I agree with others who say that "unmarried" on census when he was a lodger was probably a mistake. My 3xGGF was down as "lodger" and "unmarried" on a census. His wife, less than a mile away with their 3 children, including a young baby, was listed as married. It may have been that a census collector turned up to collect the form while the lodger was out and whoever completed the form or gave information had forgotten to ask if the lodger was married. I noticed he was there with another mason. I wondered if they were working on one of the railways, perhaps the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway aka Stainmore Railway. Built as a single line, it was doubled due to increase in traffic. Expansion work began 1866. Construction of Settle & Carlisle line was 1870s.
2 possible explanations for "labourer" on marriage record:
1.Simple clerical error.
2.He married at the time of the Lancashire Cotton Famine which was a consequence of the American Civil War. As a result, an estimated quarter of the population of Preston claimed Poor Relief during those years. A school log book showed very poor attendance due to children's clothes and clogs having been pawned to raise money for rent or food. Work schemes were set up and unemployed men were paid with tokens which they could exchange for food. One such scheme was laying out a park by the river. A town suffering economic depression wouldn't need as many stonemasons. Perhaps Thomas took whatever work he could get at the time.
