Tom Bell Manvers arms 1851

[BamptonHatherleigh]

I find this odd; my great grandfather was born at the Manvers arms Radcliffe (sometimes spelt Ratcliffe) though the family were shown to be innkeepers, his father was a journey man bricklayer. Was it not possible to support a family on a inns income? Interestingly the other side of my family started life as Innkeepers in Devon!
Tom B c 1844 married Charlotte Oxley, in 1867, they moved to Buxton? Surrey where they had 2 children Percy and Walter.
Next he appears on the 1871 census lodging in Tattenhall Cheshire, while his wife with 2 very small children, is in Lazonby Cumberland. She has then has Maude a daughter in Finchley in 1873.
Then in 1877  she had Edith in Torquay, what on earth was she doing in Torquay!?
In 1879/80 I found her in Aston Birmingham where my grandfather Henry was born 22/9/1879 and his sister Alice. Her mother in law, Toms mother Elizabeth declared the birth... so Tom was  not there again, he was presumably coming and going as there is no implication that I can see that the children are not his!
Next Tom; husband, reappears 10 years later in 1881 and they are all together in Tottenham, with Percy 12, Walter 10, Edith 4 , meanwhile Maude 8yrs old, in 1881 was living/staying wither her maternal grandmother Jane Oxley in Finchley.
In 1891 Charlotte Bell is  in Finchley shown as widowed.
Is this not strange for husbands to leave their families for such long periods, and why were they moving all over the place and children staying with grandparents at such a young age?
Sorry to be long winded but they seem to be moving so much and so separate for so many years it makes me wonder what must have been going  on?

[skewbald]

Hi castaway. Toms father was actualy shown as a buildersman (sic) not a bricklayer, as well as innkeeper. This might just mean he financed and arranged buildings that his son (Sam? 1825) actualy built.
Later on Tom is listed as a "Bricksetter" which I would think is a Bricklayer like his older brother was. In the late 1800's buildind work for bricklayers was not in any shortage with mills, factories and railys being built at a great pace, so Tom would have travelled with work I'm sure, as Ratcliffe itself wouldn't have needed many builders.

Skewy

[BamptonHatherleigh]

Hi,
Thanks, i had cross posted in Devon as one of his daughters was born there, they suggested the railways too. It does seem the most likely theory. I still wonder why Charlotte his wife is so rarely with him ( though they must have been together occasion to conceive their numerous children) I can understand her lodging where he worked, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Is there any record of people who worked for the railways?

I cannot find him anywhere in 1891.... any ideas?

Thanks for your input!

[skewbald]

Tattenhall Station was opened in 1872, a year after Tom was on the census there.

It would depend on the size of the project as to whether it was worth while Charlotte keep moving house.

Skewy

[BamptonHatherleigh]

MMmm looks likely then doesn't it.... are there any railway employee records? Though is it likely he would have been working for a building company who were contracted by the railways?