Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle

After spending hours searching for clues about OUR John Curtis (b c1799 NOT Lincolnshire) who was living in Long Sutton in 1841, I've been led on a trail that's covered Long Sutton (Sutton St Mary), Huttoft and Alford in Lincolnshire, Tydd St Giles, Stretham and Wisbech St Peter in Cambridgeshire, and Walople St Peter in Norfolk. I've a strong feeling there's a connection between them, but can't find it at the moment!

So the best thing I can do for now is list all the pieces of the puzzle here, as and when I find them.

Thomas Curtis born 1761 in Cambridgeshire, living on the 1841 census at Wisbech St Peter, Cambridge.

Luke Curtis born 1766 in Cambridgeshire, living on the 1841 census in Stretham, Cambs, cabinet-maker, living with (wife) Mary born 1771 NOT in Cambridgeshire.

And here is the same Luke Curtis on the 1851 census, still living in Stretham, but now a widower. It is now revealed that he was born in Wisbeach, Cambridgeshire.

Now here is the John Curtis who I believe is the person I found the marriage record for a couple of days ago.

Firstly, here he is on the 1841 census living in Tydd St Giles, Cambs, with his wife, Sara, maiden name Wells. It states he was NOT born in Cambridgeshire, (and neither was he born in Lincolnshire), so this is suggesting to me that he belongs to the Walpole St Peter (Norfolk) contingency.

And this is confirmed on the 1851 census (still in Tydd St Giles), where it states that John Curtis was in fact born in Walpole St Peter, Norfolk, in 1794. 

In 1841 he's described as a Grocer, and in 1851 a shopkeeper and farmer.

Now it's disclosed that John's wife, Sarah, was born in Spalding in 1801.

It's a good time now to explain exactly WHY I believe all three of the John Curtis's I've found on the 1841 censuses are connected.

(These are:

John (Searby) Curtis in Alford

John Curtis in Long Sutton

John Curtis in Tydd St Giles.)

Ann, the wife of OUR John in Long Sutton, moved to Alford with her son after the death of her husband. 

So we could ask...WHY Alford...did they already have family there?

Though John (Searby) Curtis was born in Alford, his mother, Avice Searby, was born in Huttoft, Lincolnshire, and Avice and her husband (yet another John Curtis) was actually married at Huttoft before settling in Alford to have their children.

Avice's husband appears to have been born around 1740 in Lincolnshire. So I'm tending to think that the connection stems from him.

The John Curtis in Tydd St Giles actually married in Long Sutton, though wife Sarah Wells appears to originate from Spalding.