Hi Alison,

'Manx Worthies' [A.W.Moore,1901, on Manx Notebook] says that "JOHN CORKILL, of Ballagorry-Moar, Maughold, was in the Royal Navy between 1792 and 1801". J.W. & C.K. Radcliffe in 'A History of Kirk Maughold' say that it was the Ards son to whom this refers. But there were two John Corkills living in this area - the other one was the heir of Ballagorry Mooar, and it is unclear which one was the JC referred to in 'Manx Worthies'. The Ards Corkills descended from William Corkill and his first wife Elizabeth Quay who died in 1738 (her will referred to land she and her husband bought from William Curlett, formerly of "Balnegorry"). The Radcliffes say their younger son John 1736-1784 inherited when his elder brother William died. However this bapt date in 1736 (29 June) is that of the other John, the son & heir of William Corkill & Barbara Kerruish of Ballagorry Mooar.

I think they chose this date because it was before Elizabeth Quay died in 1738. However the Ards John Corkill was not her son, but the son of William Corkill and his second wife Easter/Esther Cannell and was bapt 2 Oct 1743. He and brother Thomas inherited from his half-brother William as "brothers of the half blood" when William perished by sea in 1759.

It was this John's son John who the Radcliffes thought was the RN one, but because they have confused the Ards son John with the Ballagorry Mooar one I'm not sure which one's son was in the RN!

The Radcliffes wrote that the Ards Corkills were a different family who were associated with this ground (Kerrow ny Ard) and no other. They write that the land passed from the second son Thomas (1780-1834) who left a field called the Booilly Vooar to his eldest son John (b.1811) who was still living in the Ard farm house in 1871 with his wife and only child, a daughter of 16.

The 1871 census has John Corkill, 60, landowner of 12 acres b.Maughold, living at Ard Farm House with wife Eleanor, 58, b.Andreas, and Eleanor A., 16, b.Maughold.

Elinor Ann daur of John Corkill & Elinor Christian bapt Maughold Parish Church 22 Jan 1855.
Who presumably married John Robert Moore.

So far, so good. I was thinking that the Court might have got it wrong and that Cornwall Wm John Corkill's grandfather could indeed have been the missing elder son John. His dates in the RN certainly match the ones given in Manx Worthies. In court his birth date was given as c.1773, but the John bapt. 21 March 1773 in Maughold was the son of John Corkill and Ann Kissag and I can't find a younger son Thomas.

I think the Ards John Corkill was bapt 1 July 1770, the son of John Corkill & Margt Cashen (but I could be wrong). They married 1 Oct 1769, and John's younger brother Thomas was bapt 25 July 1780 (as the Radcliffes wrote).

John Corkill & Ann Kissag married 7 Nov.1765 and first son John was bapt 1 May 1766. I couldn't find his burial except for an "infant from Ramsey" buried 25 Feb.1770. James was bapt in 1768 and buried in 1769. Robert was bapt 12 Feb.1770, and then John no.2 in 1773 (also several other children). So they were a different family to the Ards one.

Someone might spot something that I've missed.

Sue