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Ah great, thanks Rosie, very helpful in a not at all useful sort of way unfortunately. It's not even worth me finding out Mrs Campbell's maiden name as she was born in London, since we have no connections there either. And Dr C sounds distinctly Scottish despite being a Londoner, and we have no connections there either (well, not until as far back as Malcolm III anyway).

Looking at the rest of the staff in 1901 they seem to have come from right across England so it seems the Campbells just cast their servant net widely, not relying on family connections.

Thanks again

ETA: The maps show that it is right opposite Eldon Terr and Eldon Place on the other side of Manningham Lane

This has bugged me since I started five years or so ago - curious to know people’s thoughts on this:

1861 census for Sheraton showing my 2xGG Mary Jane Firby and parents includes her 6-y-o brother Charlton Robert (Charlton being Mary Jane’s grandmother’s MMS).

Quickly found Charlton’s bapt record – 7 Aug 1854 Monk Hesleden.

Searching for birth certs for kids born to Firby & Patterson around that time only brings up one – for an Edmund Firby (same name as the father). Order it – he is clearly born to the correct parents. Shows a birth of 8 July 1854, recorded 11 Aug (ie 4 days after CR’s bapt).

But no other evidence of Edmund Jr exists – I have scrolled PRs for burials from 1854 up to 1858, searched more generously for one online, plus censuses. There’s plenty of evidence for CR though, right into adulthood. In fact, when he married, the announcement said “the only son of Mr J Firby of Shearton” (mind, that’s a mistake, it was E Firby, and they spelled Sheraton wrong too). Obviously, they would still probably say that if the only other son had died in infancy though, I guess?

So my question is – was there a mistake on the birth cert, or did his name change in the four days between baptism and registration? Or is there any chance there was a second brother?

I haven't found any reason to make such a sudden name change – his grandmother Charlton was still alive at the time, and although her parents are still a bit hazy ATM, I don’t see any Charlton burials in Aug 1854 that would trigger a sentimental change of name…
I'm not sure how common a naming mistake like that was on the cert, but as old man Firby (informant) was literate, you’d think he might have said summat if it was wrong?

So at the weekend I paid my first visit to the graveyard where I knew my 4x G-Granda was buried. But as he was an ag lab most of his life and died in 1841, I wasn't holding my breath in the hope of finding a gravestone. As it turns out, I literally could've done so, because it was the second one I looked at. And as a bonus, next to him was the daughter I'd lost track of as soon as she married and became a Smith.

I was stunned - this has never happened to me before and am pretty sure it must be a record of some sort. Even better, his headstone was about 5in thick, so now I'm coming round to thinking that he, his widow, or his children were a little more comfortably off than I have long believed... 

Grr, just noticed I must have been even more confused than I thought - I was actually thinking Peter was son of Thomas, but wrote William 

Anyway, thx - yes, I think it becomes much clearer if you remove the text in brackets re Peter's dad, ie:
The elder son, Robert Smytheson of Thornton Watlas, who married – -, and had issue …  an elder son, viz.:

Peter le Smytheson ...

It's just that suggestion/reading that Robert Smytheson might've been Kerperby William's son, but that's not the author's style as I've seen elsewhere, so I think you're right - Peter is Robert's son.

It's also that line "and had issue (together with two other sons…" that kind of threw me. Wonder if the issue in question was a daughter or daughters - just seemed a strange way to put it. Anyway, although I mentioned verifying all this, I pretty much will have to take the author's word for it here though, given the absence of parish records and my lack of Latin / OE skills for where records do exist.

Thanks for the link too, bookmarked.

EDIT: Actually, no, that issue line makes sense now I think - the two 'other sons' are Peter's younger's brothers who just get a mention in passing...

Ha, yes, I found something similar once in a Durham parish c1800 - the vicar seemed to relish revealing all the gruesome details as the only CODs that were ever included were the most horrible accidents. Seem to remember one along the lines of "fell from the top of the paper mill and was crushed by the machinery below"...

I think I'd probably prefer to remain in ignorant bliss, believing my ancestor died peacefully in their bed...

The Hornby YKS registers late 18th C are very handy for finding out all CODs though, thankyou vicar.