Edwin Leggoe was from Cornwall where his father was a copper miner and brothers were tin miners. He was an Engineer, but later became Publican of the Lord Nelson pub in Mather Street, Manchester.
He was born in 1818 in St Just, Cornwall. His father was Christopher Leggoe, (born 1790 at St Just, Cornwall, and his mother was Elizabeth Leggoe. Edwin was first on record up north in 1841, as a Lodger with the Lord family at Brook Street, Manchester. On 31st December 1843 Edwin married Mary Berry at St Mary's Church, Bowdon, near Altrincham, Cheshire. Mary was the daughter of Thomas Berry of Bowdon and was born in 1819 in Manchester. In 1845, Edwin and Mary lived at 2, Renshaw Street, Hulme, Manchester.
Edwin and Mary's children were: Mary Ann (born 1845 in Hulme) and married Charles Blore Hayward in 1869; Ruth Elizabeth (born 1846 in Hulme) and died in 1849 aged 2 and buried at Rusholme Road Cemetery, Manchester; Christopher Edwin (born 1849 in Hulme) and died in 1849 aged 0; Edwin (born 1850 in Hulme) and died on 20th January 1852 aged 1 and also buried at Rusholme Road Cemetery; Ellen (born 1853 in Hulme) and married William Herd in 1875; Lucy Ann (born 1856 in Hulme) and married William J Hayes in 1976; and Christopher (born 1858 in Hulme) and died in 1859 aged 1.
The 1851 census shows that the family lived at Renshaw Street, Hulme. In 1861 the family is at 34 Jackson Street, Gateshead, Durham. Edwin is aged 43 and an Engineer and Mary is aged 41 and a Milliner and Dressmaker. However, Rate Book records show they resided at 4 Renshaw Street, Hulme, Manchester. By 1869 the rate book record shows their address as 19 Mather Street, Manchester, which was the Lord Nelson public house. The 1871 census shows the family address as Lord Nelson, Mather Street, Manchester. Edwin was aged 53, Mary was aged 51, daughter Ellen was aged 17, daughter Lucy was aged 15, niece Mary Godwin was aged 21, nephew Henry Berry was age 17,and nephew John Berry was aged 10.
On 18th May 1874, Edwin Leggoe died of disease of the liver in Manchester, aged 56. He was buried at Weaste Cemetery on 22nd May in grave B19/CE/1896. A notice in The Manchester Guardian of 29th July 1874, referring to Transfer of Public House Licences, stated that the licence for the Lord Nelson of Mather Street, Manchester was transferred to Mary Leggoe. A year later, in the Manchester Evening News of 27th July 1875, the licence was transferred from Mary to a William Herd. In 1876 the rate books show that Mary Leggoe resided at 6 Exeton Terrace, Lady Barn, Withington, Manchester, and in 1880 she lived at 4 Heywood Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock.
In 1881, at 4 Heywood Street, Mary was aged 62 and a Shopkeeeper. Also in the house were her daughter Lucy A Hayes, husband William Hayes, a Glassblower, William E Hayes their son aged 3 and Lucy M Hayes, their daughter aged 0. According to the family grave in Weaste Cemetery, Mary died on 4th November 1886, aged 67, and was buried in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.