Huddersfield to Swindon - how, when and why

Looking for some theories about how Thomas came so many miles from home.

Seems the railway was a strong lure seeing as he worked there the rest of his life but how would he have known about it?
Did he come on the off chance - why so far?

In 1851 there may be a clue.  He was lodging with his future in laws and is down as engineer from Manchester.  I wonder if that was his last abode.

Don't know exactly when he arrived but am speculating if he would have somehow had a job lined up - what about accommodation?  Knock on the first house you come to and ask them to put you up?

Where the in laws lived wasn't exactly on the railways doorstep.  I know people trudged miles in those days but how did he end up there?

Probably never know the answers but interested in speculations thank you kindly.

Perhaps the in laws found accommadation for him.

siamese

Problem is they weren't his in laws in 1851 as he hadn't married their daughter yet!

Far as I know they were unknown to each other before he came here.

I'm helping a friend-of-a-friend with her tree at the moment.  There's a story in her family about her grandfather and one of his brothers who were both born in Suffolk (near the Essex border): they originally found agricultural labouring work in Kent, before walking to north Derbyshire to work in the iron foundries.

Now that's a LONGGGGGGGGGGG way !

One of my grandfathers was a postman in Berkshire, where he and his wife were born, their parents, g.parents, gg.parents etc all lived.  Next thing we know, he's a postman in Leicestershire.  Don't think I'll ever know whether he requested the transfer or whether it was imposed on him, but I can't help but wonder why.

STG