Sorry.
If it is any consolation, your plight inspired me to search the 1871 Lancashire census, and I not only found the g grandfather missing in 1881, but also uncovered his grandmother from Ireland, whom I had not known about.
Regarding James Corrin,
I tried the 1881 census and looked at all individuals named James born on the IOM between 1860 and 1864 and did not find him. Given his occupation, it was likely that he was at sea. I do not know if any of the steamship companies kept their records.
Bruce