Sarah, born 20 March 1840, daughter of James and Sarah TAYLOR, (James a carpenter) baptism 28 June 1840 recorded in register for St Phillips C of E, Sydney by Rev William COWPER.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTCT-899and
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTD1-K2Dand
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTD1-2B3 Thomas, born 5 October 1835, son of James and Sarah TAYLOR, (James a carpenter) baptised 13 December 1835, recorded in register for St Phillips C of E, Sydney by Rev. William COWPER.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTC8-W8Kand
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT6Y-JYR I notice that family search has the baptism for Sarah indexed THREE times, and Ancestry has it twice, and NSW BDM does not have it under Sarah TAYLOR with those parents. Three times … so it is likely there’s at least three separate parish registers … perhaps ONE is the original register, and of the other two, at least one will be St Phillips C of E, as the register receiving transmitted records from across the then territory of NSW (which in early 1840 still included all of what is New Zealand and many of the South Sea Islands, and what is now Victoria, Queensland, and the Northern Territory etc etc etc) Of course, greatest numbers of people were in and around Sydney, but all outlying districts were expected to transmit at least a summary each quarter through to Sydney …
Some questions to consider:
a) Are you sure that the witness is SISTER to the groom? Is it possible the witness was MOTHER or AUNT or COUSIN to him … or perhaps a Mrs Sarah Taylor (ie an inlaw) or perhaps just a neighbour or friend or a parishioner who often acted as an official witness. Taylor was among the top five surnames for popularity even in that era in NSW.
b) The Anglican Church in co-operation with Ancestry has allowed Ancestry to upload digitised images of the parish registers for the Sydney Diocese.(Sydney Anglican Parish Registers 1814-2011). Have you found the baptism in that collection, if not, then perhaps the baptism was NOT at St Phillips, Sydney, but simply the clergyman conducting the baptism transmitted a copy of his own parish register to St Phillips in accordance with the then general orders and practices.
c) NSW Civil registration commenced 1 March 1856, but the practice of transmitting the records dates back at least to 1810 and a general order issued by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The NSW Supreme Court’s first registrar was effectively the first civil registrar for bdms, commencing his own register in about 1818 or perhaps 1817 which of course is merged in with all the other Early Church Records in the online indexes at NSW BDM.
d) On the 1865 marriage, what was Thomas’ occupation and usual address? What info did he provide about his parents to the clergyman? (Dad’s occupation, Dad’s full names, Mum’s full names, including former and nee surnames).
e) Does Sarah sign or make her mark? Many girls in Sydney from as early as the 1820s were frequently taught skills giving them literacy and numeracy, so a lass born 1840 may have been a second generation or more female with literacy if attending Wesleyan Sunday Schools in Sydney…
f) There’s a James TAYLOR in Union Street Paddington as a carpenter in Sands Commercial Directory for Sydney in 1861. Also similar entry in Sands 1867 and the National Directory for 1867 (J TAYLOR). Is this likely to be your James, father of Thomas and Sarah?
Biographical Database of Australia (index free to search, nominal subs are p.a.)
https://www.bda-online.org.au/ (ongoing project,
)
City of Sydney Sands free to search, good search engine
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=369703.msg5267800#msg5267800 City of Sydney boundaries
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=499593.0City of Sydney Assessment books (excellent as includes renters and landlords)
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/search-our-collections/house-and-building-histories/assessment-books familysearch (free, but need to subscribe no charge)
https://www.familysearch.org/hr/search/ search by location can be handy option.
ADD
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/australia-resources-offers/JM