Sue
Thanks for replying
On John James marriage to Sarah Evans in 1883 the father is listed as John James Radcliffe a soldier - we have never been able to find this person so think he does not exist.
In the 1881 census my John James is living with Jane Eliza Wordsworth (who is Jane Eliza Radcliffe) and in th 1871 is living with Richard Radcliffe his uncle
In the 1861 census is says he is 2 and was born in Liverpool but there is no record either in the Liverpool parish registers or GRO that matches
Jane Eliza was baptised in 1843 at St Peters Liverpool and her parents are Richard and Ann. I do not think I have the actual birth certificate (am away from home at the moment and nothing on my computer)She had an illegitimate daughter Margaret Jane in 1867 and Ann Christian Radcliffe was the informant.
I think the grandparents are the same Richard and Ann that you told me about before.
All this is a long shot as it is most likely that John James was born in Liverpool but as he said he was born in IoM I wondered if Jane Eliza had gone there to have the baby. It just seems odd that if all her other children were registered (she had 10 others before her death in 1906!) that John James was not. unfortunately his grandchildren who are now in their 80s do not know his birthday date either. Maybe it will remain a brick wall.