Ubuntu puts the home directories exactly where you tell it to and
nowhere else.

When you install ubuntu you have the choice of how to partition the disk.

Did you create multiple partitions? If so, please send the output of the
command:

sudo fdisk -l

Look, create a new home where you want it, copy over the old home, and update
your fstab.

e.g. If home is currently /home and you want to move it to /usr/home:

# mkdir /usr/home
# cd /home
# tar cf - . | (cd /usr/home; tar xf -)
# vi /etc/fstab

Edit the location of /home if there is an entry for it.

Yes, he can certainly make a filesystem on another partition, mount it
temporarily, move the contents of /home to the new partition and then
mount the new partition on /home as you indicate below - but if and only
if there is actually another partition to move home to.

Otherwise the hints above won't do him any good, so the first step is to
determine whether there is in fact another, unused partition that he can
use for home.

Since he indicated that he is loath to use the command line, it would
have been much easier if he had told the ubuntu installer to create a
separate partition for /home at the outset.

I guess people don't read. He said that he was trying to avoid the
commandline.

You can make a new partition in the Partition Editor. I am in KDE so can't
be sure of the precise name or location in GNOME. It is in the System,
Administration menu. In KDE it is under System. First you need to work from
an unmounted file system, so it is best to work from the Live CD. Choose
the drive under Devices. Choose the drive. Resize it (smaller) and make the
new partition in the freed space. You obviously need lots of unused space to
do this. If your drive is full then don't try.
You need to create a folder named after your user name. You can do this from
Nautilus. Note: case matters, so use all lowercase.

To change your home directory you need to go to Users & Groups and make the
change there. Unlock it first with your password.

The best method of doing this is to choose manual or custom partitioning at
the time of installation. It is a good idea to have the partitioning done
ahead of time, but you cna edit the partitions from the installer. Once you
have two partitions, you set the mount points with / for root and /home for
home. Do NOT format /home or it will wipe out your data and settings. You
should format /. Choose your old user name and password when it comes to
that.

I read.

I know he was trying to avoid the command line, but bringing up a terminal is
very convenient, and this is a Unix dialect, after all.

Doesn't hurt to use the command line much.

However, I do like your explanation, below, and think it's a great way to do it.

A useful utility is Ubuntu Tweak:
http://www.getdeb.net/search.php?keywords=tweak

I am not sure that it can do what want but it is useful. Getdeb is a good
site for things not found in the repositories. Just make sure that you
download the right version 9.04 and 32 or 64-bit. You select the version
right above the list of applications. Download the deb and click on it to
open it in the package manager.

I can partition OK,
and copy into it.
I already have ubuntu installed but want my data in its own partition
in case of accidents when reinstalling, updating etc,
as I'v done in windows for decades.
I have found System/Administration/Users and Groups,
and can unlock it.
But I'm scared of fiddling with things I dont understand,
expecially as i havnt backed up for a while.

Still looking for a Tweak utility to do it for me!