Hi Liz and Donna.

Thanks so much for your interest and input.

Liz: I noticed that one, and did wonder, as Dorothy's age is all over the place on different documents etc, but on her step-father's army papers in 1917 he is quite specific about her birthdate being 11 Apr 1905 in Ramsey, and also about he and Elizabeth's marriage date of 26 Oct 1910, so not trying to cover anything up at all.

Donna: Yes, I have that info on the Comish side, and I THINK that this is Dorothy's family, but can not yet prove it.

I got there via establishing that her mother was Elizabeth Comaish (noted on her step father's army papers again), a spinster when she married Thomas Cain in 1910. Then found the marriage on manxbmd and found Thomas and Elizabeth on the 1911, showing that Elizabeth (Eliza?) was born c 1883 @ Lezayre. Only Elizabeth/Eliza I can find who fits is the one belonging to Edward and Catherine.

On the Thomas Cain side:

Thomas was born about Nov 1881 (aged 35yrs and 7 months on army papers in June 1917) @ Douglas. He was a Cooper to trade.

He was the son of John J Cain (b. c1850 @ Kirk Andreas), a Labourer, and Mary ? (b. c 1853 @ Manchester). In 1891 the family were in Douglas. Children then were, Annie 17, James 15, John 14, THOMAS 10, William 7 and Mary E 4.

1901 John and Mary were at 12 Cattle Market Street, Douglas with Thomas 20, William 19 and Mary E 14, plus their widowed son in law John Claque 31, Hackney Cab Driver (presumably daughter Annie's widower) and his two children John 5 and Thomas 6months. (Poor Annie likley died in or after childbirth). There's also a visiting family Robert and Mary Cromwell and their daughter Frances 5. All except for Mary Cain are now showing as born Douglas.

I haven't traced the family further back as yet since Thomas is not blood relation to my friend.

Thomas Cain died in Douglas in May 1957. The family story is that he may have had 3 wives in total. The woman who was informant to Dorothy's death in 1947 is noted as her mother, but was in fact her step-mother, Margaret Cain. We believe her maiden name to have been Kelly. She may have brought a child to the marriage, Margaret, or Margaret may have been the child of Thomas and Margaret! I have not yet found a remarraige (let alone 2!)after Elizabeth's death late 1918/early 1919 for Thomas.

Children I know of for Thomas Cain and Elizabeth Comaish are:

Mary Josephine Cain b. 01 Sep 1911 Douglas (known as Josie, married Philip Corkhill from IOM)
Elizabeth Ivy Cain b. 05 Sep 1913 Douglas (known as Ivy, married James Cocker in Manchester late in life in 1972)
Thomas Edward Cain b. 27 Nov 1915 Douglas and died 1917 Douglas.
(The family were not aware of this child Thomas Edward, but he is noted on Thomas snr's army papers as alive in Jun 1917).

Also there was Margaret, but at this stage as noted above, we don't know if she was the child of Thomas/Elizabeth (Elizabeth could have died in childbirth in 1918 with Margaret), Thomas/Margaret, Margaret's from a previous relationship, or Thomas' from an interim relationship. Confusing or what! Margaret Cain jnr never married.

I think that's about all I can add for now. Again thanks for your interest and any further help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Ellen