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Thanks so much Steve G and Citizen Smith - I'll definitely give those books a look. Got some great information turning up at the moment - highway men and gold diggers and all sorts out there in Oz so I'll read up as much as I can.

Really good point about the Bristol connection to the sea. Hadn't thought about that. They spent a while in Prison Hulks and sea crossings during deportation so that makes a lot of sende.

Thanks ever so much to you both.

Thanks so much for your reply, that's really helpful.
Don't have too much to go on with this particular lot as half of them were deported to Australia but there have been some unusual christian names such as Keziah and Nehemiah. I also found someone from the married-line of a relative in a Travelling Wild West show.

The thing about this particular bunch is they were quite stable in Bristol and consistently Plasterers so I think I'll have to go a bit further back to find out if the stories are true!
The family name was Stallard.

Thanks again, Fran.

I'm researching my Stallard family from Bristol and Bedminster. Rumour has long had it that somewhere in our line there are Romany Travellers. I've yet to find out but have spotted with the Stallards some potential details - names like Moses, Nehemiah, Priscilla and Keziah. Surnames involved include Taylor (lots of), McGill, Card, Attwood, Lee, Gray and Webb.

I've found one member of the Attwood's in a travelling Wild West show but the Stallards are generally Plasterers and tilers. As far as I understand it, this wouldn't have been a typical profession of a traveller?

Also, I've noticed that many, nearly all of my Stallards appear in the criminal registers - one for counterfeit money but more often for assault when aprehended and I wondered if this was perhaps a clue - was it common for travellers in the 1800s to be aprehended by police for doing nothing wrong, as was the stigma attached?

If anyone can add anything, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks so much for your time,

Fran.

I didn't realise James was a common Romany name - that's useful thank you.

I have given the James line a go - it's just such a common one, I perhaps gave up too soon.

I've chased up Richard Hardley/ Hadley to no avail - I have visions of them both sitting there infront of the census form saying 'right, what name shall we pick?'

Thanks again, I'll have a closer look at John James.   

Hello,

I'm stuck! - and wondering if perhaps anyone can help me.

My great great Grandad was (reportedly) an Alfred James Hadley, born in Somerset, Bristol, 1870. Whilst I've been able to get some detail of his life once he married and had children, I can find no record of his life whatsoever before 1891 (registered 'Hardley' on the Welsh census).

He always lodged with others and address registers for births etc were usually at the home of his father in law, despite no record of him living there or with his wife. He was a collier, which explains the lodging to a certain extent. There has long been talk in our family that the Hadleys are descended from Romany Travellers and I was just wondering if perhaps Alfred was the first glimpse of this! He registered his father as James Hadley, Butcher on his marriage certificate - I can find no Hadley Butchers, no Hadleys in Somersetshire at the time of his birth - his brith date differs drastically beween censuses - and I've followed every alternative surname in the hope of a late marriage or name change!

I know this is really vague - I've just hit such a brick wall with my mystery man and wondered if this rang any bells with anyone!! Is Hadley a common Romany name? Is there a chance he changed it?

Sorry again for the lack of accurate detail!
Thanks ever so much,

Fran.