Gipsy Dan Boswell

[panished]

when you read things about someone's life, and death,
you may form an opinion,

but how can you form an opinion if you don't know of there life,
if you never lived there life,

there's an old saying first you must walk in another's shoes
 before you may wish to know  them

life was bad going in the 1800s round these parts, looked rough in the 1700 and 1600s,
all them bad wars in the 1900s, I bet that's why in the 1800s people were thinking of America,

just imagine how bad life must of been in Europe and beyond,

I'm glad I live in this day
I remember Elik talking of the hard times of long ago up Scotland, he said Michael you hear thing what romance people say or write about through history, but I know of Gipsy Women going home after hawking and manys the time they would have there baskets turned out and over of things and food they had got that day, and the wind would blow cold and strong, a rugged environment,

he telled me true of times like these, I believe him to,

[panished]

 Morley Parish Council web site



A History of the Parish of Morley Derbyshire

Chapter 11

THE REVEREND SAMUEL FOX M.A.

The Reverend Samuel Fox M.A. who was born on 11th February 1801 and died 7th September 1870 was the son of Edward Fox of Derby. He started his education at Derby School and his name and date of 1816 is one of hundreds to be found carved on the walls and panels of the old school building in St. Peter's Churchyard.

In October 1821 he proceeded to Pembroke College, Oxford, where apparently his career was not crowned with the kind of distinction that usually falls to the lot of studious and scho¬larly men - indeed there is no mention of him in any university class list. He left in 1825 and three years later became an M.A. having in the meantime prepared himself for ordination and probably taken Holy Orders. In 1829 he accepted the curacy at Morley and married in the 1830s, succeeding to the livings of Morley and Smalley in 1844.

He is described as one of the most learned Anglo-Saxon scholars of the day, and wrote many books on the subject, and his achievements led in due course to his election as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and secured for him the esteem and friendship of the pioneer of Anglo-Saxon study in England, Dr. J. Bosworth, (also a Derbyshire man) being born at Etwall and edu¬cated in the neighbouring village of Repton.

He had a lifelong interest in gypsies, al¬though his published works apparently contain no hint of this, but he did not seriously continue his gypsy studies after about 1840.

Several years after his death two notebooks were discovered among his literary remains, con¬taining Romani vocabularies set out side by side with Bryant's Glossary for 1785. These were pre¬served by his daughter Miss Anna Fox.

The earlier notebook is entitled "A vocabulary of the Zingara or Gypsey Language" - the second and lar¬ger one bears the same title but has several additions, including a preface and a shorter list of Romani equivalents taken from 'Viney' Boswell at Smalley. The preface with which the larger of the two notebooks begins reveals that the Smalley vocabulary 'was commenced in consequence of an encampment being made near the village of Smalley in the winter of 1832-3. The writer of these remarks we are told, frequently visited them (the gypsies) and sat with them round their Everlasting fire - they were remarkably well conducted and three or four females and as many men attended divine worship at Smalley Chapel'. The name of the tribe was Boswell and the head of it, one Lawrence was looked upon as King of the Gypsies but the family themselves laughed at the idea, and asserted that no gypsy tribe lay claim to the distinction of Royalty. However the Derby Mercury records Lawrence Boswell's death and 'as proof that he was of some consequence among the fraternity, many tribes of gypsies from distant quarters assembled to bid him a last farewell'. The words recorded from Vaini (Viney) Boswell by Samuel Fox were obtained af¬ter the preface to the second notebook had been written and it is thought that the most likely date is 1839 for on April 7th of that year Samuel Fox baptised at Smalley, Cornelius grand¬son of Vaini Boswell.

Miss Fox recalls that the Boswells used to camp in a lane near Morley in the late 1840s or early 1850s, and she was often taken by her father when a child to see them. There were two brothers, Moses and Aaron Boswell, but it was Moses and his family who came to Morley most frequently. As a parish priest Samuel Fox was conscien¬tious and thoroughly capable, whilst his kind¬ness, graciousness and sensibility, and his occasional'gleams of humour' must have made his tall, slightly stooping figure a welcome sight to most of his parishioners.

He rendered a lasting service to Morley by undertaking a much needed restoration of its an¬cient and interesting church, a work very near to his heart, for he was a close student of ec¬clesiastical architecture, though he never wrote on it save for his "History of Morley" which was published in 1872 two years after his death.

His obituary in the Derby Mercury states that 'his death was sudden, for he had previous¬ly been in full intellectual vigour. Only a few weeks earlier he had spent a short time at Oxford with his old friend, Professor Bosworth, examining the manuscript stores of the Bodleian Library for facts relating to the "History of Morley" which he had prepared for the press'.

He is buried at Morley and there is a bronze plaque to his memory in the church.

The above information has been gathered from various sources:-

The Derby School Register, The Derby Mercury and particularly "Samuel Fox and the Derbyshire Boswells" by T.W. Thompson, extracted from the Journals of the Gypsy Lore Society.

[panished]

 The name of the tribe was Boswell and the head of it, one Lawrence was looked upon as King of the Gypsies but the family themselves laughed at the idea, and asserted that no gypsy tribe lay claim to the distinction of Royalty. However the Derby Mercury records Lawrence Boswell's death and 'as proof that he was of some consequence among the fraternity, many tribes of gypsies from distant quarters assembled to bid him a last farewell'. The words recorded from Vaini (Viney) Boswell

I think this is Linda's Family, if I'm wrong , no harm , do you hear the talk as well, that's just not Gipsy talk , its Romany Gipsy talk, and if it is Linda's Family , they don't just come from Europe , they came all the way from well I don't know south Asia I  think,

all I,v to do now is get the photos for Dan and that's me done,

[richarde1979]

Interesting posts as ever Michael, gives good background to the area, which I must admit I'm not all too familiar with. In a round about way it has also solved a puzzle for me. I have this baptism: Arnold Boswell, son of Valentine Boswell ‘An Ejiptian’ baptised at Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire on 30th December 1791. I've not seen Arnold used anywhere amongst Romany Gypsies elsewhere...I reckon he was probably born in the parish of Arnold then. I didn't realise there was a parish by that name in Nottinghamshire!

Thanks for the support with the books Michael. It is looking positive that they would like to print them. So no need for a petition, though I do make a mean cup of tea! My Boswell book starts at 1650 and stops at 1810. After that date alot of work has already been done. Life was definitely very hard for them in that early time. I mean it technically still carried a death sentence just to be a Gypsy until the 1780's. Apart from the parish records, most of the other sources come from arrest records or newspaper reports ...so we are left with a skewed and one sided account of their lives, but that's all we have to work with really, the other side of the story is for the most part missing. I do hope the book will help Boswell family researchers...it covers other families too particularly Lovells, Blewitts, Scamps, Smiths and Hearns.

My brother's wife grew up travelling and door to door calling with her mother. Settled into houses in the 80's. When their children were small and his business was hard, 1990's, she would always make up the artificial flowers and ribbons for girls hair like she had been taught as girl and go out and earn them enough money to get by..though she didn't knock the doors then, she would set up a stall on a high street or go round car boots, markets, schools with them. A lot of respect for those old ways..taught self dependance and industry. They havn't dissappeared entirely!

[panished]

  Life was definitely very hard for them in that early time. I mean it technically still carried a death sentence just to be a Gypsy until the 1780's. Apart from the parish records, most of the other sources come from arrest records or newspaper reports ...so we are left with a skewed and one sided account of their lives, but that's all we have to work with really, the other side of the story is for the most part missing. I do hope the book will help Boswell family researchers...

yes Rich , do you meen the truth is missing, yes the Boswells were in trouble with the law , so what , did not no ever tell you or them desendants that the Boswells was of the High Gipsy,

and yes you understand my humor,  and yes them society people will give you a voice, they would stand as shamed for a thousand yeares if they had thought not, but still I see they have a good mind and soul, fair not the brave Boswells, there was manys the Gipsys who also fell foul of the law, don't forget Europe was long forgotton, this is England , brothers in arms, you new your own , people now just read , think they know, I will never go against the Gipsy , I would kill my self first, before my name , before my thoughts , the Gipsy comes first, there are no names, there is no first, there is only the Gipsy with people who merrr ,

[panished]

Sheffield Daily Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

17 Aug 1875


WEST RIDING INTERMEDIATE SISSIONS

renthorpe, on the 9th August, 1875. —Eighteen months' hard labour. William Wilsher, the elder (on bail), 60, gipsy William Wilsher, the younger (on bail), gipsy Edward Wilsher, 21, gipsy; James winter (on bail), 21, gipsy, were charged

[panished]

Sheffield Independent South Yorkshire, England

30 Nov 1850


-Wagusterial ProcwMnaa

told him to get what money he could for it. Com- mitted for trial. Murderous Affray in Westgate. — Three gipsies, named Wm.Wilshaw, sen., Wm. Wilshaw, jun., and John Winter, were charged with an assault and riot, in Westgate, on Monday evening. It appeared

[panished]

Sheffield Independent South Yorkshire, England

15 Feb 1902


SHEFFIELD LOCAL NEWS

was sentenced to four months’ hard labour. WAKEFIELD DISTRICT. telling servant girls their fortunes. GIPSY FINED WAKEFIELD, Medina Lovell, a young gipsy, was at ■kefield yesterday with pretending tell fortunes palmistry, with intent to deceive and impose

[panished]

Sheffield Daily Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

12 Feb 1896


NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER AT MANSFIELD. At the Mansfield Police Court yesterday, before the ex-Mayor (Aid. R. Alcock). Joseph Wiltshire, gipsy, was committed to take his trial the Notts Assizes a charge manslaughter, the name of the deceased man being Henry Troop
View article Type: Article 
Sheffield Daily Telegraph 


Sheffield Daily Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

7 Feb 1896


NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

Henry Troop, a gipsy, who was severely kicked, alleged, by Joseph Wiltshire, another gipsy, according to the testimony of Dr. Philip G. Godfrey given before Mansfieid Bench. yefcfcerdsy, sinking, and cannot last many hours. Wiltshire who was brought
View article Type: Article 
Sheffield Daily Telegraph 


Sheffield Daily Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

25 Sep 1902


THE ACQUISITION OF BOSTON PARK, ROTHERHAM

greengrocer, Worksop, on September 16—Mr. John Appleton appeared for the prosecution.—In this case another man named William Wiltshire, gipsy, was charged jointly with Williams with being concerned in the theft, and was remanded on bail last week, but has since
View article Type: Article 
Sheffield Independent 


Sheffield Independent South Yorkshire, England

31 Jan 1896


BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT

advantages of the .society, as did also Miss Hislam. ALLEGED SERIOUS ASSAULT AT MANSFH3LD. At Mansfield, yesterday, Joseph Wiltshire, a gipsy, surrendered to his bail on a charge of having grievous- ly assaulted Henry Troop, on the night of the 19th inst— Dr
View article Type: Article 
Sheffield Evening Telegraph 


Sheffield Evening Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

8 May 1914


 


Sheffield Daily Telegraph South Yorkshire, England

8 Feb 1896


NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

THE ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A GIPSY. DEATH HOSPITAL. The gipsy, Henry Troop, alleged to l aye been seriously assaulted Joseph Wiltshire, died early yesterday in tho Mansfield Hospital, where he had undergone an operation. Wiltshire in custody. GREASLEY SCHOOL
View article Type: Article