Her name is uniquely recorded as Marie when she registered the birth of her daughter Rosa in 1917, but all other documents have Maria.
1877 Lucy Shanks was born on Wednesday, December 26 at 39 Temperance Street, Ardwick to Rosanna Shanks, formerly Hegan and Richard Shanks, Laborer at Rubber Works. Her birth was registered No.150 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton on April 17, 1878 by R Shanks, Mother. I wonder why it took 3½ months to get around to registering her birth, particularly as I believe there was a legal requirement to register a birth within 6 weeks.
Temperance Street lies along the west side of the railway between Piccadilly and Ardwick stations.
Lucy is reputed to have married Herbert McMahon and had children Eileen and Herbert.
1880 Richard Shanks was born on Tuesday, April 13 at 39 Temperance Street to Rose Ann Shanks, formerly Higgins and Richard Shanks, Laborer. His birth was registered No.27 in the Sub-district of London Road in the District of Manchester on May 24 by R. Shanks, Father. The question left hanging here is why the birth was registered at London Road when the birth took place in Ardwick (in the District of Chorlton) and the family were still living there at the time of registration.
I do not remember my Mother ever mentioning an Uncle Richard so have no definite idea of where to seek further information about him. I'll check for a young death when I have nothing better to do.
1881 April 3 At 42 Temperance Street, Ardwick, Manchester, there dwelt
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Richard Shanks Head M 43 Labourer Ireland Rosina Shanks Wife M 30 Labourers Wife Ireland James Shanks 13 Scholar Surrey, Aldershot Maria J Shanks 6 Scholar India Lucy J Shanks 3 Lancs, Manc'r Richard Shanks 1 Manc'r I don't know why the family had moved from 39 to 42 Temperance Street. Looking at the entries in the Census, only 2 are in Temperance Street, nos. 40 and 42, in the sequence Hoyle Street, Mellors Buildings, Temperance Street and Gray Street so I imagine the enumerator worked his way up Hoyle Street, along a short stretch of Temperance Street and down Gray Street. Gray Street does not exist on my 1960s map so either it has been renamed or was demolished before then.
There is also a question over whether the family had moved from No. 39 or whether Temperance Street had been renumbered.
The lack of any children between James and Maria may be simply because they were not at home that day, or more likely because India was not a healthy climate for pregnant European women and young children.
1886 John was born.
1888 Rose Shanks was born on Friday, January 20 at 10 Broadie Street, Ardwick to Rose Ann Shanks, formerly Hagan and Richard Shanks, Labourer at Tan Yard. Her birth was registered No.412 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton in the County of Lancaster on February 28 by R.A. Shanks, Mother.
Broadie Street is off Hoyle Street, a short distance from Temperance Street.
Rose married George Ernest Wheeler in 1919,
1891 April 5 The family were still at 10 Broadie Street, Ardwick in a three-roomed house.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Status Birthplace Richard Shanks Head M 50 Watchman Employed Ireland Rose do. Wife M 40 do. Maria do. Daur S 16 Dressmaker Employed Lancaster, Manchester Lucy do. do. 13 Scholar do., do. John do. Son 5 do. do., do. Rose do. Daur 3 do., do. We have lost Richard (11) from our list, and gained John and Rose
1893 Herbert Shanks was born on Saturday, July 1 at 10 Broadie Street, Ardwick to Rose Shanks, formerly Hagan and Richard Shanks, Watchman at Rubber Works. His birth was registered No.165 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton on August 8 by R. Shanks, Mother.
Herbert was to join the army. He married Frances Minnie Howard on June 19, 1915 and died two years later in France on July 21, 1917.
1899 Richard Shanks, An Army Pensioner, 68th Foot, died on March 17 at 6 Poynton Street, Ardwick, South Manchester, age 62, of Cardiac disease and Bronchitis as certified by C. O'Doherty, MD. His death was registered No.345 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton, in the Counties of Manchester & Lancaster on the following day by Maria Shanks, Daughter, Present at death.
Poynton Street was a bit further away, north of Moss Lane and west of Princess Road (A5103), but presumably still within the Ardwick registration sub-district. This is another area which has been extensively redeveloped since the 1960s. I would place Poynton Street in the industrial estate to the north east of Moss Side Shopping Centre.
1901 March 31 The family were still at 6 Poynton Street, Ardwick
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Status Birthplace Rose A. Shanks Head Wid 49 Armagh, Ireland Marian do. Daur S 25 Dressmaker Worker India Lucy do. Daur S 23 Tailoress (Vest Maker) do. Lancs, Ardwick John do. Son 15 Apprentice to
Machine Fitterdo. do., do. Rose do. Daur 13 do., do. Herbert do. Son 7 do., do. Edward Poole Boarder S 22 Railway Carter Worker Lancs, Whiston
1903 On Thursday, December 3, Maria married James McGee in St. Aloysius Church, Ardwick. [See Section MG-7-1 for further information.]
1911 April 2 The family were living at 23 Norfolk Street, Ardwick in a four-roomed house (including the kitchen).
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Status Birthplace Rose Shanks Head Widow 59 - - 13 - 6 Armagh, Armagh John Shanks Son Single 25 Labourer Hosepipe Making
Rubber ManufacturerWorker Lancashire, Manchester Rose Shanks Daughter Single 23 Tailoress Worker Lancashire, Manchester Herbert Shanks Son Single 17 Billiard Marker Worker Lancashire, Manchester Rose had been married for an unspecified number of years, given birth to 13 children of whom 6 were still living.
1915 on Saturday, June 19 Herbert Shanks and Frances Minnie Howard were married in St. Chad's Catholic Church, [Cheetham Hill Road,] Manchester. The marriage was registered No.86 in the District of Manchester in the County of Manchester.
Herbert, age 21, gave his occupation as Private, 7th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Hotel Cook). His usual residence is given as Saffrons, South View Road, Crowborough [7 miles south west of Royal Tunbridge Wells on the Brighton Road], which I would guess was an Army establishment. His deceased father's occupation is Night Watchman (India Rubber Works).
Frances gave her age as 20, a Dressmaker of 73 Dantzic Street, Manchester [which still exists just east of Victoria Station]. Her father is recorded as John Howard (deceased), a Bricklayer.
[The 1881 Census shows a John Howard, Bricklayer, age 28, married, born in England - a lodger with a family called Carey at 14 Smith Street (which was just south of Deansgate Station). In the same house is another lodger Mary Howard, age 39, married, born in Ireland, but I have nothing to confirm the connection.]
The celebrant was D. Sheahan, Priest and the witnesses were John Keefe (who made his mark) and Mary McGlone The ceremony was by Licence rather than by Banns, perhaps for short notice in war time. [Maria's marriage to James McGee, also in a Catholic church, was by Certificate - I will have to look into these nuances sometime.]
1917 On Saturday, July 21, Herbert Shanks (52114, Private) was serving in 13th Battalion., The King's (Liverpool Regiment) when he was killed in action, aged 24. He is buried in Red Cross Corner Cemetery, Beugny, Pas de Calais, France. (Grave ref I.E.I.)
He left a wife, Frances Minnie Shanks of 79 Kirkstall St., Ardwick, and a daughter?.
He was living in Manchester when he enlisted there in the Manchester Regiment (2471, Private).
Rose is described as "late" in the War Graves Commission entry for Herbert, which leaves us to search for her death between 1911 and 1917. (And my first attempt failed to find it.)
1919 Quarter 4 — There is a marriage recorded in Chorlton (try 8c 1992) between Rose Shanks and George Ernest Wheeler. From somewhere, I have a date of November 15.
And that's about the sum of my knowledge of the Shanks at the moment.
Which leaves us to find other possible children (in no particular order):-
John - possibly went to Canada.
Polly - nothing known.
My Mother also mentioned a Henry who died in the war but I suspect he was Herbert.
Compiled by John Reynolds — JRGene@btinternet.com
Last significant update — November 2014 (English census data)