A puzzle-Thompson/Reay in Wigton

[Cazza47]

In the 1891 census a family live in Water Street Wigton,
Joseph Reay (head), Mary Thompson, Sarah Ann Reay, Archibald Reay, Wilfred Reay, Margaret Reay, Robert Thompson & George Thompson. Joseph is down as married, Mary as single, the four older children are Reay,s but in the BMD they are down as Thompsons, Margaret and Robert are twins born in 1883, All children were born in Wigton. Confused.......me too!
In 1901 Mary is now head of family but married, Joseph is also married but he is now a Thompson and a boarder.
In the next census Mary is still head of the family but a widow who was married 40 years, Joseph is now a Reay who is single and still a boarder.
Can anyone make any sense of this, am I getting families mixed up or am I just going mad!!!
Carol

[Cazza47]

Forgot to mention, the family are living in micklethwaite in the later two census's.
Also I could not find a birth for a Wilfred Thompson or Wilfred Reay but I found one for a William Thompson at about the right time .
Carol

[aspin]

Here we are
I thought i had miss judge this
Elizabeth

[crisane]

You're confused! Even Mary and Joseph couldn't tell the enumerator what relationshp they were. It has NK in Mary's relationship column.
1891 RG12/4295/68/15
Joseph Reay born Bowness 1834 ag lab
Margaret Thompson born Bunrasset 1841 (should ths be Blennerhasset?)
All the children are down as Thompson in the original image. The "do" mark is under Mary's surname Thompson. ancestry has mistranscribed, (I have submitted alternate information). FindMyPast has it as Thompson

[crisane]

And you thought the 1891 was complicated. Look at the 1881
1881 RG11/5178/124/12     
Laverick Hall, Workington  Cumberland

Joseph Reay head married  47 Farmer 100 Acres Cumberland   
Dinah Reay Wife  49  Cockermouth Cumberland   
Martha Thompson Boarder single 48 dressmaker Great Clifton Cumberland   

[crisane]

I am workng backwards trying to get a handle on Mary and Joseph
1881 RG11/5164/96/7
Union Workhouse, Station Hill, Wigton
Mary Thompson 38 (married?) domestic servant Blennerhasset cumberland
Joseph Thompson 13 Wigton
Sarah  Thompson 6 Wigton
Archibald Thompson 3 Wigton

[crisane]

1871 RG10/5227/94/8
Station Hill Wigton Union Workhouse, Wigton
Mary Thompson unmarried 27 servant Blennerhasset cumberland
William Thompson 5 Wigton
Joseph Thompson 3 Wigton

Births Dec 1/4 1865   
William Thompson Wigton  vol 10b page 436


Births Dec 1/4 1868   
Joseph  Thompson Wigton  vol 10b page 476

[crisane]

And you thought the 1891 was complicated. Look at the 1881
1881 RG11/5178/124/12     
Laverick Hall, Workington  Cumberland
Joseph Reay head married  47 Farmer 100 Acres Cumberland   
Dinah Reay Wife  49  Cockermouth Cumberland   
Martha Thompson Boarder single 48 dressmaker Great Clifton Cumberland   

This is not your Joseph because they are still together in 1891. Unless Joseph was entered on the census twice by two women who wanted to keep up appearances
RG12/4302/122/12
Hall bank Little Broughton Embleton
Joseph Reay head  57 farmer Abbey Holme, Cumberland   
Dinah Reay wife 59  Cockermouth, Cumberland   
Martha Thompson Visitor single 58  dressmaker Great Clifton, Cumberland   
 
note: Blennerhasset is 100+ mles from Wigton

[crisane]

Births Jun 1/4 1881   
 
Wilfrid  Thompson Wigton  vol 10b page 528