John, you are OK back as far as Matthew Mark snr. His parents were indeed William and Ann (and Brian Lawson has the right marriage), but William was baptised at Andreas in 1818, son of Daniel Joughin (1782-1866) and Catherine Kneale (1797-1874). Now we have arrived in Bride, at a weaver’s cottage in the little hamlet of Cranstal, through which the lorries now rumble, probably past the Joughins’ front door, on their way to Frances’s incinerator. Daniel was the son of Daniel Joughin and Margaret Christian. The late Constance Radcliffe found that this Daniel was baptised at Bride in 1750, and came from the line of Joughins at Crosby farm, at the south-eastern corner of the Bride Hills.

So Frances is right to talk about Bride, but Bride came earlier. In 1851 William and Ann Joughin were farming at Ballaoates, Braddan, William being recorded as a publican as well as a farmer. Mark Joughin, Ballawannell, came from a different line of Joughins, from Cronkbane, Bride. His firstborn, Mark Henry Joughin, is still remembered as one of those lost in the Ellan Vannin disaster of 1909.

As you may know, the late William Humphries (married to your great-aunt Adelaide Joughin), did a lot of work on the later part of the family. Perhaps you have a copy of his work. If you would like to contact me at pjallen@btinternet.com, I should be able to help you with the earlier part.