Surveying Instrument Maker/Telgraph Instrument Maker: 19th Century

[TW70]

Help!!!

There is a Joy/Joie Weir b1848 in Partick, Glasgow in my family tree.  This is a male who appears on 4 x Census returns between 1851 & 1881, the latter in England.

In 1871, he is a Surveying Instruments Maker in Glasgow and in 1881, he is a Telegraph Instrument Maker, lodging at Blenheim Street, Chelsea and named Joie.  After this.....nothing.

Aware the name is unusual and subject to spelling variations and that it's always possible he emigrated but I've hit a brick wall.

Any suggestions on how to unlock the door?  Are there listings which could provide more inight.  In short.....help!

Yours hopefully...

Tommy

[CaroleW]

Is his correct christian name Joy?  I know that's what he is shown in 1851 and 1861 but I can't find an OPR for his birth

[mazi]

I have looked at J* weir deaths 1880 1940, and cant see a likely misspelling

[mazi]

given that telegraph instuments were being installed and repaired all over the country at that time he may have travelled around a lot.

added, but equally his skills may have been in demand in some commonwealth countries

[TW70]

Yes, as far as I can see he is called Joy or Joie (once transcribed as Ivy!) but always male.

Which trade would this fall under, would that be clock/watch makers?  His family were all Boot Tree and Last Makers so odd that he had a seemingly very different path

Cheers

Tommy

[TW70]

And you're right no OPR seems to exist for him or my G-Grandfather who was born a year later, also in Partick, but the earlier siblings did have, but were born in a different parish

Tommy

[mazi]

Which trade would this fall under, would that be clock/watch makers?  His family were all Boot Tree and Last Makers so odd that he had a seemingly very different path

Cheers

Tommy

its hard to say, most instruments were housed in carefully made wooden boxes, but the electrical coils and needles etc would be a new skill to be learnt