John, do you have a copy of the 1887 marriage certificate of Solomon Wilkinson and Margaret Corkill nee Dailey ? The image doesn’t appear to be available online. The index shows that Solomon’s father was James Wilkinson, but what was James’s occupation ? And who were the witnesses ?

I looked at the England censuses for 1841 to 1881 (searching for a Wilkinson family with a father James and a son Solomon), and also at the births in the GRO site. Nothing obvious has emerged.

I’ve copied the IOM census listings below for all the Wilkinsons, between 1861 and 1901. There’s no Solomon prior to 1891. Apart from Solomon’s family in 1891, there are no Wilkinsons in Lezayre. I suspect that Solomon met widow Margaret in Liverpool and moved to the IOM because Margaret was Manx.

The information on Solomon and Margaret’s marriage certificate might unlock the mystery of Solomon’s identity.

Jean

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From the IOM census indexes:

1861

WILKENSON Alfred 13 Onchan 4415 79 207
WILKENSON Elizabeth 78 Onchan 4415 75 175
WILKINSON Frederick 10 Malew 4424 28 69

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1871

WILKINSON Catherine 46 Douglas 5775 170 115
WILKINSON John 26 Bride 5773 2 31
WILKENSON Lenora 41 Braddan 0 0 3
WILKENSON Sarah 22 Douglas 5775 170 111
WILKENSON William 2 Ramsey 5773 187 88

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1891

WILKINSON Caroline 9 mos Lezayre 4684 115 1
WILKINSON Edward T 18 Vessels 4692 94 14
WILKINSON Edward 3 Peel 4683 55 12
WILKINSON Ellen 24 Douglas 4689 80 111
WILKINSON Elizabeth 26 Peel 4683 55 12
WILKINSON Emily D 57 Douglas 4689 76 71
WILKINSON Emma J 55 Lonan 4686 58 44
WILKINSON James S 64 Lonan 4686 58 44
WILKINSON John 14 Castletown 4691 33 36
WILKINSON Louisa A 19 Lonan 4686 58 44
WILKINSON Margaret 45 Lezayre 4684 115 1
WILKINSON Margaret 16 mos Peel 4683 55 12
WILKINSON Mary Ellen 17 Castletown 4691 33 36
WILKINSON May M 9 Douglas 4688 102 78
WILKINSON Robert 5 Peel 4683 55 12
WILKINSON Septima M 8 Lonan 4686 58 44
WILKINSON Solomon 50 Lezayre 4684 115 1
WILKINSON Thomas 6 Peel 4683 55 12
WILKINSON Walter 20 Castletown 4691 33 36
WILKINSON William 3 Lezayre 4684 115 1

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1901
WILKINSON Alice A 46 Malew 5308 33 3
WILKINSON Ann 45 Onchan 5302 92 227
WILKINSON Carrie 10 Onchan 5302 162 7
WILKINSON Catherine 8 Peel 5306 52 82
WILKINSON Edith 25 Marown 5308 20 58
WILKINSON Edith 21 Douglas 5304 52 118
WILKINSON Edward 13 Peel 5306 52 82
WILKINSON Edwina 14 Rus 5301 91 100
WILKINSON Eli 76 Rus 5301 69 51
WILKINSON Eli 38 Onchan 5302 92 227
WILKINSON Lizzie 60 Douglas 5305 47 50
WILKINSON Elizabeth 35 Peel 5306 52 82
WILKINSON Emily D 67 Douglas 5304 58 13
WILKINSON Jane 66 Rus 5301 69 51
WILKINSON John 40 Malew 5308 33 3
WILKINSON John 24 Castletown 5308 125 23
WILKINSON Margaret 53 Braddan 5301 25 81
WILKINSON Margaret 11 Peel 5306 52 82
WILKENSON Mary A 46 Douglas 5304 109 106
WILKINSON Mary W 23 Rus 5301 69 51
WILKINSON Maude 32 Castletown 5308 125 25
WILKINSON May Ellen 40 Rus 5301 91 100
WILKINSON May 3 Castletown 5308 125 25
WILKINSON Robert 15 Peel 5308 150 36
WILKINSON Thomas 16 Peel 5306 52 82
WILKINSON Walter 30 Castletown 5308 125 25
WILKINSON Walter 1 Castletown 5308 125 25
WILKINSON William 12 Braddan 5301 25 81