Gipsy Dan Boswell

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                                     Tamworth herald Saturday 17 February 1917



                                                    Tamworth County Police.



                                                                SATURDAY.



                                                 ABSENT FROM MILITARY SERVICE.




Before Mr. Felix Hamel and Mr. A. Sillito (chairman of Tamworth Rural District Council).
Frank Biddle, a traveller, was charged with being an absentee from military service, February 10. Defendant admitted the offence.P.c. Hulme said at 10 a.m. that day, he, with Sergt. Willis and Police-Constables Stanford and Henson, visited Salt's lane, Bassett, and there saw four gipsy vans. Searching the vans he found accused concealed under some bedding along with another man. he Pulled the bedding off accused and told him and the other man to come out. He asked accused if he had anything to show why he was not in the Army, and he said "No." Accused, in answer to a further question, said he had neither been registered nor attested. Witness added that he went along the previous afternoon and took observation, and then communicated with Inspector Hall, who sent over the other officers to assist him. John Smith, another young traveller, was charged with a similar offence, which he admitted.—P.C Hulme said accused was concealed with Biddle under the same bedding. Henry Biddle, another traveller, was similarly charged, and he admitted the offence.— Inspector Hall said accused stated that he was a registered man, and he produced a medical certificate, given by a doctor at Earl Shilton, Hinckley, on January 17. The certificate was to the effect that Henry Biddle was unable to follow his employment owing to heart disease. That was not sufficient excuse, because accused should have pre' himself for examination by a Medical Board.—P.s. Willis deposed to the arrest of accused.  The three men were remanded in custody to await military escort. Mr. Hamel, on behalf of the Bench, said P.c.Hulme recognised the possibility of taking the three men, and proceeded with great energy and success. His energy and foresight had resulted in adding three valuable men to the Army.The magistrates rewarded P.c. Hulme.

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                           Seven oaks chronicle and Kentish advertiser Friday 29 march 1918



                                                            GIPSY ABSENTEE.



 Joseph Stanley (29), gipsy, of no fixed abode, was charged with being an absentee under the Military  service  Act, Four Elms, Edenbridge. on the 23rd March, and further with failing to produce a certificate, as required, under the National Registration Act. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and P.C. Tippett stated that he searched the gipsy van at Four Elms, and found the prisoner concealed in the back, he had no papers to show why he was not in the Army, so arrested him. A fine of £2 was imposed, and was handed over to the military.

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                                    Yorkshire evening post Thursday 20 December 1917



                        GIPSY WITH ANOTHER MAN'S DISCHARGE PAPERS. SEQUEL AT LEEDS



Before Mr. Horace Marshall, Stipendiary Magistrate, Leeds, to-day, Joseph calladine(26). And John Bowman (24), both living in a caravan at Brayshaw's Yard, Gelderd Rd., were charged with obtaining, by  trick, 27s. From Mrs. Nellie Foster, Walton Crescent, and 31s from Mrs Taylor, Accommodation Road. He was further charged with falsely representing himself as Arthur David Tansley. a discharged soldier, late of the Hon. Artillery Company. It was alleged that the defendants had sold pieces of oilcloth representing them to nine yards long, whereas they were found to be about half that site. Mr. Wiiley, who defended, contended that the defendants represented that they referred to square yards, and that there had been no misrepresentation, for they  said given oilcloth excess. The charges were dismissed.

 In connection with the other charge against Calladine it was stated that when asked by Detective-Sergeant Bagley why he was not in the  army, he produced  army certificates and discharge  papers  belonging to Mr. Arthur D. Tansley. Vernon road, Leeds. Mr. Tansley said certificates (produced) were his; he had lost them about month ago. Mr. Willey said, calladine was a gipsy, and travelled about the country. He was of military age, and it would be better to order him to await escort as an absentee, rather than send him to prison at the country's expense. The defendant was dealt with under the Probation Offenders Act, and both he and Bowman were orderd to await escort as absentees, fines of 40s being imposed in each case. 

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                         Seven oaks chronicle and Kentish advertiser Friday 21 September 1917



                                                     CRANBRQOK POLICE COURT.

 

                                                           A GIPSY ABSENTEE

 SATUBDAY.-Before Mr W. R. Nash. Edward Matthews’s gipsy, of no fixed abode, was charged with failing to report for service on Thursday. Evidence was given, W. Quick, a gamekeeper, of Copdon Oak. Cranbrook, who secured the prisoner. Who had concealed himself in the wood, and P.C. Brennan, who proved the case,   prisoner was ordered to await escort.

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                                     Sussex agricultural express Friday august 31 1917



                                                      " NOTHING TO FIGHT FOR”.
 


                                                       BARCOMBE GIPSY'S PLEA
 


The plead that he had nothing to fight for was made by a gipsy when he was arrested at Barcombe as an absentee under the Military Service - Act. This observation was reported to Dr. W. F. Crosskev (in the chair) and the Mayor (Councillor A. E. Itugg), at the County Hall. Lewes, on Monday, when Thomas Fuller and Harry Wells, two gipsies, were charged with being absentees under the Military Service Act. When a question was put with reference to the ages of prisoners,
 Fuller replied "I hardly know my age. I  reckon I am about 41” P.S. Goodsell deposed that about 5 a.m. on the previous day, in company with P.c. Willand, he went to a gipsy encampment at Barcombe, where he saw prisoners. He said to Fuller "Can you tell me your age?" He replied "I was about 42  two months ago, or something like that." Witness said "Have you got any documents or anything to prove your age, Or any reason why you are not in the Army?" He replied "No." Witness then said' "I suspect you of being younger and of military age. I shall arrest you and take you to  Lewes." The Acting Magistrates' Clerk Mr. D. West)—He did not Produce any exemption? Witness- Nothing whatever. He had got no papers.
In answer to questions, witness added
Wells, “I am about 30 years of age and have never been to the recruiting office, I have got nothing to fight for." Witness said, have you got any documents or papers about you. Wells replied "Nothing at all”   clerk—Are you of the opinion that fuller is under 41 years of age? Witness—my opinion is that he is about  35 years old.  Chairman informed prisoners that they must produce any evidence as to their age to submit to the authorities. Fuller” l have not got any”. The Bench decided that prisoners should be handed over to the military authorities, each should fined  2 pound which was deducted from their pay.

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                                      Coventry evening standard Friday 20 April 1917
 


                                                       COUNTY POLICE COURTS



                                                            Miscellaneous cases



Mary smith of no fixed abode was charged with sleeping out in the fosse road, Wolvey, on the 10 of April .The defendant on promising to go to her home in Derbyshire was discharged.
The last defendant’s brother George smith was also charged with sleeping out, on his promise to join the army he was discharged. The superintendent said the lad appeared to be of military age, but he said he was not eighteen. He had no proof of his age, and said he was willing to join the army.

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                                          Framingham  weekly news Saturday 7 April



Two gipsies who produced birth certificates purporting to show that one  was sixteen  years old, the other seventeen, but who looked much older, were at Enfield handed over to the Army as absentees.   

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                                     Daily gazette for Middlesbrough Tuesday 13 June 1916




                                                        GIPSIES EVADE SENVICE.



When a woman gipsy caravan dweller, of Tottenham, was summoned at Enfield police court for aiding in the concealment of her son, who had failed to report for military service, it was stated by the police that they had had considerable difficulty in getting male gipsies of military age belonging to the Tottenham colony. The men frequently produced registration -cards which were not of their own, and even marriage certificates belonging to others. Defendant’s son. who was unmarried, had never been registered. When they found him in the caravan he ran away and was only captured after a long chase! The defendant was fined £2. The money was paid

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                                     Lancashire evening post Wednesday 29 august 1917



                                                         BLACKPOOL ABSENTEE



                                                  PURCHASED DISCHARGE PAPER



                                                           FROM BARROW YOUTH




Thomas Smith (18), hawker, of Blackpool, was fined at Barrow to-day, for being an absentee under the Military Service Act and was handed over to the military. When arrested in a van at Barrow, on Monday night, Smith had in his possession a discharge paper in the name of Kendall. Inquiries showed that he purchased this from George Edward Kendall, of Barrow, for 4s. Kendall had received it from the Army authorities when he was discharged owing to his youth. Kendall was charged with selling this paper to Smith, and the magistrates fined him 40s.