Confused by sudden change of occupation

[swendeperle82]

My 4th gt grandfather William Stevens (b. 1821) is listed as a Tailor in all of the census records (apart from 1901 where he is a retired clothier) but on his marriage certificate he is a Private in the 13th Light Dragoons.

I am a bit confused by this sudden change of occupation. The only other person I have found in the family who was a tailor was William's brother-in-law Charles Dean and his father-in-law was a draper so I suppose that's not far off. Could it be that he felt it was time to start a career that didn't require him to leave his family for long periods of time? Perhaps he decided to go into business with his wife's family.

His father (also William Stevens) is listed as a Merchant and a Gentleman in 4 baptism records that I found of his children. On his son's marriage certificate his occupation is something that looks like British counsel but I'm not sure (I've attached an image below). So it doesn't look like he learnt his craft from his father.

[Lesley Robertson]

When & where did the marriage happen? If he's a tailor in all census returns from 1841-1891, it sounds like a short enlistment for some reason.
Did the wife come from his home area?
A lot depends on the sequence of events - was he a soldier before he was a tailor, or was he a soldier during the decade before 2 census takings?

Regarding his father - if William was b. 1821, unless you're very unlucky his father should have been young enough to live into the time of BMD registration if they were in England/Wales - look for his death or appearance in the 1841 or 1851 census.

[swendeperle82]

William John Stevens b. 1821 in Newington, Surrey (apart from 1891 census that has his birth place as Streatham - this is where he was baptized). Father: William Stevens (occupation: gentleman) Mother: Cordelia.

Married in 1843 to Caroline Maria Matilda Dean. She was born in Middlesex and was living in Gore Lane, Kensington, around the corner from the barracks where William was stationed in 1843 according to his marriage certificate. I have been unable to find him in the 1841 census.

I'm not sure when his father was born. Other Ancestry members who are researching this branch have his dates as 1792-1835 but I haven't had a chance to look into this any further.

I did find a military record for a William J Stevens (b. 1823) serving from 1841 to 1846 which is close to what I am looking for but I don't think that's him.

[Sue Mackay]

On his son's marriage certificate his occupation is something that looks like British counsel

Looks like British Consul to me, so presumably working in a consulate abroad?

[Peter_NB]

May I add this area of research.

Google: "william stevens" british consul

enter as above complete with the "

Regards

Peter

[Lesley Robertson]

It looks as though he started work as a soldier, then joined his wife’s family business after his marriage, either when his term of service was up or when they bought him out...

It might be worth looking to see where the 13th LD were in 1841.... They could have been out of the country.