Episcopal Will 1842 Braddan #1, of John Redfern:

(from MM GL756 / LDS 0106442 )

In the name of God Amen
I Captain John Redfern of the
town of Douglas do make my
last will and testament in manner
following
I commit my sould to God and my
body to decent christian burial
I leave and bequeath to each
of my children viz Mary Kelly, Isabella,
Margaret and John Redfern each
the sum of one shilling
And lastly I leave and bequeath
unto my beloved wife Mary Redfern
all and every the rest residue and
remainder of all my goods chattles
and effects whatsoever whom I
nominate constute and appoint
executor of this my last will and testament
in witness whereof I have hereunto
set my mark to my name
this sevententh day of April one thousand
eight hundred & forty one
signed published & delivered in presence of
H de Ruvignes
Colin Pearson

Buried Douglas St George's 21 Apr 1841 age 59

His widow died shortly afterwards and there is a petition by the children to combine both probates (also quoted in Advocate's Notebook) . According to death notice in Manx Sun 23 April 1841 he was Master of the Henry Holmes and the brig Argo. The Henry Holmes was a smack owned by Douglas & Liverpool Shipping Co then the IoMSPCo - it was lost by being driven onto rocks near Friars, Beaumaris in 1848 (Manx Sun 8 Nov 1848).

His wife ran a lodging house in Athol street - two of the lodgers were witnesses, Henry De Ruvignes was a teacher of French who later, with his wife, ran a school in Douglas. Colin Pearson, who also witnessed his wife's will, married his daughter Isabella - he too was a teacher running a school in Bath Place and also secretary of IoM Teachers library in 1841.

From the 1841 census it would appear all his children were born in England - there was another son whose death notice is reported in Manx Sun 8 Dec 1837 "Died at Demerra M. Redfern mate of the 'Lady Shaw Stewart' of Whitehaven & son of Capt John Redfern of this town"