[From Manx Families, A.W.Moore, MS 1889]

Bridson's of Ballavarvane

[This is obviously a first draft - many errors and confusion between Orristal and Orrisdale - not clear where Moore drew his information from]

Arms ¹: Az, a bridge of 3 ardies, embattled at top in fess, or, masoned, oa, between three cen birds passant, or.

Motto: Tutus in undis.

The name Bridson is a translation or corruption of MacGiollaBrigide, which is peculiar to the Isle of Man. It is a very common name in the records. Henrie [? William MHK 1603-30] Brydsonne, who was an M.H.K., in 1607 was proprietor of Ballavarvane ⁿ⁰ at the end of the 16th century. John, Vicar of Braddan 1691-3, was probably his great-grandson. Another John Bridson probably a cousin was proprietor of Orrisdale in Michael. He was an MHK and became Attorney General in 1703 [? 1701 bur. 20 Feb 1704/5], only one year before his death. The property of Orrisdale was held by his descendants till purchased by the Crellins (see Crellins) [FPC - confusion between Oristal (present day Orrisdale) in Malew where a succession of Bridsons had been tenants and the better known Orrisdale in Michael which had no Bridson connection] .

The Vicar of Braddan's son,ⁿ¹ William, held the living of Marown from 1713 to 1727, of Lezayre from 1727 to 1729, and of Ballaugh from 1729 to 1750. In 1721, he was suspended by the Vicars General for calumniating Bishop Wilson, on which he at once submitted and recanted his errors. He continued, however, to be the Bishop's enemy, and took part in the dispute on Archdeacon Horrobin's side which shortly afterwards commenced between him and the Bishop. Keble calls him 'a rough and ignorant Vicar,' and Bishop Wilson notes in his diary that 'Mr. Bridson, the Vicar, upon the Archdeacon's being suspended very insolently declared before his brethren in convocation that for all his censure he would keep him company.' He had a son ⁿ², William,² who married Ann, daughter of Vicar General Cosnahan, and had issue John, and a daughter ³ who married Mr. Harrison of Woodburn, Douglas.

John, who was Vicar of Marown from 1799 to 1808 and had issue, among others, Ridgway and Paul by his wife Mary Ridgway.⁴ Ridgway had issue Joseph Ridgway ⁵ of Bridge House Bolton who has now (1888) issue living, i.e. Thomas Ridgway Bridson JP, who has issue. Paul who lived in Douglas (obit 1872) was unmarried. He took a great interest in all Antiquarian matters in the Island. There is no male representative of this family now living in the Isle of Man.

1 Such arms are called ‘canting’ being taken from the supposed meaning of the name.

n0: FPC A Henrie Bridson is listed as a tenant on Abbey Desmesne and farms in 1607 and 1611 - but probably not Ballavervane.

n1: FPC John Bridson (1644 -1716) was the father of William , Vicar of Marown.( 1683-1781)  (See John's will )It is unlikely that this John was the vicar of Braddan 1691-96 or at any time [Gelling quotes 1691-6 however Braddan burials give Mr John Bridson, Minister of Kk Braddan buried 12 Jul 1692 - a Charles son of Jo curate was buried 22 Oct 1691]. However William's own son John was Vicar of Marown 1799-1808 and subsequently Rector of Bride (1808-1816) See Canon Gelling's  History of the Manx Church. JMO: I agree with this, since AW Moore also indicates that John Bridson was an Attorney General and MHK; it is highly unlikely that he would have also have been a vicar. Per Archdeacon Will 1721/2 #41, Malew, of Mrs. Ann Bridson als Mylrea of Oristal, widow of John Bridson of Oristal: her son was William vicar of Marown.

n2: FPC William was son of Capt Paul Bridson (Merchant, Smuggler and Slaver) thus nephew to Rev Wm Bridson and not son

2 JMO: MI, Braddan: "Captn Paul Bridson, of Douglas, died 24th Oct 1772 [fpc Bur reg gives 1771], age 79. Alice Bridson alias Joyner, wife of Capt P Bridson, died March 1755, age 45. Wm Bridson, of Douglas, son to the above, 6th July 1799, age 64. Joseph Ridgway Bridson, son of Paul and Mary Bridson, of Douglas, the 19th July, 1799, 10 mon. Paul Bridson, son to the above, 23rd March 1806, age 9 mon." –Feltham, Memorials of God’s Acre, p 124. Family history (E. Bridson, Bridson: A Douglas Family, J. Manx Museum VI #76, pp 74,77, 1959/60, give parents of Wm, husb of Ann Cosnahan, as Paul Bridson (1766-1820) & Mary Ridgway (1772-1817)

 3 JMO: A Jane Bridson md Henry Harrison 8 Nov 1705, Malew, making her born about 1685 or before. A Christopher Bridson of Ballavarvane with wife Jane Brew. Other Jane Bridson’s born about this time: 1684 to Jn B in Malew; 1679 to Thomas B & Jane Quine, of Ballagany, Malew; but no Jane born to a Wm, and no Mr. Harrison who marriedd any female Bridson in this time period [FPC - unlikely these Bridson's connected with above but there is a Harrison connection with a granddaughter of John Bridson of Orisdale d.1716]

4 JMO: Mary Ridgway married Paul Bridson 19 Sep 1793, Deane By Bolton, Lancashire, with children Thomas Ridgway b 1795 [d.1863], Horwich, Lanc.; Mary Ann b 1797, St Matthews Douglas d 3 Feb 1872 Braddan per MI, Braddan published by IOM-FHS;; Joseph Ridgway b 1798 d.1799, age 10 months per God's Acre;; William b 1799, St Matthews Douglas; Elizabeth b 1801, Horwich, Lanc; Sarah 1804, St Matthews Douglas, d 1866 per MI, Braddan; Paul b 1805 St Matthews Douglas, d 23 Mar 1806 age 9 months per God's Acre; Alice 1807 St Matthews Douglas;Paul b 1808 per E. Bridson in 'Bridson: A Douglas Family' & AW Moore in Manx Worthies p 107 & re-baptized 1817; John James b 1811 St Matthews Douglas; Hugh 1816 Braddan; John James b 1817& rebaptized 28 Apr 1817 St Matthews, d 1875 age 64; & Hugh b 1817 & re-baptized 1817 & Paul b 1817 all in St Matthews Douglas (?are the last 3 children triplets or baptisms of previous children (FPC E.Bridson quotes birth dates of 1808, 1811 and 1816 so looks rather like late baptisms). Paul was born 1766, to William Bridson & Ann Cosnahan.

5 JMO: Joseph Ridgway was christened 27 May 1831, Horwich, Lanc., to Thomas Ridgway Bridson. An earlier Joseph in the same family lived 1721-1723

6 JMO: died 1876, per Journal of the Manx Museum, VI #76, p74-77, 1959/60, E. Bridson, 'Bridson: A Douglas Family', & AW Moore in Manx Worthies, p 107
Thomas Ridgway Bridson JP (1823 -1904) was the eldest son of Thomas Ridgway Bridson (1795-1865) and Sarah Mathews (1795-1866) and thus the brother of Joseph (1831-1901)

The following is given from a copy of Paul Bridson's genealogical notes (courtesy Michael Bridson):

John [son of William d.1799 & Ann Cosnahan d.1812 ] baptised Sept 25 1782 married Catherine Whitnam (?) of the cou[nty] of Cor[nwa]ll (Launceston) and had several children including Ann & Mary who all died young & unmarried. He died at sea on his voyage from Jamaica & was consigned to the deep in (margin – Gulf of Mexico) August 18: 1816 His widow died in 1849 and buried at St Georges in Douglas.

 FPC: corrections due to Michael Bridson.