It was good to see a photograph of the mine workers at Ballacorkish, Rushen in the latest IOM FHS magazine. The Arnold man in the second row, third from the left, is John Arnold (1844-1934). He was my great grandmother’s uncle. He was born in Liverpool in 1844 to Manx parents who had returned to the island by 1851.

For many years he worked as a miller with his father. His father, also called John Arnold, is best known for having the Water Mill near Castletown. Young John married Eleanor Kinvig in Liverpool in 1871. Eleanor was working in Liverpool at the time. They returned to the island and John worked as a miller with his father until around the end of the decade.

The baptism record of John and Eleanor’s youngest son from 1880 shows the family living in Colby and John working as a miner. The 1881 Census shows John, Eleanor and four children living in Colby Village and John working as an ‘Engine-driver at Lead mine’. The 1891 Census shows John, his wife and two sons living in Claughbane Road, Arbory and John still working at Ballacorkish Mines (‘Engine Driver Lead mines’).

The 1901 Census shows a change of work for John. He is still in Claughbane Road but he is now a 'Mason and Labourer'. The family consisted of John, Eleanor, two children and a grandchild. The 1911 Census shows just John and Eleanor living at Claughbane and John working as a ‘Builder’s Labourer (Housebuilding)’.