Prior family in France

[Cleo]

I have a family of boatbuilders, surname Prior, who lived in Poole, Dorset in 1839, as that is when their son, Austin was baptised.  The next son, William Henry appears to have been born in Cherbourg on 4.12.34.  I cannot find the family in the 1941 census, but then they appear again in 1951 and are living in the Isle of Wight.  By then, the eldest son, George appears to have married a French woman, (H)ester Grace Bamenis.
Is there any way of telling whether the whole family went to France, how and why they went, and when they came back?  Is it possible they went over under their own steam?
The family in 1931 would have been George 35, Philadelphia 35, Elizabeth 10, George 8, Horace 4, Ridley 3, Willis 3 and Austin a baby. Any information would be helpful. Thanks.

[jorose]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=564071.0
 - previous thread.  William was b. 1833 not 1834. Hester was aka Bamenis/Besnier, and we haven't been able to find her marriage in Cherbourg although there is a possible Esther Besnier born there.  The family were probably still away in 1841 but back by 1848 (see other thread)

I would think it very unlikely that George and Philadephia left their kids behind, unless perhaps any of them were in too poor health to make the trip.  In some cases during these years workers from the UK in certain fields (for example, iron production, railways) were scouted to work for French businesses (or businesses in France owned by English gentlemen).  Most returned in the 1830s or early 1840s.

[Cleo]

Thanks for that Jorose - I hadn't realised I'd posted that before, and haven't been doing any research for a while, so had forgotten.  That is really interesting information about George Prior being in the jail for bankruptcy - I wonder what went wrong!  You have given me lots more information to be going on with. Thanks again.
Cleo