Hi Zoe,
Thank you for your lovely message. I hope to get over to see you all soon, I hven't been very well again - but better now. Looking forward to seeing your little brother and you, Kita and Mum, also Owen and Ethel and Lizzie Owen and all. Will give Ethel a ring. Love to everyone Mary & Brian
Rita Light
It gives me great sadness to inform those of you who haven't already heard, that our very dear 'sister' Rita Light's Dave died last Saturday following a brain anurism and stroke. His whole family and all of us who knew and loved Dave are in total shock and all our love and thoughts are with them at such a sad time. Mary
HI MARY I WAS SPEEKING TO LENER AND SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT YOU XXXXXXXXXXXX SEE YOU SOON X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX GOD BLESS
Hi I wonder if anyone can help, my family have romany roots. The family have always been told of Auntie Hetty Wilks who was on her way to Wales to vivit the family and she died. She had a proper traveller funeral. My mum thought she was either her grandfathers sister or his aunt. Her name vould possibly have been Hester/Esther Bath before marriage. Is wilks a traveller name? I can't find any exsistence of her, can anyone please help me!!!
Sarah
Hi Julie,
Lovely to hear from you. Yes, we are related and after researching the Hearns for nearly 20 years, I have a big family tree. If you contact me on mhorner022@aol.com I'll search out some of the information for you and let you know how we link up
All best wishes
Mary
Hi my name is julie toft nee Hearne my grandfather was john Hearne from watford his wife was violet may Johnson my greatgrandfather was john Hearne also ..i dont have much information about them .
it woul d be great if i could find out if we are related to the old romanies i do know that we are related to soloman and mercy Hearne
so pleased chrissie seems to be recovering.do keep us informed how hes going?all the best one and all for new year.cathayb
hi all
found your web site intresting especially beverlys input on ash tree lane, thats were we come from lot of amaxing tales which are true my fathers people named ash tree lane or darlin banks the name was sugar loaf hill they came out of the hills in wales very good
Thank you all for your love and support for my dear 'cuz' Chrissy. I'm glad to say that he is out of the coma and recognised us when we visited him today. We know he is on he mend as when his brother mentioned a 'curry' when he gets home his 'mooie' screwed up in delight. Thank you all Rita x x x x x
A Very Merry Xmas to you all and I hope that 2010 brings you all that you want and to all those who are ill may you have a speedy recovery. Love, luck and Happiness to you all. Diane xxxx
thoughts and prayers fort chrisie and his family.cathayb
dear mary ,thankyou for replying to my message to rita,i am so very sorry to hear this news and hope and pray that all will turn out ok,please give our love and thoughts to rita and also to julie and family ,take care beverley x
Dear Bev and anyone who knows Chrissy Smith who has a page on this site
I am really sad to report that Chrissy went into hospital recently for the removal of a brain tumor. Tragically things didn't go as hoped and Chrissy has been in a coma ever since. Julie and his close and loving family have been at his bedside ever since and we are all praying that he will pull through. At the moment he has been taken back into Intensive Care and our thoughts, love and prayers are with them all. Mary
Hi Zoe darling,
I've tried to ring Ethel but they must be at church. I would love to see them anytime, if you see this will you tell her I'll ring her later. Have just phoned Lizzie and left a message with her. Hope you Mum and Keeta are well. Have a lovely Christmas and now I'm feeling better I'll see you all in the new year. Love Mary xxx
hi mary it is zoe my nan ethel is asking is ist ok to come over on saterday is that ok with you she will call you on saterday to ask.
xxx
message for rita,hi rita hope you and your family are well.do you know if chrissy has made his cd yet please ?,as i would like to get one for my mum,she has been very ill this year and they havent been able to get to gala where they used to have a chat with him,so it would be nice to surprise her with it cos i know she would be very proud,she loves to hear a good traveller chanter....love beverley xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Beverley for your help and thanks to Leonard speak to you soon. This is a fantastic site, I have never met such kind helpful people. Thank you all
Diane xx
Hi Bev, thanks. Hope mum gets better soon, i can remember going over your mums as a little boy with my brother, coming out the front door bloated!!!!
send my love x
hi len ,hope you are all ok.i was going to get in touch with you to let you know but you beat me to it.sorry i did not manage to reply to your e mail last year ,but as you know my mum has been very ill and i never seem to get enough time to communicate ,give my love to your mum and dad and keep in touch ps hope you find out lots more family history luv beverley x
Hi beverley, i never twigged on this was you, hope you are well xxx
hi diane ,in my previous message i mentioned my cousin leonards son,well the message underneath this one is him ,so i wish you all the best in exchanging your stories etc ,take care beverley
what a good site this is. i am looking for family members esp from the walthamstow area. my grandparents are martha and leonard hedges. my grandfathers mother and father were olive and walter. i have read Diane Davies comments, your husband must be my father first cusion? my email is leonard_hedges@hotmail.com
look forward to hearing from you
len
what a good site this is. i am looking for family members esp from the walthamstow area. my grandparents are martha and leonard hedges. my grandfathers mother and father were olive and walter. i have read Diane Davies comments, your husband must be my father first cusion? my email is leonard_hedges@hotmail.com
look forward to hearing from you
len
Hi Beverly,
yes Billy Hedges is my mums cousin. she is Mary Giddins and is 87 years old. Shhhh though, dont tell everyone. We last saw Billy about ten years ago or thereabouts when he visited us in suffolk. That was the first time l had met him. It was brilliant. l am also now in touch with Joyce his sister. we are doing our family tree. There is so much to learn.
Tricia. x
hi Mary,
Hope all goes well with the surgeon. x .I will send in my contributions now l know how. Hope you like them and will include some of them in your journals. Thanks.
Beverly, Thanks for the info. l visited to my aunt Olive Giddins at the weekend in chatham. She spoke very highly of everyone from ash tree lane she has lots of fond memeories and great laughs she remembers. My nan Rose Hedges in Best street, was always known as Annie.
Cathay, cant wait to read your inclusion in this months journal. sounds fascinating. Thanks.
Dianne. Really glad you have had so much response about your husbands side of the family. Its so exciting for you. Good luck!
This site is getting better and better all the time. Its so interesting seeing all the pictures and reading all the little stories. My mum Mary Giddins was (is) such a good story teller. Felt l was all part of it when l was a girl. she says the best memeories were when she used to snuggle down of a night in the tent listening to the hurdy gurdy of the fair.
cushty bok to all.
Tricia.x
hi tricia,who is your mum?i spoke to my dad and he only saw billy only a couple of weeks ago,apparently he lives in gillingham and has another brother still in medway,billy is about 80 years old and grew up with my dad .take care beverley
hi diane thanks for your reply,yes jack is still around , sorry i took it for granted that you would of seen the picture of them and forgot to include him.it is a shame that your husband did not know his cousins,they are nice people and we have had some lovely memories and laughs growing up together.i remember his uncle henry and aunt pashy they were nice and their son henry and wife brenda and also joycie who moved to australia many years ago,also uncle leonards other brothers were spoken of in stories riley ,ocker ,miah and i remember when his aunt ruby died.i know my cousin leonards son does his family history so i will try and let him know....take care beverley.
Hi Beverley, Just a quick question, on the Kent travellers pics you have one of Martha and son Jack on her knee, is he still with us as you didnt mention him earlier. Also looks like Leonards daughter Ruby was born at the same time as my hubby Alan early 1951, what a shame they never met. Regards Diane
Just want to say a big thanks to Rita for all your help and also to Beverley for the info you have given us on cousins my hubby didnt know he had and not forgetting Mary for putting me in touch with Rita, and the Journals are amazing. Thanks to you all. Kindest Regards Diane
also you might be interested to know that Rose Tarling's sister Mary Anne was married to Charles Evans, a surgical instrument maker who lived in Walthamstow, Essex, which is quite near Chingford. I wonder whether Robeys ever did any work for the Evans's also. got you guessing????cathayb
some of my family the tarlings and the robeys and the evans were from around the same area walhomstow,chingford and epping.i have quite a big tree on them now.i would love to write you the story of how they were known for making medical instruments(they are gypsies)came about but as i have written about it in the next romany road journal to come out ,you will all have to wait with baited breathe!!!!!!!due this month isnt it mary?oh folks i am sorry i am not about much again but as you know i broke my leg back in june and i rebroke it again last week!!!!!!!!some folk never learn do they????love to you all cathayb
hi tricia and diane ,the family of hedges in best street i have heard my dad speak about as he was born in best street chatha m,and i have heard him speak of rose and billy ,i will ask him for any info for you.diane the hedges you are talking of are my uncle leonard (now deceased) family and rita light knows of them in walthamstow as she has told you.uncle leonard was my mothers sister martha s husband ,and they have 4 children my cousin martha aka known as mickey (now deceased),ruby ,leonard and cheryl.we all live in chatham,and many years ago used to meet up and go hop picking all together and children and adults had lovely times together ,the families used to come down from belverdere ,canning town ,walthamstow etc.in fact ritas granny and my granny were very good friends and my mum always speaks highly of aunt lenda and uncle bill.sorry this is all in lower case but i am always in a hurry and i get it done quicker .....will let you know more when i speak to my dad regards beverley ps mary hope you are keeping well will speak to you soon oh and also rita xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Diane,
So glad the picture I sent you was the one of your husband's grandmother Olive Hedges.
It makes this site SO worthwhile. I will see what else I can find from other family members
Kind regards
Rita
To Tricia
Thank you very much for your good wishes. I see the brain surgeon in December and hope he'll give me the all-clear. They told me it might be 12-18 months to be fully well - but I'm an inpatient patient LOL!
Mary
Hello Tricia,
Really pleased the website has been of help. I'm working on the new journal at the moment and having been housebound for a few months I haven't got round to collecting much in the way of new stories or photos, so anything you could offer would be really, really appreciated. You can always send anything to me at mhorner022@aol.com or at my home address .... see message below, or to Cathay or Rita who will send it on to me. Once Christmas is over I hope to start up-dating the website and would be happy to include anything you wanted put on, so much old stuff on it now - but can't be helped!
Many thanks Mary
Hi Dianne,
Thanks for your info. I am busy researching into the Hedges family as soon as i find out any more i will l;et you know. also thanks to Beverly. This is all so confusing, but i think i am making some headway. i do think that somewhere along the line we are related to Leonard Hedges. so thanks for that.
Mary Horner. Do hope you are making progress now. wish you lots of luck and healing.
I would like to contribute pics poems and stories etc. But not sure how to go about this. Advice please from someone. Cathb maybe. you seem to be very very active in helping people. Thanks.
Cushty Bok to all
Tricia. X
Hi, My mother in law Olive Hedges had brothers Leonard, Henry, Riley, Walter,( Known as Ocker) Jeremiah and sister Ruby. Their mother was Olive Upton and their father Walter Hedges my mother in law and her siblings all were born in a caravan at Oatland rise in Walthamstow. Unfortunatly I onlyt have pics of my late mother in law, but it would be great to see your pics.
Hi . Yes they are the same family names. Olive Upton Walter Hedges Did not know about Leonard tho. Also related to the Hughes. My nans sister Eliza was married to Tommy Hughes. l have a pic of some of the Hedges. By the looks of nans hands l reckon they'd been hopping. Will be sending that in when l work out how to do it. if you have any more info, l would be very pleased. Have you any photos?
Hi . Yes they are the same family names. Olive Upton Walter Hedges Did not know about Leonard tho. Also related to the Hughes. My nans sister Eliza was married to Tommy Hughes. l have a pic of some of the Hedges. By the looks of nans hands l reckon they'd been hopping. Will be sending that in when l work out how to do it. if you have any more info, l would be very pleased. Have you any photos?
This site is fascinating, my late mother-in-laws family were travellers and reading through some of the stories I can remember some of the people she used to tell me about, in particular the Light family from Oatland Rise in Walthamstow who she used to live opposite. Also just been reading on here about Leonard and Henry Hedges, she had brothers Leonard and Henry her namebefore she married was Olive Hedges daughter of Walter hedges and Olive Upton both families were gypsies, a fact which she was (and rightly so) very proud. Just wondered if they were the same family!!
Hi Beverly. got a bit mixed up this morning. The chavvies were trying to help and l couldent concentrate. so l will try to explain. Henry Hedges was my grandmothers ( Roseann Hedges) father. He remarried and had two sons, billy and johnnie. They stayed in Best St. Chatham for a while with his son Henry. In the 1930s. My mum thinks they went to the Channel Islands but heard nothing about them since. Its really a shot in the dark, but l am thinking that Marthas husband was one of the sons sons. If that make sense? There are so many Hedges , but we seem to have lost a few of the trees . lol. can you give me a bit of an idea please?
message for tricia,are you henry and brendas daughter?martha hedges is my mothers sister and her husband was leonard hedges brother of henry late of belverdere ?
l think l am relted to Martha Hedges. can anyone tell anything about her please. My grandfather enry so it could be on her fathers side.
Thanks.
l think l am relted to Martha Hedges. can anyone tell anything about her please. My grandfather enry so it could be on her fathers side.
Thanks.
hi mary it is zoe, Ethel and Owen send there love to you and hope you well and i like the web page it is kooshty chavi love you xxxx from zoe
Dear Friends
Unfortunately I am not yet fully recovered enough from brain surgery to go to Stow Fair this time, so I'm very disappointed - (especially as I wanted some new rugs!! ) Therefore, can I ask a big favour please?
Obviously I won't be able to take my usual photos for the journal. So, if any of you take photos of wagons, horses or anything interesting , including any news or little stories about meeting up with old friends etc., that you would be willing to share for the next issue of the journal - please either send them to me via Email at mhorner022@aol.com or write to me at 22, Ecroyd Park, Credenhill, Hereford HR4 7EL.
That would be really kind and I and all our members would be very grateful. If required, any costs of developing and postage would be sent by return of post.
Many thanks and kushti bok Mary
yes bridgwater was on the 30th sept til 3rd oct.it was quite good.rosie smith came down and she and i met up.you can see us on utube on rosie meets cathay if you want. stow is on the 22nd october(a thursday) oh by the way the romanies are only at bridgwater on the last wed of the month of september then the next 3 days is for fair folk and london traders.
I thought bridgwater was the 30th ? This was on the BBC site .
The largest travelling funfair in the south west is once again rolling in to Bridgwater.
The annual event is almost 800 years old for the last 400 years has been held on St Matthews Field.
The event has to be held on the last Wednesday in September so this year it will take place on 30 September, running until 3 October.
The funfair will see plenty of rides and over 100 stalls. A small horse fair will be held just on the Wednesday
me again sorry i meant 22nd october!!!!!!bridgwater fair is on the last wednesday of september.thats another good fair in somerset.
hi duncan,stow is always on a thursday so the next date for stow fair is definately the 22nd sept 2009.hope that helps you.regards cathayb
Hello there just wondering if any one has heard if a date for Octobers Stow fair has been confirmed yet? ive heard the 22nd also the 26th? All the best Duncan
hi all,i have a new email address:=birch.cathay@yahoo.co.uk
Thank you to everyone who's put messages on recently, it's always good to hear from you and I hope you get some replies and help with your searches.
Thanks too to you Jim Hardie don't forget to keep us up-to-date with your painting, sounds great. I could put some pictures on the site for you if you wanted, just let me know. You can always contact me on mhorner022@aol.com. I'm still recovering from brain surgery and must take it easy for a while yet, but hope to update the site before too long. Kushti bok to all - Mary
oh my judy.i am so pleased we have made contact again!jan and i have been looking everywhere for you and your mum we were so worried.please email me at cathayb@talktalk.net i would love to know more about your smalls family as i have found alot of smalls in my own line and i know one or two of them went to america.hows mum by the way?and yes your right this is a good site but if you subscribe to the journals they are excellant and excellant value for money.i can well reccomend them.love cathay
What a kushti site, Don't let the flatties get you down one of you is worth ten of them, and keep the crack going. I am now starting to paint porcelain with Vardo's on so keep watching. Jim ( Tolney Lane)
hello,good day to all,it has been months sence i have gotton to go to my romany sites an talk with my friends i have made an the ones i hope to make.my net is down at my home,i spend time at my moms an we got hers up an running again,this makes me so so happy...cathayyyy,i read something about your leg,i pray all is going well in your healing.i have slowed up a great deal on doing my family tree ,i am still working on looking up family names an places it is just going slow.i am goind to check out this site today it has gotton my attention,it looks like it has alot to is.here in the usa there is nothing todo concerning romanichels an any form of research.i know the gypsy lore society is over here but i am still tring to figure out how to find the info i need on that site.well i am going to try an post this an see if it goes through.well i leave my love to all who are here.god bless to all my fellow romanys.........
please can anyone help with me searching my husbands family history,,my husbands grandad named Albert berritt left the fair ,,roughly in the 1900's , he married a ruth Stevans,ruth lived in ashford in kent. and was related to jimmy jefford the fairground boxer..family last known of there wereabouts was in 1980's at hoddeston in the winter months when the fair grounds werent running.. I met my great aunt Harriet stevans ,, in Tottenham lane .lordship lane ..the big wreck.. please help me search them or any history. Also the rochester family ...also the killingbacks elizabeth married killingback thanks very much.....
first time on here, new computer.
I am from the Loveridge family, a Romani minister (Roma Rashai) in the full gospel Romani church and I work as a bus driver in High Wycombe.
I am in the process of writng a glossary of Romani into English.
Kushti site, well done, opre Roma!
where are ye dougie/young eric/ blue eye???not often ya cant find a boswell. give us a holler.
hi again all,sorry my leg is still bad so cant get on here alot but will continue to do the best i can and keep searching for all of you.mary and i are at the very least on the way to good recoveries but having to be patient as it takes quite a long time!!!!any way all the best folks and keep writing in.hey!isnt the combined new journal out recently of the romany road series excellant again?i am really enjoying mine.all the best everyone love cathay
Many thanks for your reply im waiting to check a family members ancestry.com for info on the Jones and Saunders families as i know nothing of either families only from my Grans Brother who is a Jones who told me him and his brother spent alot of time in Abertillery/Cwmtillerey in around 1920 to 1930 playing with a family known as the Prices when he and his Brothers were little and that there father (my great grand father John "jack"jones was a bare knuckle fighter who took part in many bare knuckle fights in and around the South Wales region arond 1905 1920.Once i find out where both families originate from il be more the wiser!At the mo im traceing my Mothers Family from morton in marsh who were Clarkes who married Smiths and were agri cultural labourers, coal merchants and horse grooms in Stowe in the Wold its never ending ! All i no of these is that they my great nan (Elsie Rosina Clarke)was able to read palms,tea leaves etc and could could heal people useing water from a well.All her desendants are dark skinned brown haired and browned eyed as is my mother and Aunty which is quite strange as never of them has ever left the u.k.I might be clutching at straws but the rumour is they as well as my Family from Wales were Romany desent.Thanks for your reply and if i find out anymore i will let you know Keep up the good work on the site All the best Duncan
a big hello to the lancashire boswells. just in case ya thought we were atchin in the sky, we aint.had a run around hensingham and whitehaven, couldnt deek a soul????times change, and time moves on i guess.
loves yis...bill an tanya.
Hi Cathayb,
Glad to see you back. Hope you are making good progress and that you will be up and about soon.
My best very wishes
Mondo
Hi Janet Ford,
Just read your posting. As a suggestion, have you tried looking at the site Scotlands People. It has recently been updated with Census lists also Birth Marriage and Death registry records. Also another thought, write to the Salvation Army as they are very good at helping to trace adoptee's and adoptees parents etc.
Good Luck
Mondo
to the last two posters on the site.i am sorry i dont know about either of your families but i have asked a few of my friends and they will get back to me if they can find anything.i do though have jones and saunders in my family but they come from devon at least in the last 2 hundred years or so.have you any record of your saunders being anywhere other than wales?to the two girls.... what makes you think they may be travellers?any more clues you could give us to try and help locate them?regards all cathayb
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone could help my sister and I. We are looking for the whereabouts of our parents. They are known as Joseph Ford and Janet Ford nee Watson. We dont have their birth dates and the dates of marriage on our birth certificates dont coincide with each other. I was born in Inverness, scotland in 1959 and my sister june was born in oban ,scotland in 1962. We were both taken into care in 1962 from a place called stow(borders) by welfare officers and placed in fostercare. We dont know if we have siblings. If there is anyone who can help us please feel free to help as we keep coming to brick walls all the time. From what we can recall from what we were told by social workers throughout the years that our mother went to the manchester area whether this is true or not we dont know. I have been trawling through websites and dont know where to go really. So if anyone could help us find some information we would be eternally grateful. thanks Janet and June Ford
Hello there firstly i gotta congratulate you only a Quality website.Im in the process of traceing my Mother and Fathers Family trees on my Fathers side are Jones and Saunders all from round the South Wales area(Monmouthshire?Breconshire) and on my Mothers side Clarkes from the Morten on Marsh Stowe on the Wold area,there is talk of Romany on both sides could anyone advise me the best way to go out about finding this out?Also would a Coalman in the 1800,s and a Horse groom in the 1800,s be Romany trades as the Clarke Family on my mothers side did both of these for a living?Any advice given would be much appreciated,All the best Duncan
i am back so query away.best wishes cathayb
Mary would like to send her sincere thanks to all friends via this site who have sent so many kind messages for her speedy recovery from her recent brain surgery and says your love, support and prayers have meant so much! We're pleased to say that all went well and she is expected to be fully recovered within the next six months - although knowing our Nan - it won't take her that long!
Once she's better she will start to update the site - but in the meantime journals 10 and 11 are with the printer and will be distributed soon. Many thanks - John (Grandson)
I am also interested to know more about Paul Stevens whose photos are on this site. As I have Stevens' in my family tree.
I hope Cathay has a speedy recovery. I'm sure we'll meet up one day :)
Love Bee & family
CATHAY BIRCH
We are very sad to report that Cathay Birch has had a nasty fall and has broken her leg so she won't be answering any queries on this page for a while. We all wish you a speedy recovery recovery Cathay
Yes it was given that nickname because there were so many rats nest there on Chislehurst and St PaulâsCray Common.
so has anyone ever heard of rats nest chizelhurst?
i have permission from mondo to share this with you and as it talks of some of the ways of the past i thought you may enjoy it.cathayb
From: pookerthegib
Hi Cathayb,
There certainly is an anomaly here regarding what my mother told me about her parents and grandparents, and what information I have found through my searches of the records.
Firstly, my mother Sarah Redworth (her maiden name) said that my grand father had a "Bow Top Wagon" and that she was born at abbeywood. They also lived with her "Quote" Blind old Granny, that she would sit and read to her from the Bible and referred to her Grand Father as "Old Joe the Welshman".
According to my elder brother who is 86 and still remembers the old chap; says that none of the family could understand him because of his strong accent that was a mixture of Welsh and Romany. (Did he live in Wales part of his life??)
Mother also remembered the get together's where there was fiddle playing and dancing which she described as being similar to Spanish dancing. These jigs apparently were being dance on a door which was placed on the ground to allow the dancer to heel and toe and stamp to great effect.
My Grand Father William Redworth married Grand Mother Elizebeth Sutton who was a Gorja woman that lived at the Rats Nest Chislehurst. I have no proof as to where the Rats Nest address really was except for another Genealogist, who has been told by peope living at the now; Foots Cray area as having been in the vicinity of what is now called Recory Lane Sidcup.
He also believes that there was a large gypsy encampment behind the Rats Nest address which where in fact Brick Fields. My own records show that my Maternal Grandparents, the Redworth, were married at the Parish Church North Cray july 1896. Both ages stated to be 20 years old. I have not found any reference to the family in any of the census's.
In the 1891 Census, At Ladywell Buildings Lewisham.
I have Joseph Redworth Head age 37 Born at Middlesex
Kate Redworth Wife age 39 Born Plumstead with children:-
Justinier Daughter age 16 Born Middlesex
William Son age 14 Born Middlesex ( my grand dad)
Emily age 12 Born Dartford
Benjin age 7 Born Lewisham
Thomas age 4 Born Lewisham
Asker age 1 Born Lewisham
Also at the same address is :-
Justinier Boswell Head age 68 Widow Born Barkingside
(nee Justinier Dighton, Wife of Zachariah Boswell 1825.)
Annie Loverage Daughter age 26 Born Shepherds Bush
Thomas Loverage Son-in-law age 26 Born Shepherds Bush
Bertie Loverage Grand Son age 4 Born Deptford
Francis Grand Daughter age 1 Born Deptford
My Great Grand Parents were not married until Dec 1910 and were resident at "Caravan" Manorway, Plumsted Marsh.
They evidently wanted to see if they got on alright before getting married. Ha Ha.
I have no objection to you passing on any of this information to other who may be interested.
Regards Mondo
to unknown romany.i hope you didnt think i meant romanyroad was a history society?i know its not.its recollections of a wonderful way of life!but many of us are interested in family history aswell and love to help anyone else that is interested or put them in touch with folki that can help them.
ROMANY ROADÂ is a non-political, non-profit-making society, our aim being to share and enjoy memories and reminiscences of Romany Life. We are not a family history society
hi guys.this is getting to be a great meetingplace for us all!mary will be delighted when she gets back on line to see whats been happening on here.i know the next two journals are about ready and they will be coming our way soon.i cant wait for them.well see you around folkis and if any of you would like any help with family history mary and i will do our best.
yippppyyyyyyyyy mary is doing well so very pleased to hear that feel like its chrismas or sank thank you cathay for letting us know how she's doing as i have been thinking about her a lot i didnt know you where such good friends or i would of ask for news of her sooner i am so pleased that she will no longer have to be in pain and she is a brave women to have the op i know i would be trashed to death if it was me,
anyways wishing well to mary and family loves rosie xxx
p's thank you about the book again cathay xx
and linsey my cushty cuz when we do end up meeting i know i is gonna be such a bad in fluance on you hahahaahaha woo hoo lol xxxxxxxxxxx
rosie
Hi Cathby. Thanks so much for your kind message. I'm really pleased to read your comments about our new book as both Rosie and I are really excited about it's release. Rosie was great to work with and we had a lot of fun along the way, but can you believe it - we have never actually met eachother lol. Many thanks once again, your comments are greatly appreciated and I wish you all the best too, Lindsey xx
rosie and lindseys book!!!!!
hey my copy arrived this morning and i am reading it avidily.what value for money worth twice the price and more.its had me in tears to read of folki still living the way we do on our site here in somerset.real gypsy ways.i love it,i will always value it.what an heirloom to pass on to our kids and grandkids.i just cant say enough good about it.everyword is true and everyword is how me and joe and our chavvies live.do get your selves a copy as soon as you can.you wont regret it.right i am back to read it again!!!
mary news of= mary is home and doing wonderfully.all will be well with her in the future.she is now nearly pain free and eating and enjoying her food.welcome home mary!!!we love you loads.look forward to you and brian coming to convalese here soon.i will spoil you rotten.elizabeth hope sends you her love and hopes to meet you while your here.love cathayb
HEAR YE O HEAR YE.....
mary has just rung me herself from the hospital.operation has been 100%success!!!she has had all her tubes removed,they are taking her off the morphine.she has been out of bed.she didnt lose her thinking at all after the operation.she is for the first time in years with out pain.the doctors are over the moon about her.shes done far better than thery expected!!!it really was a pioneering op and mary herself didnt think she would make it.some of the phone calls i had from her the week before she went in would have made your hair stand on end!!!!living wills and last suppers!!!!.it has been very worrying.but mary wants to thank you all from the bottom of her heart as she says she knows it was our prayers to God that have brought her through so well.
give thanks with a grateful heart all ye folkis!!!!!
mary isnt available just yet but i am sure she will be haoppy to endorse this book.i know she has read the preview and thinks its fantastic!!!!i already have mine ordered.if you order before june 5th you can get it for 10.99.the normal selling price will be 12 .99 after that date.i think its going to be very popular so put you orders in soon.heres some little bits i have found about it from the gmb board.
I have just been reminded that almost any book can be ordered from most bookshops if you provide the Title, Author and ISBN number
so for this one
Old Ways, New Days: A Family History of Gypsy Life in South London and Kent
by Rosie Smith and Lindsey Marsh
Paperback ISBN 978 1 903427 45 3
Old Ways, New Days: A Family History of Gypsy Life in South London and Kent
by Rosie Smith and Lindsey Marsh
Paperback 104 pages with over 100 black and white photographs
ISBN 978 1 903427 45 3
Old ways, New Days is a book of photographs and reminiscences of Gypsy life in South London, Surrey and Kent by Rosie Smith, who still lives a traditional Gypsy lifestyle, and her second cousin Lindsey Marsh, who has been researching her own Gypsy roots. It is an introduction to the language, working lives, music, poetry and song of Gypsies and a record of the changes that have taken place in their way of life in recent years. With chapters on prize-fighting, cherry picking and hop picking, the book also exposes the hostility that Gypsies have endured at the hands of gavvers and local councils over the years. A remarkable book, a social history and the seldom heard voice of Gypsy life.
Available in June
Good Luck Rosie.
Good luck Lindsey
Hi,
Our new book may be of interest to many on this website, including those researching their family tree.
It's called Old Ways, New Days: A Family History of Gypsy Life in South London and Kent by Rosie Smith and Lindsey Marsh.
There's sections on bare-knuckle fighting, hop-picking, singing, war etc. It refers to lots of Gypsy names including Smith, Lee, Ripley, Boswell, Cooper, Deakins, there's over a hundred photos and personal stories shared. Gypsy cooking recipies, peg-making guides, song lyrics etc. More information can be found at www.marloco.com
Thanks
Lindsey
hi again chris,i got your family now.sam and esther used to frequent the same fairs as ronnie taylor especially in barnstaple!!!sam quite liked to have women wrestlers in the ring aswell.if yoiu can look at the book -the book of barnstaple coronation to the millenium vol 2 by avril stone you will find 6 photos of sam.jis booth and esther in it at about page 160.
in the 1930s sam first introduced the boxing booths too barnstaple fair!
As a child I was privileged to be taken to the circus, where we mingled with the performers due to my Uncle Jack once being a performer himself. I also had free entry to the menagerie at the fair, along with my brother Peter and sister Roma. My parents were very good friends of SAM and ESTHER MCKEOWEN who was better known for his boxing booth, where FREDDIE MILLS, the famous boxer, was no stranger. Freddie was often seen standing outside the booth on a platform with other boxers, while the âBarkerâ promoted a fight. i have just noticed this on this site!!!!i think chris and mary will know something about same aswell seeing this on here!!!!!mary unfortunately is in hospital at the moment but as soon as shes well i am sure she will be in contact.
we also have some edwards folki living on our site here and they had something to do with freddie mills who sam knew so i might be able to find out more for you.i will try thats for sure.
jean hope who reads the romany road journals her perants know sam so she too might be able to help you.
hi chris,nice to meet you on here.i know very little about the edwards romany family in devon i am afraid and nothing about the mckeowens!!!we had an uncle ted edwards in south molten and we have some connections with the graddons of chilhampton area but not gratton!!ted edwards only had one son and he is called john and married tracey orchard.there are edwards buried in south molten cemetary but i think that teds name was orginally cornelieus or something like that and his family came orginally from wells.our family did have a lot to do with the boxing booths around devon and the south west.ronnie taylor who owned the excelsoir and also joe beckett whose mother was charlotte birch are all close kinn to us.if you can give me some approximate dates of birth or death etc i could maybe find out more.cathayb
I am looking for information on the Mckeowen Family who used to run boxing booths
for many years.
Sam Mckeowen was my great uncle, my grandmother was his sister. Her married name was Edwards.
As far as I can ascertain Sam and Esther (born HESTER Gratton) had two sons Patrick and Bernard.
My Dad often told me that it was in the booths that he learned to box.
My Fathers given name was George Edwards, but he was always called Kitchener by his Devon Family.
I hope somone can fill in a few holes for me.
Good Site.
Chris Edwards
tuesday.7pm 26thmay 2009.i am pleased to be able to tell those folk ringing and asking me that mary has come through her operation and is now in recovery.well done mary we are so happy for you.God be with you and your family.i will post more when i hear anything more.cathayb
i am very sorry that the board seems to be posting everything multiple times at the moment.mary has reported it to the web owners so we hope to get it mended shortly.
as regards the eades no i have never heard of them as romanies or even gypsies.but my knowledge is mainly of the travellers in the south west and the better kinown ones around the country.can you tell me what are they are from and i will make some enquiries for you.cathayb
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
Hi any one heard of the Eades family?if they are Romany as cant find much on them thanks.
sorry about the gltch over the page by now i think.all will be back in oreder soon.good wishes to all.was anyone at stow or wickham?love to hear about it if you were.
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Hello List- Can any of the HEARN(E) family help me. My Traveller great great grandparents and their family came to Western Australia in 1842 and their names were William ROSER and his wife Dinah nee WILSON. Until today I had not found a reference to the Roser family in England. I was reading Geogre BORROW'S book "Romano Lavo- Lil and to my suprise I read "Thomas ROSSAR -MESCA". The word ROSSAR leapt out at me and when I read further to find that this was the name of "Thomas HEARN(E)". Can anyone throw any light on the use of the name "Thomas ROSSAR-MESCA. Maybe my family belong to this family. If you have information could you email it to me on janjames1@westnet.com.au- Jan JAMES (Western Australia)