Prendergast

[goggy]

G'Day Vivian!
Sorry for late answer,lost in space most of the time.
Don't know of employer's in that area or time,and really doubt Navvy's would have rated a mention anyway.
As I said earlier,there's a lot of them,have you found any 'fellow traveller's',like other name's in a group?Work available new's was spread by 'bush telegraph'then,as it was in my(later)day's.
Most of this new's was also obtained over a pint or two!
Keep on digging Digger!
           Goggy.

[Christopher]

Hi Goggy, Thank you for your interest, I have not got the name of his employer. Is there a list of people who employed the navvys

Hiya Vivian,

You have the right idea. Some of the large building contractors of today may have built canals. As Goggy says there will be no lists of Navvies but there'd be no harm looking at the history of some of the contractors. If the founder of one of these companies came from Ireland it is possible men from the area where he was born and reared went to work for him. I regret my first guess was not too good. I guessed McAlpine . Unfortunately for us Robert McAlpine was a Scot.

Chris

[goggy]

'Evening Christopher!
Trade directories,newspaper items 'reports of drunken behaviour,etc;etc;!
We also had Wimpey's,Taylor-Woodrow,at one time in Liverpool there were certain pub's where the Navvie's relaxed,most if not all in the company issue donkey jacket and wellie's!!
Sartorial elegance.
                      Goggy.

[t_creaney]

BB....... Do you know what canal he worked on? With the children being born in the Manchester area maybe the Manchester Ship Canal (1880s / 1890s), the Leeds Liverpool Canal would have been too early I think.

There are historical societies attached to most canal systems who may be able to give you some information, but names of navvies probably not & where they came from even less chance I suspect.

It could be an interesting bit of research to identify the possible canals (there is plenty to google for), even if you don't find your chap.

Happy hunting.

terry

[babyboomer]

Hi Guys, You are an inspiration, I think it maybe the Manchester ship canal. That is were I shall start anyway. I know he did live at Whittle-le-Woods and when I came over last month we went to the canal there and the pub right on the canal was "Top Lock"  and just across was Copthurst Cottage where he lived and was a boater. So maybe before the cottage he lived on the boat and that is why the children are born along the canal. Thank you once again for your continued interest. It is good to bounce off others ideas.  Onya

[Billiejo]

Birth places mentioned;
Salford is a borough of Manchester.
Pendleton is in Salford.
Gorton is within central Manchester
Early BIG Contractors were Mc Alpine; Murphy; Whimpy; Taylor & Woodrow.
Many Irish from Leinster (includes Wicklow) settled in Manchester.
Pendergast name is very familiar to me V friends and relatives around Wicklow & Kildare in Ireland.
All Irish construction workers were referred to a Navies.
Hope this is of some help.

[babyboomer]

Thank you Billiejo for your information and interest, I will try and find out more, will be busy with the mudane things in life for the next couple of weeks my daughter is pregnant and I am going up to Perth to give her a hand with spring cleaning (thats what mums do) But can't wait to get stuck into the Irish part of my history.  Cheers from an aussie

[goggy]

Babyboomer.
Just ask who has green eye's!You actually saw the place he lived in?Terrific.
Now you can race ahead to the next problem!!
                Goggy.

[goggy]

Billiejo.
Come in,have a chair,the kettle's on.Now,when your'e comfy,can you explain why a PRendergast suddenly becomes a PEndergast,or any of the other versions or abbreviation's of the name!!
              Goggy.