Charles Allen Du Val

James Higgins 1813-1882

James Higgins was born in 1813 in Salford in Lancashire, the son of William Higgins 1784-1853 of Salford and his wife nee Elizabeth Meban 1787-1851 (1).

He married Anne Renshaw on 15 May 1839 at Manchester Collegiate Church. He was then a bachelor aged 26 years living at Mount Pleasant Square in Salford. She was the daughter of William Renshaw of The Crescent in Salford and Martha Constantine his wife. The bride's father had given his consent to the marriage, as she was then only 20 years old (2). She was born on 7 February 1819 and baptised at Bolton parish church in Lancashire on 23 April 1819.

By 1851 James Higgins was a machine maker employing 622 work people and living with his wife and family at Adelphi Street in Manchester. In 1871 the family had moved to Stocks House, York Street in Cheetham, Manchester.

His wife Anne Higgins nee Anne Renshaw died in 1854.

James Higgins married Ellen Chapman on 22 August 1857 at St George's church, Hanover Square in London. She was born on 17 May 1812 and baptised on 16 June 1812 at Richmond in Surrey. She was the daughter of Thomas Chapman of Richmond and his wife nee Sophia Barrett.

By 1881 James Higgins and his family had moved to Holmwood, High Street, Turvey in Bedfordshire, but James Higgins was still active in business as a Master Machine Maker then employing 544 work people.

James Higgins and his wife nee Anne Renshaw had the following children:

Frederick Platt-Higgins 1895

Frederick Platt-Higgins. He was born in 1841 and became a cotton spinner and Conservative party politician. He married Emilie Mottram of Manchester in 1864. At the 1895 general election he was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament for Salford North. He retained the seat for eleven years, but lost it in the Liberal party landslide in the general election of 1906. He and his family resided at Homeleigh in Bowdon, Cheshire, but he retired to Woodham Place at Horsell in Surrey, where he died in 1910.

Margaret Platt-Higgins. She was born in 1842 in Salford, and died unmarried in 1891 at Turvey.

Charles Platt-Higgins. He was born in 1844, but nothing more is known of him, and may have died young.

Henry Platt-Higgins. He was born in 1846, and married his cousin Fanny Higgins on 21 February 1847. In 1892 he was living at Mount House, Tetlow Fold, Cheetham Hill in Manchester (4).

Alfred Herbert Platt-Higgins. He was born on 9 July 1846, and became a Barrister-at-Law.

Arthur Platt-Higgins. He was born on 26 September 1852, and was baptised at Christ Church in Salford on 1 November 1852. He married Frances Wilkinson nee Frances Du Val. He died in 1903.

Anne Platt-Higgins. She was born in 1854, and was married on 22 September 1883 at Turvey to John Thewlis Johnson (5).

Walter Platt-Higgins. He was born in 1861. In 1892 he was living at Holmwood, Mayfield Road, Kersal near Manchester.

In 1889 the surname of his children was changed to Platt-Higgins in accordance with the provisions of the Will of their aunt Margaret Platt (3) James Higgins retained his surname of Higgins.

James Higgins died at Turvey on 7 February 1882 aged 69 years (6)and was buried there on 11 February 1881 (7) .
His wife Ellen Higgins died at Turvey on 28 March 1891 and was buried there on 1 April 1891.

(1) The Visitation of England and Wales J.J. Howard (1897) page 108. Care has to be taken in assessing the information in these Visitations however, as they may contain mistakes. For example, Elizabeth Meban was not the mother of Frederick Platt-Higgins and his siblings but their grandmother.
(2) Cheshire Marriage Licence Bonds and Allegations 1606-1905 dated 13 May 1839.
(3) The London Gazette Issue 26002 dated 17 December 1889 page 7279.
(4) The dates of residence in 1892 are given in Cheshire Electoral Registers 1842-1900 : Dukinfield Township. He owned an undivided share of eleven freehold cottages at 26 to 46 High Street in Stalybridge in Cheshire, the other owners being his brothers Frederick Platt-Higgins of Heald Road, Bowden in Cheshire, Arthur Platt-Higgins of 15 Landsdowne Road, Didsbury in Manchester, and Walter Platt-Higgins of Holmwood, Mayfield Road, Kersal in Manchester, and his relative Edward Platt-Higgins of Rathcoole, Fort William Park in Belfast.
(5) Manchester Times dated 29 September 1883.
(6) Manchester Times dated 11 February 1882.
(7) His Will was proved at Northampton on 16 June 1882.