The Family of Thomas McGee & Margaret Hyslop, 1875

Thomas McGee was born on January 3, 1846 in Lightburn in the Parish of Shettleston, Lanarkshire, to Sarah Dunigan (c1810 - 1888) and James McGee (c1810 - 1885). [See Section MG-5-1 for family background.]

Margaret Hyslop was born on March 12, 1858 at 94 Cambridge Street in the Sub-district of Chorlton upon Medlock in the District of Chorlton to Fanny Greaves (c1831 - ????) and John Hyslop (c1831 - ????). [See Section HY-5-1 for probable family background.]

Their known children are —

Jamesborn in 1879 in Manchester, married Marie Shanks in 1903 and died in 1944.
Johnborn in 1882 in Camlachie and died in 1961.
Henryborn in 1884 in Camlachie and died in 1918.
Sarahborn in 1886 in Manchester, rumoured to have married and vanished into the Great Wen.

GHS101 : Photographer - Dawson's Studio, 24 John William Street, Huddersfield


1875 On Saturday, October 30, Thomas McGee and Margaret Hyslop were married by Fr. H. C. Smith in the Catholic Parish Church in Manchester. The marriage was registered No.400 in the Parish of Manchester in the County of Lancaster.

Thomas was 29, occupation Engraver. His father James's occupation is given as Labourer.

Margaret was 17, no occupation recorded and her father John was a Carter.

Both parties gave their address as 39 Lower Chatham Street. Today, part of the street remains just south of the Mancunian Way and west of Oxford Street.

The witnesses were Alexander McDonald and Lucy Hardman.


1879 On Sunday, March 2, James was born, allegedly at 39 Chatham Street. The birth was registered No.312 in the Sub-district of Chorlton upon Medlock in the District of Chorlton, in the County of Lancaster on March 13 by his father.

Now, there is a Chatham Street off Piccadilly, second on the right after leaving the Gardens. However, that's a bit away from most McGee locations and taking this together with the address of Thomas and Margaret at the time of their marriage, I am inclined to the opinion that the registration is wrong, or has been mis-copied and James was in fact born at 39 Lower Chatham Street.


The family must have moved north before the 1881 Census because —

1881 April 3 For one house in a tenement at 179 Parliamentary Road in the Parish of Barony - St. Rollox in the County of Lanarkshire (nowadays in Townhead, Glasgow), there is the following —

Rel.Mar.AgeOccupationBirthplace
Mary Barr(eo??)HeadWidow53Gibaralter
Sophia do.DaughterUnmar18Umbrella FinisherEngland
Francis do.Son16Tailor Apprenticedo.
John do.Son11Scholardo.
Thomas McGheeLodgerMar35Engraver Calico PrinterLanarks, Shettleston
Margaret do.WifeMar23England
James do.Son2do.
George O'DohertyLodgerUnmar26ClerkIreland

It looks as if the family who owned/rented the house lived in one room, sub-letting another to the McGees and a third to Mr. O'Doherty.

No.179 was on the south side of Parliamentary Road between St. Mungo Street and Taylor Street, an area which vanished about the time the M8 was built through Townhead.


1882 On Friday, May 19, at 6h30m a.m., John (Jack) was born at 41 Wesleyan Street, Camlachie, Glasgow to Thomas McGee, Calico Engraver (Journeyman) and Margaret McGee m.s. Hyslop who were married on 1875 October 30 in Manchester, England. His birth was registered No.672 at Glasgow (District of Camlachie) on May 26 by Thomas McGee, Father.

Wesleyan Street ran south from the Gallowgate, two streets east of Abercromby Street and still existed into the 1960s (the intervening street is Orr Street which still exists). Most of the east side of the street was taken up by the Victoria Biscuit Works.

Jack never married and died on May 18, 1961 aged 78 while living with James's daughter Hilda and George Shaw in Denton on the south east side of Manchester.


1884 On Saturday, September 6, at 8h15m a.m., Henry was born at 41 Wesleyan Street, Camlachie, Glasgow to Thomas McGee, Calico Engraver (Journeyman) and Margaret McGee m.s. Hyslop who were married on 1875 October 30 in Manchester, England. His birth was registered No.1319 at Glasgow (District of Camlachie) on September 15 by Thomas McGee, Father.

Henry enlisted in Manchester in a territorial unit of the Royal Field Artillery (706318, Gunner) and was serving in "D" Bty. 211th Bde. when he died of wounds on Friday, May 10, 1918, aged 34. He is buried in the Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, Seine-Maritime, France (Grave ref VI. H. 8A).


1886 On Thursday, August 12, Sarah Frances was born at 14 Small Street, Ardwick, Manchester to Thomas McGee, Engraver for Calico Printers and Margaret McGee formerly Hyslop. Her birth was registered No.343 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton in the County of Lancaster on September 9 by M McGee, Mother, of Woodside Terrace, New Mills.

My mother said that Sarah married Andy Hymas and had children Winnie, Frank and Jack. For reasons unknown, Sarah went off to London taking Jack with her.


1891 Margaret McGee, wife of Thomas McGee, Engraver to Calico printers, died on Wednesday, December 9 at 15 Woodley Street, Manchester, aged 33, of Placenta Pravia, Haemorrhage, Exhaustion as certified by R.A. Paton, MB. Her death was registered No.61 in the Sub-district of St George in the District of Manchester in the County of Manchester on the same day by Thomas McGee, Widower of deceased, Present at the death, living at the same address.


1903 On Thursday, December 3, James married Marie Shanks in St. Aloysius Church, Ardwick. [See Section MG-7-1 for further information.]


1916 On Friday, June 2, Thomas McGee, a Calico Printer's Engineer [sic] died at 25 Old Elm Street, Ardwick at the age of 70 of Pernicious anaemia, after 1 year, 6 months, certified by T. Coogan, MB. His death was registered No.175 in the Sub-district of Ardwick in the District of Chorlton in the County of Manchester CB on the following day by James McGee, Son Present at death, living at the same address.