Gipsy Dan Boswell

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Western mail Saturday 11 may 1918
Daring Deserter Caught at Llanbradach


Nelson John, a gipsy who escaped a Military escort by jumping from a train travelling between Bridgend and Pyle, was arrested early on Friday and remanded in custody by Pontypridd Magistrates; He had been traced to the Garth Wood. Llanbradach, by Police Sergeant Watkins and four Constables

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Biggesworth Chronicle Friday 26 July 1918
Gipsy Private’s escapades


At the Hitchin on Tuesday, two privates in the Middlesex Regt., stationed at Chatham. Elias Loveridge 18 and Benj. Ansom 18 were charged with stealing at Hexton on july the 22nd they were further charged with being absentees. It was alleged that they stole the basket and tin, which belonged to farm workers, from under an hedge. Supt. Reed said Loveridge was one of a well-known gipsy family. Defendants were detained on the first two charges, and remanded on the second to await escort.

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Kent and Sussex courier Friday 30 November 1917
 
GIPSIES AND MILITARY SERVICE.

In the Police Court on Saturday, Henry Brown, a gipsy, was charged under the military Service Act with desertion, at Biddenden. on the previous day. P.C. Hughes stated he was asked to remove some gipsies on Green Lane, and on doing  so found prisoner among them. On his enquiry as to why he was not in the Army prisoner gave him the discharge paper now produced. Witness on not being satisfied arrested prisoner. Prisoner now admitted the discharge paper was given to him by a man on the road. Ordered to await an escort. 

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Luton news and Bedfordshire chronicle Thursday 23 august 1917 extract

BANK HOLIDAY AT TODDINGTON.

Fifteen Charges of Assault.

The Woburn magistrates had a very arduous task on Friday, when they were called upon to investigate no fewer than fifteen chargers, arising out of a Bank Holiday disturbance at Toddington. Dr. Waugh presided, the other magistrates being Major Haines, Col. Mercer, and Mr. E. Creasey. The defendants  charged were as follow: Israel Loveridge (51), gipsy. Assaulting P.s. Dennis and Special Constable George Nicholls. William Neal. and Waiter Seymour whilst in the execution of their duty August 6th. Eliza Loveridge, gipsy.  Toddington 'wife of Israel Loveridge). assaulting P.s. Dennis and Special  constables Walter Seymour. George Nicholls, Elijah Hawes, and William Neal. Supt. Matthews said the case arose out of a disturbance on the  August Bank Holiday. The man who caused the disturbance, Ernest Evans, had already been dealt with. The special constable. said he pulled Elizabeth Evans off the sergeant, and Hyde came and pulled him away several times. The Lovcridges threatened him that if they got him a hundred yards out of the town his life would not be worth 2d. Mrs. Loveridge said she would pull every hair out of his head  P.s. Dennis stated that about 8.30 p.m. on the Bank Holiday, whilst he was arresting the prisoner in Luton-road, Toddington. Loveridge came up. And struck, and pulled him about and attempted to rescue the prisoner. A soldier came to witnees's help, and Loveridge assaulted him also. Loveridge and his wife did all they could to obstruct witness. Israel Loveridge, on oath,said he went to Flitwick with his brother on the Bank Holiday, and they had a lot to drink together. He was also excited about hearing from his three Sons in the Army. He was drunk and didn't know a policeman from anyone else. That was the first time that he had drank for seven years. 

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Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle Thursday 19 April 1917

Limbury

Alleged Deserter.

Wm. Smith, a young gipsy of no fixed abode, was brought before the Mayor of Luton and Mr. Geo. Warron at an occasional Luton divisional court yesterday, charged with having stolen an harness, a gun, carridge lamps etc, value 12 pounds 14s 6d, the property of Bone Bros, Limbury, between April 4th and 5th-Supt. Panter said that evidence of arrest was given a week ago, and he asked for another remand to the ordinary petty sessions next Monday.-Prisoner was a deserter from the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. He asked for the remand for another man was concerned in the crime-Prisoner was remanded till Monday to Bedford Gaol.

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Lancashire Evening Post Monday 23 December 1918

Preston Detectives obliged to release Soldier

At Preston this morning, Frank Smith 27, Soldier in hospital uniform and wearing two wound stripes, was charged with stealing a parcel from a farmers cart in the yard of the Corporation Arms, on Saturday afternoon. The parcel contained two dolls, a toy motor, a rattle, a bottle of sent, and a hankerchief. Prisoner was seen to take the parcel out of the cart and run away, and was arrested a few minutes later by Detective -Sergts  Keliet and Lee in Frargate, but struggled and appealed to the crowd which was so hostile that the Detectives were obliged to release him. Detective Sergt Lee said he was bitten by the prisoner during the struggle. Accused was seen later by the same Detectives and apprehended. and the parcel was afterwards recovered from his Sister who is a gipsy hawker. Prisoner said he did not remember anything about the theft. He came over to Preston on leave from an hospital at Liverpool. Mr. Smith prosecuting said prisoner was half mad with drink at the time. He was then in Khaki, and not hospital blue. Fined 20s and ordered to pay the Advocates Fee.

PS, just a side note from listening to the war programmes, hospital blue was the colour of the wounded Soldiers uniform, people in the know new this from their educational research, but through the ability now for people to colour their own old photos people who are not experts are finding out such things for themselves.

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Liverpool Daily Post Saturday 27 May 1916

Absentees fined


Samuel Locke, a travelling gipsy, who also failed to report himself at Bangor, was similarly fined, and remanded for the military escort His brother, Harold Lock, who was charged with using words intended to create disaffection in the Army, informed the magistrates that a constable had struck him and his brother outside the court-room. The defendants’ parents, who were in court, joined the defendant in loud cries of protest, while the defendant brandished his fists in the face of the constable. The efforts to quell the court were unavailing until the bench threatened to clear the court, when the defendant and his parents calmed down. Evidence was given that the defendant and his people urged his brother not to join the  Army, this Country is not worth fighting for. He was fined £5, which was promptly paid.

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Sussex agricultural express Friday 1 December 1916
Rounding up the gipsies


                                           GOOD WORK BY THE UCKFIELD POLICE.



Those of the nomads who have settled in that part of Sussex which is under the supervision of the Uckfield Police Division, in the happy hope that they will escape from military service, could not have made less a fortunate choice, as they are rapidly finding out. During the early hours of Thursday a number of sergeants and constables made a raid on the gipsy encampment at Crewborough, and after an exciting time secured a very substantial bag. The sequel came later in the day, when, before Lord Henry Nevill and Mr. J. Hartell, the following were brought up at the Police Court at Crowborough, charged with being absentees: William Smith, 31; Henry Wilson, 27; George Smith, who said that he was over the age, Tom Smith. 25; Charles Elliott, 30 ; Arthur Skilton, 32; Elias Harris, 24; Alfred Smith, 20; and Aaron Smith, 39. Tom Smith and Charles Elliott were stated to be deserters from the Coldstream Guards, and Arthur Skilton from the south Middlesex. Police-Sergeant Savage gave evidence concerning the capture of the men, and the deserters were remanded to await an escort, as were the remainder, who were fined each in addition.


PS. there is no doubt in my mind that hunting down the Gipsys was to the hunters a very exciting time, I do wonder myself now, what of all these so called  Gipsy scholars,

"During the early hours of Thursday a number of sergeants and constables made a raid on the gipsy encampment at Crewborough, and after an exciting time secured a very substantial bag".

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                                           Coventry standard Friday 15 September 1916


                                                      DISCIPLINE FOR THE GIPSY.


One idly wonders what effect military service will have upon the gipsy. Both at Coventry and at Coleshill men were brought last week before the magistrates, and charged with being absentees under the Military Service Acts. A gipsy mother at the latter town, being questioned with regard to a claim that her offspring was only seventeen, replied that he was always well fed, and had little work. Sages who have inquired into the history of the gipsy tell that this has been their ideal of life ever since they first made their appearance in Europe about the year 1400, and it is probable that England is the country where they have been enabled to follow it with the least let or hindrance owing to the absence in the past of any interference with personal liberty. However, now that the Military Service Acts are introducing a large number of the wandering tribes to rules of order and discipline it is quite within the bounds of possibility that the future generations may witness a marked diminution in the number of those who live in the picturesque caravan