« Reply #12 on: Thursday 23 June 22 12:26 BST (UK) »
I guess gardening jobs were probably by word of mouth, or even advertised in local newspapers etc, similar to how other jobs were advertised.
The fact you had people from another part of the country in the 1851 census for example, if there ever had been a 1701 or 1751 census which gave place of birth, I doubt there would be much difference in the diversity of internal migration. Hence why you may have to consider this if you cannot find an ancestor locally before census era. But verifying that is another story.
My ancestor was Joseph Stillington of Romford, who wed in 1728 at the Fleet. His surname is a name found in Leicestershire and Derbyshire usually. That is probably where he or his family originate.
I have a college servant called William Inkpen in Oxford who wed there in 1765. His surname is not an Oxon name. It is a surname that is rife in Dorset and Sussex, with some in Kent. I am sure he was from one of these counties, and moved to Oxford for work.
Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain