Why would a family move so much?

[snuttall]

I'm wondering if anybody could shed any light on how housing worked for mill workers late 19th century. I have mill worker families in Lancashire for example who seem to move every 2-3 years within a 1 mile radius, sometimes even 2 houses down the same street. All are typical 4 roomed mill houses. Why would a family move around so much within such a small area? Was it to do with the management of housing by the mill owners?

[keyboard86]

Hi, possibly due to an increase/decrease in the size of the family?

Keyboard86

[Oreo]

Not sure why people moved so often but it was very common.

[chinakay]

No idea actually....but in working-class neighbourhoods in Montreal everybody's lease was up on May 1st and everybody moved. Everybody. My father's family included. Could be just a street over, or a couple of houses down the same street. Maybe the rent was a dollar cheaper, my father said, or the cockroaches were classier

Could be just a cultural thing...we've always done it that way...

Until you get a better answer

Cheers,
China

[Treetotal]

Rent increases and ability to keep up with payments?
Carol

[garstonite]

did the mill owners own their own Tied Cottages within the land the Mills were on ?...usually the way .

[Barbara.H]

Also sometimes, if they are on the same street, they haven't moved at all but the street numbering has changed as dwellings are built/demolished/rebuilt around them

[behindthefrogs]

One branch of my family owned and lived in a cottage in Nuneaton.  Confusingly the address of the cottage changed with every census in the 19th century.  Twice the street name changed and on the other occasions the actual house number.  I was not confusing the census entry with the house number as where there was a house number there was also a census entry number.  It took a lot of detective work to prove it was the same cottage but fortunately there was public house a few doors away. 

[andrewalston]

With most property being rented, moving house often was very common. The reasons were manifold.

For apparently similar houses, a difference in rent for the same standard of property, or better maintenance, might prompt a move. The fresh house might have extra space not obvious from the front. The new house might be better situated - closer to school, or further away from some nuisance such as the glue works.

A house previously occupied by a relative or friend may have become vacant.

It was common for those who came into money to invest it in property. They might live in a slightly larger house at the end of a row, renting out the remainder. As finances improved, they might purchase or build additional houses. It might be advantageous to rent from a friend who was in such a position as they would be more likely to sort out problems than the man in the big house. Electoral rolls often give details of property ownership in the days before the introduction of universal suffrage.