[Val in Oz]

Hello Jenny - I have been having a look at the 1861 census but have been unable to come up with James I'm afraid.
I did a 'virtual' walk through the village of Imber and found that son John was married and had his two brother's Joseph and Walter living with them.

I also found Mary Wyatt, working as a house servant on a farm. Her age was given as 58 and was born in Trowbridge, which ties in with the 1851 census - but it does say she was unmarried. I wonder if this was the Mary who was married to James.

Another interesting point is that in the 1861 census there was another shoemaker living in the village - an Elijah Meaden aged 36 and his wife Caroline. I wonder if a small village would be able to support two shoemakers.

I found a death for a Mary Wyatt in 1870 - is this your one?

I wondered if James and Mary had separated by that census, the marital home broken up - hence the boys living with their older brother, and maybe James went 'walkabout'.
This is pure speculation on my part Jenny, but it was the fact there was another shoemaker on the scene that prompted this scenario.