Census 1861 - occupation

[snoopysue]

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?

[Antie Em]

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?

I think he would have been an employer, otherwise I don't think it would have said how many people were working there. He could have hit hard time, or perhaps been injured before 1871.

[gardener]

I would take the opposite view
"Potter at" doesn't suggest that he was the owner. Have you tried looking back and forth a bit to see how neighbours were recorded?

[snoopysue]

In 1861 his neighbours were commercial clerk, railway gate keeper, boiler smith, dress maker, cartsman: in 1871 neighbours were clerk, iron moulder, enginners wife, bricklayer.
That doesn't suggest to me anything other than employee.

I think he may have had plans to better himself. The family moved from Tipton to Yorkshire, and his children must have been reasonably educated - one became a presbytarian minister, a daughter was a music teacher, and another started a music business that employed loads of family members and when he died he left the equivalent of £2 million!

[SRD]

I think I'm right in thinking that potters were used as pattern makers in foundrys (still are, as are carpenters), whether a pattern maker would own a foundry business would depend on the product. I know an antique restorer who has his own foundry to produce the metal fittings for furniture that are no longer available so I don't see why a small specialist pattern maker may well have started up a business to provide specialist products for, for instance, the pottery industry (think of the hinges on the lids of Toby jugs and German beer steins).