Mystery Brixham Visitor - Isaac Padfield

[mikey13t]

Hi - my first posting.....I am tracing the history of the Padfield family.  My ancestors moved from Somerset to Wales.  However, in 1891 census Isaac Padfield appears to have left his family and is shown as a visitor /  Boarder in Galmpton Nr Brixham.  I am lost as to why he should be there as I know of no connections with that area.  There is a family story that he went to America and came back again.  Could the census have caught him on his journey.  Any suggestions welcome.  Thanks

[Douglas P]

Hi Mikey,

I found your message when searching for my own surname (my side stayed in England).

I recently read an answer to a similar question to yours:

It isn't uncommon to find men staying somewhere else on census night, if their work took them away from home. Farm servants in particular can often be found staying on the farm where they work while their wives and families are in the family home elsewhere. Masons, commercial travellers and so on are also often away from home.

from   http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,142147.msg677955.html#msg677955