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Hi Kath,
I think that the Birth of Elizabeth TAYLOR 9th Feb 1788-Averham - daughter of Thomas & Mary TAYLOR is, given all the facts, credible.
The marriage of Charles HOLT to Elizabeth TAYLOR 1st Oct 1805 Spridlington, Lincolnshire would on the face of it, look a little shaky.
The Original marriage certificate (available on Find My Past) shows that the parish given for both Charles and Elizabeth is GLENTHAM which is just north of Spridligton.
However, given that Glentham is only about 45 Miles away from South Emshall and 35 Miles from Averham, it would seem highly likely that Charles and Elizabeth had independently moved to the Glentham area to find work.  We shall never know for certain but I feel comfortable with the assumption.  knowing that our ancestors did move about more than we imagine.
Best wishes
John

Hi Helen,
I am assisting a good family friend with her family history (being retired I have the time and inclination), she being related to Charles Campbell on her maternal side.
Let me say from the outset I do not come bearing a golden sledge hammer, to break down your brick walls.  However, coming at the problem fresh, as it were, I / we might find a way through the labyrinth.

I have been looking into this saga since the start of the year and I have to say that the twists and turns are on a par with an Agatha Christy novel. In fact I think it would be difficult to have concocted a more complicated scenario.  I digress.

Starting with Charles Campbell.  I think that his father has to be Henry Knight Storks.  Whilst I have no positive proof there is enough anecdotal information to support this argument.
Knowing the Victorian’s propensity to use their ancestors names, as the given names of their children and the fact is that Charles named his first Henry and the 2rd son was given the name Knight.  Plus the fact that this was repeated in the next generation i.e. Henry’s  6th son was Andrew Henry Knight Campbell.   This would seem to me a strong indication that Charles was aware that his father was H.K. S.
Another indication is that on Charles baptism entry the father is given as Charles and on his wedding certificate he has shown his father as Clement Robert Campbell.  These latter names are not used for any of subsequent children.
The question is why did Sarah Rogers use the name Campbell?  I would suspect that it was her mother’s maiden name or a surname of say a close relation.  Or possibly her father may have been Campbell Rogers.
Looking at the biography of H.K.S. it would seem that he was with his regiment in the Ionian islands up to May 1845 and then in South Africa 1846-7 so he could have been in London at around the time Charles was conceived i.e. about early 1846.  What is clear is that Elisa A. M. N. Storks was still alive and it would have been imperative that the arrival of Charles should be kept under wraps.

Sophia Henrietta.  Was she born in Italy?  As there is no obvious record of her birth in the GRO records, it might be so.  Her half brother Henry N. R. Storks was born in Italy, probably because that was where his maternal family lived.
I notice on the entry for her baptism the letters PB in the margin.  I wonder is there any significance in this.  For example does it stand for Premature Birth or maybe Private Baptism 
But, none the less, it does seem rather strange for Sarah Olivia to travel all that way to Milan give birth, unless H.K.S had insisted.  He could have been in the UK at the time of Sophia’s conception i.e. early 1848 as he was in South Africa 1846-7 and in Mauritius 1849-54.

What is also baffling is Sarah’s reasoning regarding the baptism of the two children.
Sophia being baptised first and Sarah declares she is a spinster so Sophia remains a Rogers. Charles born first but is baptised after Sophia’s birth and baptism  and this time Sarah declares that she is married.  Then the whole thing later becomes compounded by the census entries.

I found Sophia in the 1871 census described as a visitor of a Sybil Dance (transcribed as Lebill Daner) Torwood, Devon (near Newton Abbot).  I looked into this family but can find no obvious link to Sophia.
Sybil Dance was Sybil Scroggs, her father was Lt Col Sydney E. Scroggs.
Sybil’s husband was Rev George Dance and his father was Sir Charles Webb Dance also a military man. 

So you could say that a common factor was the military.  It may also explain the various claims made by Sarah and Mary Ann as to where they were born i.e. if the father was in the army he would move about and they could have been born one in Ireland the other in Scotland or similar.

Regarding the three sisters, the large time difference between Mary Ann born 1816, Sarah 1826 and Dorcas Jane 1834 (from Census) somehow seems questionable.

Regarding Elizabeth Rogers it is a pity that we cannot find what her maiden name was.  Does her death certificate give any clue as to the husbands first name?  Perhaps you could throw some light on this.

Another perplexing thing, why did Sarah leave her estate to Elizabeth who we believe was her sister in law.

In the words of a song ‘There are more questions than answers’.

I am sorry to say this has turned into a lengthy tome and not really answered any questions.  However is my assessment more or less in line with your thinking.  Any info that you might have I would be pleased to work on e.g. Elizabeth’s husband.  As soon as i receive anything from my friend I will forward it to you.

Regards

John

Thank you,

Being of a certain age i.e. not in the first flush of youth, I am not exactly familar with the short hand that is used.  I need someone to guide my faltering steps.

Trust this epistle will do for number two in my quest.