Starting with the marriage details of Robert Henry Corkhill:

Ancestry’s transcription:
Name: Robert Henry Corkhill
Age: Full Age
Marriage Date: 27 Mar 1884
Parish: Liverpool, St Silas, Pembroke Place
Spouse's Name: Margaret Agnes Joy
Father's name: Robert Henry Corkhill
Spouse Father's Name: John Joy

note:
father Robert Henry Corkhill (deceased), smith.
No ages given.

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RHC’s age and birthplace in censuses following his marriage:

1891 34 b IOM
1901 43 b IOM
1911 54 b Castletown, IOM

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The baptism suggested by Col:

Event Type Christening
Event Date 20 Jul 1856
Event Place Malew, Isle of Man
Gender Male
Father's Name Robert Henry Corkill
Mother's Name Elizabeth Christian

notes:
Image shows (pencilled in later) affiliated Robert Henry Corkill of Castleward.
Mother EC of Ballahott (Quines Houses).

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Looking for a Robert Corkhill, smith, who had died prior to March 1884 and who was old enough to father a child in 1855 ---- I’ve found one in the right geographical area, but he was only just old enough.

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Robert Corkill
Event Type Christening
Event Date 02 Feb 1842
Event Place St Mary's, Castletown, Isle of Man
Gender Male
Father's Name Lewis Corkill
Mother's Name Anne

notes:
born 4th Dec 1841
father a smith of Castletown.

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His death:

Name Robert Corkill
Event Type Burial
Event Date 27 Mar 1881
Event Place Malew, Isle of Man
Age 39
Birth Year (Estimated) 1842

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Marriage of this Robert Corkill:
Name Robert Corkill
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 23 May 1863
Event Place Malew, Isle of Man
Residence Place Malew, Isle of Man
Gender Male
Marital Status Single
Father's Name Lewis Corkill
Spouse's Name Sarah Senior
Spouse's Residence Place Castletown
Spouse's Gender Female
Spouse's Marital Status Single
Spouse's Father's Name William Senior

notes:
RC full age bachelor/smith/Hope St, Castletown/father Lewis Corkill, smith.
SS full age spinster/father Wm Senior, gas fitter
Both signed.
Witnesses: Ann Senior and Thomas Corkhill.

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1851
Hope St, Castletown

Name Age
Lewis Corkill 48
Ann Corkill 50
Lewis Corkill 21
William Corkill 15
Robert Corkill 9
Jane Corkill 6

notes:
LC 48 and LC 21, both blacksmiths
all b CT

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1861
Hope St, CT

Name Age
Lewis Corkill 58
Robert Corkill 20
Jane Corkill 16
Lewis Corkill 10

notes:
LC 58 and RC 20 both blacksmiths

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1871
Bank St, CT

Name Age
Robert Corkill 30
Sarah Corkill 29
Henrietta Senior 49
Joseph Senior 14
Emma Senior 12
Oskar Senior 9

notes:
RC 30 ironmonger
with wife, mother-in-law and siblings-in-law

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1891
Bank St, CT
Name Age
Emma Senior 21
Henrietta Senior 63
Sarah Corkill 40

notes:
ES 21 unm hardware dealer b Castletown
HS 63 mother b England
SC 40 widow sister assistant shopwoman b England

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So, was Robert Henry Corkhill, smith, (father of Elizabeth Christian’s illegitimate son Robert Henry Corkhill b July 1856) just a 14 yr old lad ?

At the age of 14, Robert Corkill b 1841 (son of Lewis and Ann), with both father and brother who were blacksmiths, is likely to have already started working in the smithy. It seems credible that he could have fathered a child. If he was the “culprit”, would the court in 1857 have made allowances, and would it have been noted in the details ?

Jean C