What on earth is a "Nat Tel Man"

[ali.]

Hi all,
I have a baptism record (will pop image below) and the father's occupation seems to be "Nat: Tel: Man." This was a baptism in Manchester in March 1906. My only guess is perhaps "National Telegraph/Telegram/Telephone etc Manchester." But if anyone has an idea as to what exactly that might be and what it might mean, i'd be grateful lol.
Thanks a million
Ali 

[JenB]

It might be National Telephone (something).

But when Harry Hardcastle (address 23 Moss Lane as in the baptism entry) joined the army (he attested 14th May 1906) his occupation is given as 'butcher'. 

[ali.]

Ah thank you! Can I ask where you found this army record? As I had a nosey before but didn’t find one of his attestation (giving address and so on). Would much appreciate - thank you!

[JenB]

It's on Findmypast.

From the censuses it seems his full name was William Henry Hardcastle.

[ShaunJ]

How unusual to see both parents' details set out like that on a baptism record.

[goldie61]

How unusual to see both parents' details set out like that on a baptism record.

From the small clip here, it only looks like that baptism that gives the full name of the father and of the mother.
Are there any others like this on the page ali?
The top one is 'Henry & Ada Jones', and the third one 'John & ? Burns'.
The Hardcastle one says 'Harry Hardcastle' and 'Rebecca Whitehead'.
Does this suggest she was not Rebecca Hardcastle, and therefore they were not married?

[ali.]

How unusual to see both parents' details set out like that on a baptism record.

From the small clip here, it only looks like that baptism that gives the full name of the father and of the mother.
Are there any others like this on the page ali?
The top one is 'Henry & Ada Jones', and the third one 'John & ? Burns'.
The Hardcastle one says 'Harry Hardcastle' and 'Rebecca Whitehead'.
Does this suggest she was not Rebecca Hardcastle, and therefore they were not married?

Thanks all! As yes indeed they were unmarried and their son was illegitimate. It was quite a stroke of luck to find the father correctly named - as she gives her own fathers name and makes up a maiden name for herself on her sons birth certificate.

I’ve never seen both parents laid out this way on the baptisms of other children of unmarried parents - they never usually include the father.

[wivenhoe]

GRO birth
WHITEHEAD, Samuel Cyril       mms     JONES 
1906  MarQ         Manchester  Vol 08D  Page 242

[goldie61]

Yep. I'd say pretty lucky to find that baptism of an illegitimate child with the name of the father like that.