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Michael Riley was born around the 1820s, probably in St. Pancras, London. He is conjectured to have been the father of the Annie Riley who in 1890 produced an apparently illegitimate daughter Marcella May Woodhurst. He appears to have always lived in one or other of the streets to the immediate south-west of Euston station.
Michael first partnered or married a woman named Elizabeth whose maiden name is currently unknown. She was likewise born around the 1820s and probably in St. Pancras.
The 1851 Census finds Michael and Elizabeth, with no children, living at 3, Eden Street in St. Pancras, describing him as a chimney sweep aged "24" and her as a cloth weaver aged "24".
The 1861 Census finds them with two children living at 50, Little George Street, St. Pancras and describes Michael as a master sweep aged "40".
The 1871 Census finds Michael aged "47" with three children and a servant still living at 50, Little George Street and again occupied as a chimney sweep. He is described as married, rather than widowed, but his wife Elizabeth was not present.
The 1881 Census finds Michael aged "56" with three children living at 1, Little Crescent Street, St. Pancras and still occupied as a chimney sweep. He is again described as married but with no wife present.
On April 8th 1888 Michael remarried at the Church of St James in Hampstead Road, St Pancras to a widow Elizabeth Clara (nee Cornell) Fitzgerald [Marriage Index: Pancras 1b 169, 1888 (June)]. The register gives his age as 60 and his occupation as chimney cleaner, naming his deceased father also as Michael. He was living at 2, Euston Buildings.
Elizabeth Clara Cornell was born around 1826-27 in Rainham, Essex. The 1851 Census finds her aged "24" living in the household of a carrier Samuel Wood at 32, Bow Street in St. Paul Covent Garden where she was occupied as a general servant. Also present was another servant, a widow Frances Weston aged "51". The 1861 Census finds Elizabeth Clara aged "34" living as the "partner" of this same Frances Weston at 10, Crescent Street, St. Pancras where both were occupied as grocers. The 1871 Census finds her aged "44" again as the partner of Frances living at 77, Euston Street, St. Pancras and occupied as a grocer and cheesemonger. Frances appears to have died aged "77" in 1878 [Death Index: Pancras 1b 77, 1878 (March)]. In 1880 Elizabeth Clara married a much younger man Thomas Fitzgerald [Marriage Index: Pancras 1b 230, 1880 (Dec)]. The 1881 Census finds her aged "44" - but actually about 54 - living at 77, Euston Street with Thomas, who is described as a general shopkeeper aged "32" and born in Ireland. Also present was a daughter Kate Fitzgerald, aged "12" and born in Bow, who was presumably Thomas's daughter by a previous partner or wife. Also present was a visitor and widow Sarah Jarves (Jarvis?) aged "66" and born, like Elizabeth Clara, in Rainham. Thomas died soon afterwards aged "34" [Death Index: Pancras 1b 56, 1882 (Dec)].
The 1891 Census finds Michael aged "66" and Elizabeth Clara aged "64" living at 67, Euston Street. Michael was no longer a sweep but a provision dealer, probably having taken over his new wife's former business.
The 1901 Census finds Michael aged "75" and Elizabeth Clara aged "74" living at 5, Little George Street and with no cited occupation.
Michael died aged "76" on August 25th 1902 [Death Index: Pancras 1b 54, 1902 (Sept)]; probate was granted on October 16th 1902 to Charlotte (nee Pardoe) Tombling and Arthur Thompson, whose connections are unknown. Elizabeth Clara died aged "81" in 1908 [Death Index: Pancras 1b 4, 1908 (Sept)].
George Michael was living with his father in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 Censuses. In 1881 he was occupied like his father as a chimney sweep. The 1891 Census finds him aged "37" living by himself at 1, Euston Buildings and occupied as a sweep. Later in 1891 he married Sarah Alice Ayling [Marriage Index: Pancras 1b 193, 1891 (Dec)]. The 1901 Census finds him at age "47", with Sarah but no children, still living at 1, Euston Buildings and again occupied as a sweep. He died aged "52" in 1906 [Death Index: Pancras 1b 4, 1906 (Dec)].
"Nancy" was living at age "7" - but perhaps actually a little younger - with her parents in the 1861 Census. No subsequent reference has been found to her as "Nancy". It is suspected that her true name was Annie and that "Nancy" had been merely a childhood familiarization. As noted at the beginning, it is suspected that she was the mother Annie of Marcella May Woodhurst. In 1892 this Annie married William Henry Hurst [Marriage Index: Pancras 1b 253, 1892 (June)], stating her age as (probably a euphemistic) "32", her birthplace as St. Pancras, her address as 8, Little George Street and describing her father as a "chimney cleaner" Michael Riley.
Minnie Jane was living with her father as "Jane" aged "10" in the 1871 Census and as "Minnie" aged "20" in the 1881 Census. In 1886 she married as "Minnie Jane" to Thomas John Kirby [Marriage Index: Pancras 1b 129, 1886 (March)]. His birth reference is probably [Birth Index: Pancras 1b 79, 1864 (June)]. The 1891 Census finds her aged "27" with two children living at 7, Euston Buildings and described as married but with no husband present. The 1901 Census finds her aged "37" with two children living at 43, Euston Buildings and again described as married but with no husband present and living on her own means.
Martha was living with her father at age "7" in the 1871 Census and at age "19" in the 1881 Census. Nothing more is currently known of her.
The 1871 Census finds Joseph William aged "4" living with his mother at 2, Soot Alley in the St. Aldgate district of Gloucester, Gloucestershire. His birthplace is given as Bristol. His mother is described as a seamstress "Elizabeth Riley" aged "41" with birthplace Somers Town, this being the part of St. Pancras that lies just to the north-east of Euston station. It may be that she was Michael's wife and that, when pregnant with Joseph, she left him and moved to the west country. Neither she nor Joseph has been found in the 1881 Census. The 1891 Census finds Joseph living with a "wife" Grace H. - born in Fenwick, Scotland - and a child, also named Joseph William, living at 1, Back (of) 2, Carlisle Street in Birmingham where he was occupied as a warehouseman. The 1901 Census finds Grace living with no partner but three children at Court 2 (off) Pickford Street, Birmingham and described as an unmarried charwoman.