Hi Jean,

I agree with you that Sophia was probably bapt 25 May 1842 Saint Marys, Castletown, the illegitimate daur of Anne Shimmin & John Kneale.

It would be interesting to see whether she named John Kneale as her father on her marriage to Joseph Barlow in Malew 20th Dec 1860, to confirm the rest of your Shimmin suggestions.

My problem is that in the 1851 census of 36 Malew St., Castletown, Ann's age was given as 31, and John as head of household was consistent when giving family ages in censuses, and with his own birth year being 1822/1823 (in 1861 the thick stroke through the second number on his age obscures all except the round mark on the bottom right, so could be either 36 or 38 - I think 38).
1851:
John Kelly head mar 28 ag lab
Ann wife 31
John son 2
Sophia dau 9

I therefore think Ann was more likely to have been bapt 22 Mar.1820 Malew, the illeg. daur of Mary SHIMMIN, than bapt in 1822. Women usually gave younger ages in censuses rather than older, especially when her husband was younger.
Robert's sister Mary?
Ellinor Holmes's half-sister?
In the 1861 census Sophia Barlow was actually entered as niece of Ellinor Holmes (single line between the households).

Sue