In my research I have come across a family conundrum and would welcome your views.

In Year one, a man marries a woman, is with her in the next census, has a child with her the next year, then goes off and has another child with another woman in the next street in Year four.

Wife then has another child (year six), registered with husband as father but christened with the christian name and surname of a distant cousin (very unusual names).

Husband has another child from the second relationship (year seven).

In the next census, the wife has two children with her - the younger child is now called by a simpler name rather than the unusual/unwiedly name it was given at the christening. The mistress has two children and the husband is with his mother!

In the third census the husband is with the mistress and two children. The wife is with her sister and her two children have emigrated to USA.

My interpretation is that the husband left his wife after the birth of the first child to live with his mistress, then had two children by her. Meanwhile the wife sought consolation with a distant relative, had a second child, named it after the genetic father but ensured its legitimacy by registering her husband as the legal father.

Does anyone have a better explanation?