On a 1861 census entry I've found that one family is down as working as a "Potter At Iron Works Employing 3 Men And 6 Boys". This census doesn't state whether the people were employers or employees, and on the 1851 census he's an iron roller, 1871 he's a roller (image unclear, but could be iron roller), 1881 stocktaker at ironworks (unemployed).
My question is is it likely that he was employing the 3 men and 6 boys, or would he have been one of them?