I’ve had another look at this, John, and I may have found your Solomon.

The Isle of Man newspaper archive (www.imuseum.im --- free to use) has several entries for Solomon and Margaret Wilkinson, concerning court appearances in Peel for being “drunk and disorderly”. After Solomon’s death, Margaret was often in court in Douglas. In Nov 1899 she asked the court to send her to the Poor Asylum --- so it had been a sad life for Margaret who had found herself widowed 3 times.

I found a reference to probate for a Barbara Wilkinson who died on 14 April 1879 in Cumberland age 83. The sole executor was a Solomon Wilkinson “of Peel, Isle of Man, labourer.

Following up these leads, I found a James Wilkinson, miller born in Scotland, who married a Barbara Galloway on 22nd Aug 1820 in Cumberland. There’s an image of a Marriage Bond dated 21 Aug 1820: “James Wilkinson age 22, bachelor, miller of Cockermouth, parish of Brigham, Cumberland, whose intended was Barbara Galloway age 18, spinster of Double Mills, Brigham, Cumberland.

They had 6 (or more ?) children:

Agnes 1821 and James 1823, both baptised at Workington St Michael, Cumberland.
Solomon 1825, Margaret 1827, John 1829 and William 1833, all baptised in Harrington, Cumberland.

Solomon’s ages from the censuses:

14 in 1841, 21 in 1851, 27 in 1861, 39 widower in 1871, 50 in 1881. Then there’s your Solomon age 50 in 1891 at Gob y volley, Lezayre whose age at his death in April 1891 was declared to be 49.

My best guess is that Solomon was a good deal older than he liked to admit.

Jean