Census returns and other official records inspiring the story
There are no records indicating the sort of people the family were but a raw outline of their lives can be gleaned from what official records there are, and contemporary and later accounts of the lives of Irish immigrants into Liverpool.
It is impossible to say with certainty whether this is the right family, but there are name and location clues which suggest they are the right ones. Austin’s age is shown as 20 although the rounding process used renders this unreliable.
There is a clear link to Stockdale Street in this record, although the surname spellings are variants on the one used in the 1841 census.
The younger Edward Melia appears to have been born out of wedlock, several months before his parents married. Yet another surname variant is used, ‘Meally’.
John Melia, Edward Melia’s younger brother. This is the first record using the spelling ‘Melia’. John Melia is believed to have later emigrated to the United States.
This is believed to be the death record for the elder Edward Melia. He dies of typhus and still resided on Stockdale Street.
This is believed to be the burial record for Bridget Melia. She also still resided on Stockdale Street, and may have also been afflicted with typhus.
Catherine and the children’s Christian names are clearly stated but for some reason Austin’s name is recorded as ‘N.K.’ (Not Known). His surname has also been recorded as ‘Mayley’. By this time they had moved from Stockdale Street to a court on Collingwood Street, along with a relative, Thomas Melia.
It is not possible to be 100% certain but this is probably the death record for Austin Melia. As you can see he died in Liverpool Workhouse from a Hemiplegia related condition.
It is also not possible to be 100% certain, but this is probably the death record for Catherine Melia. Following Austin’s death she appears to have returned to Stockdale Street, possibly to live with one of Austin’s relatives.
The younger Edward Melia next appears in the 1861 census in St. Helens, by which time he has become a coal miner. Edward Melia briefly appears in the book ‘A Lancashire Story’, starting some 30 years later.