Head of household Question

Hello to the group

I am as you may be able to tell from my question new to the task of tracing
my family history, so I apologise if my question's answer is rather simpler
than I imagine.

On my mothers side of the family I have obtained a copy of a marriage
certificate for Andrew Clough and Emma Ray which was witnessed by a Mazeppa
Clough and Clara Ray in 1878 at S. John's Church in the Parish of
Failsworth, in the district of Oldham, county of Lancaster.

Stirred on by the unusual name I have tried to track Mazeppa Clough and have
found him in the 1881 census at 19 Hardman St, Failsworth, Lancashire.
Records Office Reference RG11 Folio 4028 / 150 Page 35.

The transcribed record from Family Search Org shows:-
Head of household as Martha Stafford married female aged 52
Mazeppa Clough son unmarried aged 26
Andrew Clough son married aged 23
Emma Clough daughter married aged 22
Ernest Clough son aged 2
Albert Clough son aged 1 month

I presume that Andrew and Emma are living at a parents home with two
children but why would the head of household be a Stafford?. I was expecting

Eve McLaughlin...

Why not? Presumably this is the former Mrs Clough, widowed and remarried
to a Mr Stafford, who just happens to be from home on census day -
though possibly he has skipped on a more permanent basis, or she is
likely to have been called 'wife of head (absent).
The children look like the children of Andrew and Emma, and really
grandchildren to the head, but if either Andrew or Emma gave in the
information, they would say 'son''daughter' not 'oh well of course they
are actually grandson etc'

Andrew M Brownhill...

Yes I can now see that it fits logically together but at first I was really
quite confused by it all, thank you for your help.

Best regards

Andrew Brownhill

either a James Clough or if Emma's parents then James or Sarah Ray.

I have not traced a James Clough wedding so could Martha be a ex-married
partner of some 26 years, if so was this common in those days? or is there
another explanation for the surname that I am missing?

Best regards

Andrew Brownhill

Saffy...

My first (rather amateur) guess would be that the father died and the mother
remarried. Just because you haven't found a record of a marriage doesn't
mean there wasn't one. In my experience it isn't common for unmarried
couples to live openly like this.