Hi Robert

I wonder if you've looked into what became of the brothers of John Mearns Brown.

Walter Brown b 1831, fifth son of James Brown and Catherine Cowell, married Sophia Jane Gawne b 1831 on 14 Aug 1854 , Rushen. Sophia Jane's brother, Edwin b 1835, was the husband of Ann Kneen b 1835 (an elder sister of my g grandfather)

Walter Brown and Sophia Jane had 2 sons, Walter James b 1856 and Edward William b 1858, but Sophia Jane died in 1860 and Walter sr died in 1863. I think that these are his burial and will:

BROWN, Walter 31 And 5 Jul 1863

BROWN, Walter 1863 Mau E 61 0106464

Here's Walter through the 41, 51 and 61 censuses:

1841
BROWN Walter 9 And 1463/1 7 7

Andreas district 1, page 4
Balchyrens ?
Philip Teare age 35 farmer
Catherine age 35
Philip age 2
David Brown age 15
William Brown age 13
John Brown age 11
Walter Brown age 9
Robert Brown age 6
Richard brown age 5
Thos Garrett age 20 ag lab
Ann Corlett age 20 FS
Ann Curphey age 15 FS
William Cowle age 75 Independent (Cath's father ?)

James b 1825 in 1841 ?
Onchan district 9, page 8
Age 15, apprentice to a merchant ?

1851
BROWN Walter 19 Ram 2524 383 78

Maughold district 4, pages 19+20
Maughold Street
John Christian head age 39 ironmonger master
Leonora wife age 34 (nee Crawford m 26 Jun 1836 Maug )
Martina dau age 12
John W age 9
Isabella age 7
George H age 5
Alice dau age 3
Elizabeth dau age 7 months
all Christian family born Ramsey
Walter Brown (no relationship given) unm age 19 ironmonger journeyman b Bride
Mary Thompson serv unm age 31 b Peel

(Perhaps this Christian family were cousins, and might help in the search for Cath Cowell's parents and grandparents.)

1861
BROWN Walter 29 Cas 4414 10 76

Malew district 1a, page 14
Arbory Street
Mgt Crellin head unm age 57 annuitant b Rushen
Walter brown son-in-law widower age 29 ironmonger b bride
Walter J Brown gson age 5 b Castletown
Cath Whiton serv age 12 b Castletown

There's absolutely no sign of 3 year old Edward William Brown in 1861. He does, however, appear in 1871:

1871
BROWN Walter 14 Cas 5777 171 62

Malew district 1b, page 13
No 3 Crofts
Margaret Crellin head W age 65 housekeeper b Rushen
Walter J Brown gson age 14 draper's assistant b Castletown
Edward W Brown gson age 13 scholar b Castletown

Grandma Margaret Crellin died in 1878:

CRELLIN, Margaret 73 Mal 20 Jun 1878

and by 1881, Walter James is living with his uncle Edwin Gawne, farmer, at Ballawoods Malew.

I can't find any trace of Edward William after 1871, or of Walter James after 1881. It's possible that they went abroad, maybe to join their maternal uncle, William Gawne b 1829, who by this time was a successful manufacturer of Worcester sauce in Dunedin, NZ. Another possibility is that they settled near their other paternal uncle, Thomas Gawne b 1827, who had disappeared off the island after 1841.

Do you have any idea what became of Walter J Brown and Edward W Brown, Robert ? I've looked for them in Scotland in case they'd joined their paternal cousins, to no avail.

As a separate thing, I wonder if you received an alert message a few days ago relating to your other thread about Henry Corrin. There's some information connecting Greethams to Tyldesleys.

Jean C