Hugh Gavigan
3x Great-grandfather of Colin Manson (ahnentafel #56, MMFFF)
✓ Sourced record
Born
About 1837, Co Donegal, Ireland
Died
22 July 1894, 7 Portugal Lane, Gorbals Glasgow
Parents
Photographs
1 photo from the family collection. Names and dates come from the file names and writing on the prints. Click a photo to view it full size.
Hugh Gavigan senior, portrait dated 1889 (1889)
Family photo, file: Hugh Gavigan image 1889.jpg
Cabinet card by A. Dunbar and Co, Bellgrove Street, Glasgow. Hugh Gavigan senior (about 1837 to 1894, the husband of Florinda Elliot), identified by Colin Manson. The date comes from the file name. It is not Hugh junior, the soldier, who joined the Black Watch in 1892. The man has a full beard and wears a dark civilian coat, with no cap or badge visible.
Documents
6 records from the research archive. Click an image to view it full size.
Civil death record, Mary Gavigan, 1867
Source: Colin uploads, 30 October 2026 — Mary (McGarrigal) Gavigan (Mother of Hugh (Florinda)) Death Record 17 Mar 1867.jpg
A Roots Ireland (Donegal Ancestry) index card, not an image of the register page. A second copy of the same card was in the batch.
1871 Census, Portugal Street, Gorbals
Source: ScotlandsPeople — Hugh Gavigan Census 1871.pdf· view full page· match unconfirmed
Civil death record, Peter Gavigan, 1880
Source: Colin uploads, 30 October 2026 — Peter Gavigan (Legaltan) death record 11 Apr 1880.jpg
A Roots Ireland (Donegal Ancestry) index card, not an image of the register page.
Census, 1881
Source: ScotlandsPeople downloads, 29 October 2026 — ScotlandsPeople_C1881_644_12_083_000_2_013Z.pdf
The household is schedule 73. The surname is written Gaffigan.
Census, 1891
Source: ScotlandsPeople downloads, 29 October 2026 — ScotlandsPeople_C1891_644_12_080_000_2_017Z.pdf
The surname is written Gavigan. The schedule number is cut off at the page edge.
Death, 1894
Source: McClure Gavigan — Hugh Gavigan 1894 Death.pdf
What the records say
Details read from the certificate images above. Handwriting is transcribed as read, with doubts noted.
Death of Hugh Gavigan, 1894
Statutory Deaths 644/12 0447 · Gorbals district, Burgh of Glasgow, page 149, entry 447
Name
Hugh Gavigan, Stableman
Died
22 July 1894, about 5:40 pm
Place of death
7 Portugal Lane, Glasgow
Sex and age
Male, 59 years
Marital status
Married to Florinda Elliot
Father
Peter Gavigan, Farmer (deceased)
Mother
Mary Gavigan, maiden surname McGarrigal (spelling uncertain; deceased)
Cause of death
Apoplexy, 1 day
Informant
Joseph Gavigan, son, 40 Florence Street, Glasgow, present
Registered
23 July 1894, Glasgow
ℹ Matches the GEDCOMThe date and place agree, and the parents Peter Gavigan and Mary match the tree. An age of 59 points to a birth around 1835, against about 1837 in the GEDCOM.
ℹ His son JosephThe informant, Joseph Gavigan, is almost certainly his son Joseph (born 25 December 1865). He was living at 40 Florence Street, also in the Gorbals.
Civil death record, Mary Gavigan, 1867
Roots Ireland (Donegal Ancestry) index · Ballyshannon, County Donegal
Name and age
Mary Gavigan, 68
Died
17 March 1867
Address
Legaltin
Status and occupation
Married, wife of a farmer
Informant
Michael Gavigan, householder, Ballyshannon
ℹ Matches the treeThe date and place agree with Mary in the tree, and an age of 68 gives a birth about 1799. Hugh Gavigan's 1894 death certificate names his mother as Mary, maiden surname McGarrigal, which fits a wife of the farmer Peter Gavigan of Legaltin.
⚠ Her maiden nameThe tree has McGonnigal. The only source seen is the 1894 certificate, which seems to say McGarrigal (the spelling is uncertain). The 1867 card gives no maiden name.
ℹ Michael GaviganThe informant was the householder, Michael Gavigan. He is probably a son, and a Michael is a name Hugh later gave to his own son. Not confirmed.
Civil death record, Peter Gavigan, 1880
Roots Ireland (Donegal Ancestry) index · Ballyshannon, County Donegal
Name and age
Peter Gavigan, 80
Died
11 April 1880
Address
Legaltin
Status and occupation
Widower, small farmer
Informant
Matthew Gavigan, householder, Legaltin
ℹ Date correctedThe tree had June 1880 in Ireland. This record gives 11 April 1880 at Legaltin, Ballyshannon. An age of 80 gives a birth about 1800.
ℹ WidowerHis wife Mary had died in 1867, so he was a widower for 13 years.
ℹ Matthew GaviganThe informant, Matthew Gavigan, was the householder at Legaltin. He may be a son who stayed on the farm. Not confirmed.
1871 Census: household transcription
Details read from the census schedule image above. Reference 644/10 113/00 010, census night 2 April 1871.
Address
Portugal Street, Gorbals, GlasgowThe first address on this page is 21 Portugal Street, 2nd back land. Hugh's own schedule has no separate address written, so it is read as the same street.
Area
Civil parish of Gorbals, Parliamentary Burgh of Glasgow
Schedule no.
59
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence ShawUnmarried | Lodger | 25 (M) | Mill labourer | Ireland |
| Hugh GaviganMarried | Lodger | 30 (M) | Stable labourer (as read) | Ireland |
⚠ Age does not fit exactlyHugh is recorded aged 30. His 1894 death at 59 would make him about 36 in 1871. The trade (stable work), birthplace (Ireland), marital status and Gorbals address all fit, and the family notes in the research folder describe him as a stable lad lodging at 21 Portugal Street in 1871, so this is attached as a likely match.
ℹ Alone in GlasgowHis wife Florinda and their children are not with him on this page. That fits the family notes, which say he went ahead to Glasgow around 1870 or 1871 and the family followed later. A son Hugh was baptised at Ballyshannon in June 1870, but he is probably not the Hugh who appears in the later censuses (see his own page).
1881 Census: household transcription
Details read from the census schedule image above. Reference 644/12 083/00 013, census night 3 April 1881.
Address
3 Portugal Lane, Gorbals, Glasgow
Area
Parish of Gorbals, Glasgow
Dwelling
2 rooms with one or more windows, 7 people in the house
Schedule no.
73
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh GaffiganMarried | Head | 44 (M) | General carter | Ireland, Donegal |
| Florinda GaffiganMarried | Wife | 38 (F) | none stated | Ireland, Donegal |
| Francis GaffiganUnmarried | Son | 20 (M) | General carter | Ireland, Donegal |
| Joseph Gaffigan | Son | 15 (hard to read) (M) | Apprentice Venetian blind maker | Ireland, Donegal |
| Hugh Gaffigan | Son | 5 (M) | Scholar | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
| Michael Gaffigan | Son | 3 (M) | none stated | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
| Hellen Gaffigan | Daughter | 1 (F) | none stated | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
⚠ This Hugh is five, born in GlasgowThe tree had Hugh Gavigan born 19 June 1870 at Ballyshannon, Donegal. Here a Hugh aged 5 is born in Glasgow, so about 1875 or 1876. The 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses agree, and the tree now shows that birth. The Hugh baptised at Ballyshannon in 1870 was probably an earlier child of the same name who died young.
⚠ Ireland-born children and Glasgow-born childrenFrancis and Joseph are born in Donegal and Hugh, Michael and Helen in Glasgow. That puts the move from Donegal to Glasgow between about 1866 and 1875. Peter (born 1868) is not in this house.
ℹ SpellingThe surname is written Gaffigan throughout. The index title spells it Gaffigan too, which is why this record was easy to miss.
1891 Census: household transcription
Details read from the census schedule image above. Reference 644/12 080/00 017, census night 5 April 1891.
Address
7 Portugal Lane, Gorbals, Glasgow
Area
Parish of Gorbals, Tradeston parliamentary burgh, Glasgow, Fifteenth Burgh Ward
Dwelling
1 room with one or more windows, 5 people in the house
Schedule no.
17 (partly cut off at the page edge)
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh GaviganMarried | Head | 5? (struck through) (M) | CarterEmployed | Ireland, Co Donegal |
| Florinda GaviganMarried | Wife | 47 (F) | none stated | Ireland, Co Donegal |
| Hugh GaviganUnmarried | Son | 15 (M) | CarterEmployed | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
| Michael Gavigan | Son | 13 (M) | none stated | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
| Ellen Gavigan | Daughter | 11 (F) | none stated | Lanarkshire, Glasgow |
⚠ Hugh is 15 and born in GlasgowHe is 15 here, which agrees with the 1881 census (aged 5) and gives a birth about 1875 or 1876. See the note on the 1881 household.
ℹ Moved to 7 Portugal LaneIn 1881 the family was at number 3. Florinda Elliot died at 7 Portugal Street in 1905, so the family stayed around the lane for decades.
Spouse & children
Spouse — married 1863, Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ireland
Children