Thanks Shane, very much appreciated.
Tara, thank you for your input, I will do my best to answer your questions and hopefully clarify/complicate things further (delete as applicable!)
The reference to ‘raised in Wicklow mountains’ is from a family letter, I have no confirmation of this, although I have no reason to doubt its authenticity. The letter was from one of his sons.
I have no mention/record of Charles ever being in England from the family documents I have. Frederick did not have any other family in England that I am aware of. His life from 1882 is very well recorded, birth and wedding certificates, letters etc.
No typo regarding the baptism, I have the original letter confirming the details from the parish concerned.
Frederick had strong male genes, out of his 12 children, only three were female. His first daughter was Elizabeth Muriel, followed by Kate and Elsie, neither of whom survived past childhood.. This is a very interesting line of thought, the name Elizabeth figures down the subsequent generations; a very good point, thank you.
To give you some background regarding the Solomon connection. We believe from family letters that Frederick was related to John DILLON, a renowned Irish politician. Following a posting regarding this in 2002 I was contacted by Brian Dillon-Smyth offering to explain the connection, he never did and all subsequent emails/letters etc have been ignored. However I do know that the Dillon-Smyth connection is through his grandfather, Patrick Joseph SMYTH marrying Anne Elizabeth DILLON. Patrick was the son of Solomon Peter SMYTH and the grandson of Solomon SMYTH.
Solomon Peter SMYTH was born 1851, closer to Fredericks 1859 surely, than his father Solomon, who must have been born at least 16 years earlier. Thereby, in my opinion, making it more probable that Charles and Solomon were brothers.
I am looking at the possibility of a re baptism, hence the request. In later life he described himself as an Agnostic, so no clues there. What is interesting to me is that Solomon and family were Roman Catholic, I wonder if Frederick renounced the faith and converted, hence the emigration. It may also possibly account for the lack of communication from Brian Smyth???
Phew!
Hope all that clarifies rather than muddles things. Your time and suggestions are very much appreciated, thank you again