France 1842 - 1848?

[jannic]

Hi
I wonder if anyone here can answer, or at least shed shome light on, why a labourer and his wife would be travelling to France for the birth of four of their children? There may be a distant connection with France somewhere as the family name is Novell but I haven't found it yet.

The family as I have them are
William Novell b1812 Farnham, Surrey
Mary Ann Davis b1820 Long Ditton, Surrey
Married Thames Ditton 25/6/1838

Children
William b1840 Bishopstoke, Hampshire
James b1842 France
Mary Ann b1844 France
Henry b1846 France
Eliza b 1847 France
Sarah b 1848 Kingston, Surrey
David b 1850 Kingston Surrey
John b1852 Surbiton, Surrey
Martha b1854 Surbiton, Surrey
Owen b1857 Surbiton, Surrey
Charles b1860 Hook, Surrey

Any ideas welcome
Thanks
Jan

[Geoffers]

Was William in the army at any time?

Do you have any indication as to the type of labourer he was or for whom he worked?

[jannic]

Hi Geoffers
I have William in all the census years
1841 - Labourer
1851 - Labourer Excavator
1861 - Lab Garden
1871 - Bricklayers Labourer

There is no indication that he's working for a well to do family or the railways etc. which might have taken them abroad. Family legend is that the family fled France during one of the revolutions but there is no evidence for them being anything other than ordinary folk.

Jan