Hi Douglas

Here are a few pieces of information from censuses and IGI to get you started.

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Your family in the 1851 census, a few years before your great grandfather John was born:

1851
Whalling near Ballagilbert, Malew

Ancestry's transcription (Rideson should be Brideson):

Name Age
Johnb Rideson 38
Margaret Rideson 36
Catherine Brideson 12
Margaret Brideson 11
Thomas Brideson 8
Ann Brideson 6
Jane Brideson 2
Sarah Brideson 1 Mo
Margaret Brideson 62

notes:
John Brideson lead miner
Margaret 36 wife b Lezayre
all others b Malew
Margaret 62 mother

John Bridson married Mgt Skeally 26 July 1834 Malew (bachelor/spinster)

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Marriage of John's parents from the IGI:

Name: John Bridson
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 26 Jul 1834
Event Place: Malew, Isle of Man
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name:
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Name: Margaret Skeally
Spouse's Marital Status: Single
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Digital Folder Number: 004497209
Image Number: 00017

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John's baptism from the IGI:

Name: John Bridson
Event Type: Christening
Event Date: 11 Jun 1856
Event Place: Malew, Isle of Man
Gender: Male
Marital Status:
Father's Name: John Bridson
Mother's Name: Margaret Skielley
Spouse's Name:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Digital Folder Number: 004497080
Image Number: 00051

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This entry below looks likely to be the burial of Margaret Bridson nee Skeally----perhaps she died of childbirth complications after delivering your great grandfather, John b May 1856:

BRIDSON, Margaret 39 Malew 22 Jun 1856

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Margaret Skeally's parents looking after their granddaughter, John's sister, Sarah Bridson b 1851:

1861
Ballamona, Malew

Ancestry's transcription:

Name Age
Edward Skealy 71
Margaret Skealy 69
James Taggart 32
Catherine Taggart 30
William Skealy 25
Ann Skealy 27
Sarah Bridson 9
Paul Taggart 5
Edward Taggart 3

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Sarah with her grandparents:
1871

Ancestry's transcription:
Name Age
Edward Skelly 80
Margaret Skelly 79
Sarah Bridson 20

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Baptism of John Bridson b 1856's mother from IGI:

Name: Margaret Skealley
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 10 Sep 1815
Christening Place: LEZAYRE,ISLE OF MAN,ENGLAND
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Edward Skealley
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Margt Quine
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03648-1
System Origin: Isle_Of_Man-ODM
GS Film number: 106727
Reference ID:

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I haven't looked properly for John b 1856 in the 1861 census----there are several Johns in his age group. I wonder whether the family fragmented after John's mother's death, making them hard to identify.

Jean