Hi Frances,

I received the discharge papers for the John Sheard c1795 born Whipsey, if it may be of interest to you.
He was discharged 1820. He had an amputation to the left hand and total blindness in the right eye and nearly so of the left, by being blown up from gunpowder when employed in the public works in Whipsey in Oct 1819.
Unfortunately it doesn't refer to the IoM at all, but interestingly enough that he was nearly blind, as was the John Sheard on the IoM.
It seems then that this one is more likely to be the one that settled on the IoM, and not the one born Ovenden.
I would still love to prove that this one is John Sheard snr's son though!