Thanks, Averil. I'm still not 100% certain myself which John Corkill was which in these newspaper reports, and how many JCs were in the navy at that time. (Alison is investigating.)

At the moment we have a possible three or more, unless two are the same person.

We have Alison's ancestor who was in the navy from 1792 to 1801, lived and died in Penzance, and never returned to the IOM so far as we know. He was said to be aged 19 in 1792, and discharged as an "AB" or able-bodied seaman. There were several John Corkills bapt in 1773 in the IOM.

There was also John Corkill bapt 1 July 1770, eldest son of John Corkill & Margaret Cashen/Cashin of the Ards, Maughold, who the court said was in the navy as a rigger or sailmaker. His gt niece said he went to America, as the reason why the property descended through his younger brother Thomas.

'Manx Worthies' [A.W.Moore,1901, on Manx Notebook] says that "JOHN CORKILL, of Ballagorry-Moar, Maughold, was in the Royal Navy between 1792 and 1801". The Ards family were sometimes recorded as "Ards, Ballagorry" but never (that I have seen) of Ballagorry Mooar. John Corkill bapt 11 May 1777, the eldest son of the Ballagorry Mooar, Maughold, family, married on 21 Nov 1801, "on his return from sea" (according to CR).
Frances wrote that midshipmen (ie boy apprentices) would start at abt age 15.

There was also one pressganged into the navy from an earlier generation, whose 1779 letter has been published on their website by MNHL. Alison posted: www.gov.im/lib/docs/mnh/heritage/library/9manxmeninnelsonsnavy.pdf (p.6), and is hoping to find out which family donated the letter.

Sue