widow on census but husband living with children

[BevStimpson]

I've found my Gt Gt Grandmother on the 1911 census living with her daughter's (my Gt Gran) family. she is listed as relation to head: wives mother, widow, (though to be honest my great granddad did write married - then crossed it out to write widow)
However, I have found her 3rd husband living with his one of his children from his first marriage - it reads married (not widower)!!.
Could this be correct? I've checked occupation (painter) from the previous census, age is approximate.
If they had fallen out/split up etc, would it have been the norm to pretend status? I've checked death records too, one of the other people researching him have added his death as Jan 1910 but this is the wrong surname Reavey instead of Reeves. The only death in the 10 year period is Reeves in 1919 which corresponds to the census details
Am I right in assuming a marriage break up do you think?
Bev

[Marmalady]

A separation sounds very possible

"widow" would have sounded much respectable than "separated" or "divorced" back then

[jan57]

I have the same   scenario  in my  husbands tree ,  the wife   called herself  a widow,  whilst  not 2 miles   or so  away  the  husband is  stated  as  married .    he  also had put the  number  of children down !   as  did the wife ! 

As marmalady  said  , more respectable       to  be labelled  a widow  rather than  divorced /separated

[BevStimpson]

Thank you both, I assumed a break up. My mum (75 yrs old) is convinced otherwise haha... I'm sticking to what I can see, both living separately, and she saying widow, spells unhappy marriage

[Rosinish]

Glad I'm not the only one 

I have a g/grandmother with same status.

1891 she's a widow (never found him yet in 1891) they had 4 kids & by 1901 another 4 
He died 1917.

1889 he's a Plumber/Journeyman (from daughter's birth cert.) but I never thought of a separation.......... it did seem strange though 

Annie

[Ruskie]

In this case the couple may have been separated, but keep in mind that census night is just ONE night in 10 years, and just because a couple were not together does not necessarily follow that they were estranged. I think sometimes people jump to conclusions when a family member is absent on census night.

The fact that 'married' was written then crossed out and changed to 'widow' is odd. I wonder if gggrandad could not think of a more suitable term which is why he wrote widow. Today we would probably write 'separated' but would that term have been used in 1911? Divorce was rare and only for the wealthy. I expect the only choices would have been single, married or widowed ...... Perhaps 'widow' seemed the most apt?

[pinefamily]

I agree with Ruskie. It might be jumping the gun to make a judgement on one census entry. Have you seen either person's death certificate?
I have one ancestor who separated from his wife some time in the 1860's. In the subsequent censuses, I have found them apart, yet described as married. They were never found together again, so I have assumed they were separated.

[Guy Etchells]

I've found my Gt Gt Grandmother on the 1911 census living with her daughter's (my Gt Gran) family. she is listed as relation to head: wives mother, widow, (though to be honest my great granddad did write married - then crossed it out to write widow)
However, I have found her 3rd husband living with his one of his children from his first marriage - it reads married (not widower)!!.
Could this be correct? I've checked occupation (painter) from the previous census, age is approximate.
If they had fallen out/split up etc, would it have been the norm to pretend status? I've checked death records too, one of the other people researching him have added his death as Jan 1910 but this is the wrong surname Reavey instead of Reeves. The only death in the 10 year period is Reeves in 1919 which corresponds to the census details
Am I right in assuming a marriage break up do you think?
Bev

You have it seems answered your question yourself (though to be honest my great granddad did write married - then crossed it out to write widow).
This phrase points to your Gt grandfather filling out the census return rather than your Gt Gt Grandmother.
It is possible he did not know the status of his mother, i.e. whether his father was alive or dead.

For a while in the 1950s I thought my father was dead but whether that was due to my imagination or I had be told that I do not know to this day.

Cheers
Guy