thankyou brian
i understand what you are saying i have tried looking in the england census
just a little more background

in 1923 olive went on to marry john edward mitchell born edinburgh 1880 he shows up on the 1891 census as john e michell grandson of charlotte fitzpatrick then again 1901 working in strand street douglas at the time of marriage he was living 11 strand street and she at 47 atholl streeet both douglas
his parents were james mitchell (scotland) and christina/ christian fitzpatrick born peel c1854
her parents were patrick fitzpatrick c1821 ireland and charlotte clark(e) born peel c1817

olive & john had john edward jnr born douglas
1924( my father) and 2 daughters olive adelaide 1926 and edna 1928
my father was in the royal navy and the earliest mention of england that i have is in 1947 when my father was injured and the captain wrote to his mum who was living in manchester
i am also finding difficulty going back further in time because there are cowleys on both grandparents side