Gipsy Dan Boswell

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Rise of the Contentious Spirit: Adversary Procedure in Eighteenth Century England
                                                  Stephan Landsman

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj89tipkvjLAhUFXD4KHYSiAgsQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscholarship.law.cornell.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D3451%26context%3Dclr&usg=AFQjCNFPZQG9ubw346LtaRnUZcb08wwbyw

INTRODUCTION
Criminal trials in Tudor and Stuart England were, according to J.S. Cockburn, "nasty, brutish, and essentially short." 2 Counsel seldom participated, 3 few, if any, rules of evidence constrained enquiry,4 judges routinely examined witnesses and defendants in the most vigorous, and at times ruthless, manner

This is just one small extract above from the above article by Stephen Landsman in 1990, try and read it, we must all try and see the bigger picture, we have to try to learn things, how else will we understand things that come our way if we have no knowledge of what we find

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj67bnohfjLAhXD4SYKHSQ6CMAQFggoMAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.daviddfriedman.com%2FAcademic%2FEngland_18thc.%2FEngland_18thc.html&usg=AFQjCNH3WL5pu5qfoR9Qxh0za8lXu8AWvw

just two extract's from the above article, try and read the article it is only a small article, you see if we are to write and talk of the times of our relatives or People we have an interest in, we all must try and understand the times within those times, 


                     Making Sense of English Law Enforcement in the 18th Century

                                                       David Friedman

The conjecture I have offered is relevant not only to an explanation of why crimes were prosecuted, but also to another issue raised in modern discussions of 18th century English law: its relation to the system of class and authority. Some authors view the law as a class neutral instrument, employed by rich and poor alike to protect themselves against the small criminal minority.[36] Others argue that it was primarily a device by which the rich protected themselves from the poor, or by which the ruling class established and maintained its legitimacy


The solution was to create or join an association for the prosecution of felons. Most such associations consisted of between twenty and a hundred members, all living in the same general area.[24] Each member, on joining, contributed a fixed payment to a common pool. The money was available to pay the cost of prosecuting a crime committed against any member. The list of members was published in the local newspaper.

                  Brampton Association For The Prosecutions Of Felons

Wher'eas  at a meeting held at the house of Mr Mason Brampton asforesaid, on the 9th day of March 1792 the understated persons did then and there form themselves into a society for mutual protection, and defence of each others property, and to apprehend and bring to justice all such persons as should then afterwards be found committing any burglary, felony, larceny, orother misdemeanours herein afore mentioned, against the persons of property of such persons as did then or should afterwards, become members of said association

 the article then goes on to give a full list of the subscribers names and rewards of monies  given by the treasurer of the association to informers who help to discover or apprehend any offender or offenders to that he or they may be convicted of any offence hereunder mentioned,
it then goes on to list such offences and rewards given, these below are a few examples

Highway Robbery ........... Three Pounds Three Shillings

Stealing an Horse ............ Two Pounds Two Shillings

stealing Hedges ............... One Pound One Shilling

Robbing Orchards .............. Ten Shilling Six Penny's

Stealing Poultry .................Ten Shilling Six Penny's

Any kind of petty Larceny .....Ten Shilling Six Penny's

It then goes on to say any persons having occasion to attend the assizes or sessions to give evidence will receive Eight Shillings per day for their trouble

Robert Turner the Treasurer
Brampton
20th November 1792

 I write like this in the hope that although it is different to what some people may perceive as genealogy, as in its not just a name and date on a blank piece of paper, I write this way for its just the way I talk, I want to learn things to, I put lots of names and dates of People plus locations and trades, I think People who research will find this information of great help, I to am hoping to learn such things, if any one wishes to join in I would welcome you all, I will also ask some questions soon, then People if they wish may help me, if you follow the story  of the times round Brampton that I am telling it will all form a bigger picture soon

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I found this article linking Brampton, Selston, and the Great Man himself, Dan, the article is very long, so I will put the other half on next, part or all of the inscription that Thomas Smith and the writer talk about, is again slightly different, even from an early time, and also is readable in the year 1912, so maybe these are the true words as in word for word, but as always,  you never know
the article below that goes into two pages is from an article I found, intern the writer was summarising from a larger article he found, then I found the larger one also, if anyone wants to see the bigger original plus larger interview with Osery Boswell that contains more information I will write it up, I know people have looked and wrote of Gipsys, I just write for maybe something may have been left out or wrote wrongly, like I say if any of the Boswells who haven't yet seen the original interview and wish to read it, just say and I will write the full account up if you wish, but for now this is just the smaller article taken by a writer from the original interview

                                                         Derbyshire 1912                     

                                                 TOWN AND COUNTY GOSSIP.

Quite recently the Rev. Charles Harrison, vicar of selston, expressed a desire to bring about a gathering of the Boswell clan of  gipsies at that old rendezvous of their race. fancy if all the Boswells were to turn up in his parish the worthy vicar would very considerably be astonished, for the tribe of Boswell could probably claim to be numbered in the ten thousand. There are Boswells here, there, and everywhere, and I understand some members of the clan are somewhat inclined to look a little askance at a few of their fellows—Boswells though all claim to be. This was certainly the case with certain of the Boswells that used to reside in Derby. and whose affection for each other was by no means that which David bore towards Jonathan. Still they have always been a remarkable family, and there was a time, scarcely a generation back, when rumour had it that an old lady of the tribe from her dingy little house in Brook-street told the fortunes of half the well-to-do young ladies of Derby. Possibly they might not care to acknowledge the fact after all these years. but that was what Rumour said a quarter of a century ago. Perchance the  jade lied. There is a gentleman residing at Tibshelf— a Mr. Thomas Smith —who has some interesting recollections of the gipsies at Selston, and of the circumstances under which they were evicted. Mr. Smith recently stated in the columns of the Derbyshire Times that "Dan Boswell", whose tombstone the vicar of Selston desires to see re-erected, was a noted man amongst his class. died on Selston Common at the age of 73 years, not far from Pye Hill, and he lies buried in the Selston Parish Churchyard.  his tombstone was erected to his memory but it is said that an infuriated bull knocked it down and broke it. The inscription upon the tombstone, which now lies on the ground, reads as under

"I have lodged, 'tis true, in many a town,
I have travelled many a year,
but death at length has brought me down
To my last lodging here."

Brampton boasts a clan who are known as the "Boswell gang." who have attained an unenviable reputation locally. Whether the founder of this clan is an offshoot from the original Boswell family alluded to above the "Derbyshire Times" does not know, and probably the remaining members of the family are not anxiously to claim kinship.
 
It is quite possible that the most remarkable surviving member of the Boswell family still resides in Derbyshire. This venerable old man, who 99 last fifth November is a true type of the old gipsy- He has been a wanderer all his life, but has apparently made up his mind to end his days in Derbyshire, for whose hills and dales has always had profound affection, though, as a matter of fact is a native of Scarborough. and his wife—aged 75—dwell in a barn on some land belonging to a Mr. A. J. Critchlow in Crow hill lane Bakewell. Here they have been "housed" since November last, through the kindness of Mr. Critchlow. Prior to that they were "roughing" in a quarry at Stanton-in-Peak 

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 A request from Mrs. Boswell for the use of the building was readily granted. This was by no means their first acquaintance with the barn, the pair having made it their headquarters for years past, but this time they have stopped longer than usual, and seen to it to  be ' fixed up ' for some time to come. The veteran is gradually becoming more and more infirm, and can only with difficulty get about. When a " Derbyshire Times" representative called  the old man was confined to his bed, which is a rude affair, its foundation being a quantity of hay and the covering, clothing of various descriptions. The "house" is father a draughty place, but the old fellow is quite contented. he would far rather be in such a home than in a cottage or in the workhouse infirmary. Confinement in either place would kill him straight away, he says. The floor is composed entirely of mother earth, which Mrs. Boswell regrets, as she would prefer to be able to tidy it up. Their fireplace is a bucket, plentifully studded with holes, which stands on bricks. The fuel consists chiefly of logs, wood provided by a local gentleman, well-known for his generosity. As there is no chimney the smoke has to find its own way out as best it can. The building was full of smoke when we called, and although it was rather discomforting to us it did not seem to trouble Mr.and Mrs. Boswell, who were not at all particular. It seemed to make the old man's cough worse, but that was all. the old man claims that the Boswell family is something like 500 years old, and hails from Lincolnshire.  the name Boswell. Amongst his brothers were Uriah, Phoenix, and Edward all well known to the clan, from which "Razzer" as he is more familiarly known, has been separated for a lengthy period. When he came into Derbyshire he was comparatively well off, being possessed of a horse and a caravan. Until about twenty years ago Mr. and Mrs. Boswell and family travelled all over this part of the country, from New Mill's down to Ashbourne. he was an expert knife and scissors grinder, which trade he followed up to about two years ago. His wife for over sixty years has been a hawker. Between them they managed to make a good living, but things have gone from bad to worse, particularly since the old man has begun to fail. he as not had a caravan for the last twenty years, during which time they have tramped up and down the countryside, as often sleeping with the sky for a roof as under cover. Besides hawking and grinding the old pair have in their time done all sorts of work, including haymaking and harvesting. Mrs. Boswell states that she could use a sickle with anyone in her younger days. Now in their old age and infirmities they have had to fall back on the old-age pension.
Fancy a man born in the days of Castlereagh living to accept a pension from Mr. Lloyd George !

                                                             Derbyshire 1912

                                           CENTENARIAN GIPSY'S DEATH AT  BAKEWELL.

A Bakewell correspondent telegraphs, Osery Boswell, who was believed to be the oldest Gipsy in the world, died in the Workhouse Infirmary Bakewell yesterday, aged 100 He claimed to belong to one of the oldest clans of Gipsies which hailed hundreds of years ago from Lincolnshire. Gipsy Boswell and his wife Catherine came from beeley moore to cowhill lane near bakewell, he was taken ill and removed to the Workhouse, Catherine went to live with  friends  in matlock, Boswell and his wife, who was aged 88, had not had a caravan of their own for 20 years, but preferred to live anywhere and anyhow. Boswell spent most of his life in Lincoln and Nottingham,                                                         

                                                        Derbyshire 1915

                                                A second gang at Brampton   

Chesterfield told of Robberies. A remarkable disclosure of thefts by a number of Chesterfield lads who style themselves the Boswell gang the second, .who were following in the footsteps of the  former notorious combination which  terrorised Brampton

I have looked at many many records of these gangs, right through many years of the early 1900s I never as yet have come across one of them named Boswell, but someone could be related who knows, are they just local lads who styled themselves on an earlier notorious gang of Boswells, I don't know   

the article below is discussing the many aged people in the history of Nottinghamshire,  Sarah is Dan Boswells Wife and came in at number five,                                                               
                                                               
                                                                1878
                                             
                                              Nottinghamshire Centurions

                                         Compiled Geo. Jno. Stevenson, M.A.

                                     Written expressly for the "Derbyshire Courier.

  Sarah Boswell was the wife of  Dan Boswell, the king of the Gipsies, to whom she bad been married 72 years at the time of her death, as was proved by her marriage certificate, which she very carefully preserved to the end her life. She was recognised as the queen the Gipsies, and died at length in the Union Hospital, at Nottingham. Most of her life was spent in the open air.

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 would any one be able to say if they can find census records of these knights, Grahams, around Derbyshire and Yorkshire who are connected to the Wiltshire's, on the record of 1866 it states some of them could of come from the south, so I was just looking at  a few records,  and it does show that people from Yorkshire were going down to the south of England, i don't know who is who, but Knight was a name known through old oral tradition                                             

                                           Hampshire census 1881

John Knight .Bc 1812 Andover, Hampshire, England Head Andover, Hampshire
Emma Knight .Bc 1824 Portsmouth Mother Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
Mary Knight .Bc 1824 Portsea, Hampshire, England Head Portsea, Hampshire
Julia Knight .Bc 1834 Upton, Hampshire, England Boarder Andover, Hampshire
Frederick Knight .Bc 1850 Andover, Hampshire, England Boarder Andover, Hampshire
 
                                                 census 1881 Yorkshire

Joseph Willshaw Maria, Bc 1844 Bradford, Yorkshire, England,  Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
Maria Willshaw Joseph, Bc 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England,   Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
Joseph Willshaw Joseph, Maria, Bc 1866 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England,  Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
Tom Willshaw Joseph, Maria, Bc 1867 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England,  Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire

Clara Knight, Bc 1851 Leeds, Yorkshire, England,  Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Tom Knight Emma, Bc 1853 Wath, Yorkshire, England,   Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
Bill Knight Emma, Jane, Bc 1857 Wath, Yorkshire, England,  Brightside Bierlow, Yorkshire
James Knight, Bc 1862 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England                       
 
                                                 Devon census 1881

  Theriza Knight.Bc 1849 Exeter, Devon, England Head Exeter St Mary Major, Devon
Sarah Knight .Bc 1850 Bradford Lodger Sheffield, Yorkshire

                                                   Derbyshire 1888

                                           Horse Stealing at Wirksworth
Thomas Knight 33 alias Graham Tin Man was charged with stealing an horse the property of Sarah Wilshaw a widow, the prisoners sister is the proprietress of a traveling caravan stationed in a field, she employed him to look after the horse the horse was sold at Wirksworth market place to john Spencer, Knight was apprehended in Sheffield, the Jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to six months with hard labour, there was a large number of previous convictions, it was stated that they were not living together as Man and Wife

                           CAPTURE OF SUPPOSED HORSE STEALER. THIS DAY.
The borough forces, and Police-constable Wheatley, of the Derbyshire Constabulary, succeeded in arresting in Spring street a hawker named Thomas Knight on a charge of stealing a horse from Wirksworth . The horse has been recovered in Worksop. The accused is well known character.
                                     
                                       Brampton Chesterfield Derbyshire 1866

                                                   Shocking Depravity

                             At the County Magistrates at Chesterfield Tuesday last.
Joseph Wiltshire 22 of Nottingham itinerant Gipsy besom maker and Emma Graham 34 alias knight pot hawker of south sea Hants the latter charged with having stolen five pounds three shillings the property of David Allen pot hawker of Boroughbridge Staffordshire in the Griffin inn Brampton and the former with having feloniously received the same, but the prosecutor on not appearing they were both discharged, it was stated that the male prisoner knocked him down and when on the floor the woman cut out his pockets, They were then charged by Maria Knight (wife of the male, and daughter of the female prisoner) with assaulting her Saturday night, it was stated that Wiltshire was living with his own Mother in law as Man and Wife, the case was dismissed as the parties did not appear.

                                                     1874 Brampton
 
                                           Charge of Stealing a Donkey.   

Thomas Graham and James Knight, two Gipsies, were brought up in custody on remand with stealing an ass belonging to George Thompson, Brampton, The defence was that  the prosecutor, who had been drinking with the prisoners, had given them permission to sell the animal while he was intoxicated.—The Bench considering the  evidence was not sufficiently conclusive, dismissed the case.

                                                    1874 Derbyshire
                                               
                                                 Who Stole the Donkey

At the Magistrates' Clerk's Office, Chesterfield,  two men named respectively James Knight and Thomas Graham, were each brought up charged with stealing a donkey, the property of a travelling hawker named James Wright.—The evidence went to show that on Monday night the prosecutor bought an ass for 6s. which he saw in a field at Walton, and on the following morning he went for it, and it was nowhere to be found. On the previous evening he was in company with the prisoners, and he suspected them of taking 14s. and some coppers out of his pocket. —George Beeley spoke to buying the ass from the two prisoners for 6d., on the previous morning, and he put it into the Royal Oak stable. —Remanded till Saturday

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 would any one be able to tell me any reason why this Joseph Wiltshire was down Gloucestershire, 
  I think Mary Ann Woodward was more than likely his Wife, the Woodwards I would say are related to the Wiltshires, I think Gasby should be spelt Gadsby as I found some information about William, I was looking into the name Jemima and found Gipsys like Jemima James and Jemima Elliott, then I found the story at the bottom of the page about the two top Men, Willsher and Elliott 
                                                       
                                                    Gloucestershire  1891 
 
Petty Sessions, Berkley,  Thursday.Joseph Wiltshire, Mary Ann Woodward, and Jemima Gasby,
Gipsies travelling with vans, were arrested and brought up under a warrant charging them with assaulting and beating William Coles Harding, farmer and dealer, of Sanigar. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoners visited the Bell Inn at Berkeley Heath, and there being some dispute as to a broken cup,Complainant deposed that he was sitting outside the Bell talking to three or four other farmers and dealers, and heard the Landlord, Mr Hooper, ask defendants to pay for a cup they had broken. Wiltshire was very abusive, and complainant told him he had belter pay and get off  Wiltshire took off his coat, and thereupon caught complainant by the hands and butted his head into his face several times, causing severe bruises. Harding then defended himself,  He put prisoner on his back on the ground, and then the two females "pitched into" witness. Woodward struck him with her fists, and knew how to use them. As there was a further charge against the prisoners, sentence was deferred. They were then charged, together with William Gasby, with assaulting and beating John Charles Hooper, landlord of the Bell inn, who said, when the fracas with Mr. Harding was finished, Wiltshire came and knocked him down unawares. As soon as he was down the four prisoners pitched into him and dragged him about. Gasby tripped him several times when he went to help Mr. Harding.
They hammered him about for five minutes.  The four prisoners pleaded for leniency. The bench considered Wiltshire the worst to blame, and he was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour for the assault on Harding, and 14 days' further hard labour for the assault on Hooper. Woodward and Jemima Gasby were each fined and William Gasby was fined 
                                                         
                                                             Extract from
                                               Charles Dickens and his friends
                                                  by W.T Teignmouth Shore                                                     
                                     published by Cassell and company limited 1909

In a animated journey from Bristol to Birmingham the travellers stopped at various posting houses, where the mercurial Sawer would insist on getting down to lunch dine or otherwise refresh 
his friends being always ready to comply after a little decent hesitation, thus they drew up at the Bell at Berkeley Heath

Charles Dickens was born on 7th February 1812 in Portsmouth.
in 1836, a story by Dickens, The Pickwick Papers was published as a serial. This proved to be very popular and Dickens started to become famous.
 Charles Dickens died on 9th June 1870. He suffered a stroke after completing a full day’s work on his novel in progress, Edwin Drood. He was buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.
 

                                                        Pickwick Farm 2016

Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Berkeley Gloucestershire England
Now a working dairy Farm the house was once a coaching inn called The Bell Inn and was visited by Charles Dickens when he wrote Pickwick Papers. Situated in vale of Berkeley, halfway between Bristol & Gloucester.                                             
     
                                                           Crewkerne 1885

Jemima James, travelling hawker, was charged with being drunk in the Chard Road on Saturday evening. lt appears that she made very free use of her fists and knocked over several women and a man. She was fined 10s, including costs.                                               

                                                         Lincolnshire 1876

 Jemima Elliott, Gipsy, for using van without her name being painted thereon, at Kirmington, on the 19th was fined 5s. and costs 6s. 6d. The same defendant, with Mary Ann Winter and Elizabeth Peace, Gipsies, were charged with obstructing the highway, Kirmington, at the same time with horses and vans, and each was fined 1s. and costs 6s. 6d.
                                                         
                                                        Nottinghamshire 1860

 District News. On Sunday last, information was given to Inspector Home, of Southwell, and P. c. Howett, of Farnsfield, that about 30 Gipsies had encamped at the Four Lanes End, near Farnsfield. The above officere apprehended two of the Principal Gipsies, and on Monday last they were taken before the Rev. J. D. Becher and Pelham Clay, Esck, at Southwell, when they gave their names as Thomas Willsher and Wm. Elliott they had 10s  each to pay, including costs.

 

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my Mother would often tell me of certain things, just in a normal way of talking, my life to me was normal, the things She would say, became to be normal, this is how you become you, so when you write it is you, who are writing, why people write about Gipsys and think in their words, is for them to realise they write about themselves and their own teachings of normality, who would deny me my teachings, my Mother would say that through the teachings and knowledge She new, well She said it was only the Gipsy Women who new the truth, they new who was who, a man She said never rarely knows, people in these times now are mostly the children of people born after the great wars, I always was puzzled by what and how people talk about when they talk of what they claim is true, then I realised that I have had no input from people born after the wars, everything that I know thoe limited is from the teaching of long gone People, I was just looking at this article below and was thinking that was just what my Mother was talking about, and do you see how the Gipsy Man named Wisdom Smith when it came to the crunch was not in no way interested or ill at ease with the proceedings, and the great Gipsy Women to new who they were, i think it is people born in this time who are concerned and worried, worried about how they will look, how can anyone ever think they can write of Gipsys if they don't evan have a clue of a state of mind, writers of the past in my mind wrote shamefully, writers in the present transcribe and are guided by such people, I don't know how it feels to be seduced, i suppose there is much knowledge wrote that is good to and informative, i am trying to learn things to, when you as you try to help me it may be in many,s the years to come, i might not be around, but i know you will find my words and answer me, through me you will find the ones i talk about, they are Great People, you wont wake them they will find you, there is no such thing as history, you can only be who you are in your own lifetime, the Gipsys are the only People who never wrote of their triumphs, they say the victorious are the ones to write the history's of the world, well the Great Gipsy People who lived as Gipsys in their own lifetime new in their own hearts, who they were, now isn't that a triumph in itself, people in this time who seek crowns are welcome to be themselves, i will keep asking questions for the answers i look for, everyone is welcome to reply to me, i know i will slip up on the way and get things wrong, no harm ment to no one, i,m not thinking of myself, i,m not worried of nothing, I want to help the People, who like me, are searching, goodluck
                                                             
                                                             Derbyshire 1863
                                                    Gipsy Life. Shocking Depravity.


The annals of the police-court have just revealed a shocking case of depravity in connection with gipsy life. A young girl, named Sarah Smith, the offspring of a gypsy tribe who encamp within a short distance of Chesterfield, has been in custody on a charge of a felony for about a week awaiting the hearing of the case, which took place last Saturday. Whilst in the lock-up she was visited by two gypsy women, and the remarks which passed excited the curiosity of Superintendent Hunter, who questioned the girl as to her parentage, when she admitted that the man who was prosecuting her was living with her mother and her mother's sister in a state of adultery, and further that he had been doing so for many years and that each woman had had six children by the man, whose name was "Wisdom Smith". There is reason to believe that this man is the father to the girl charged with the felony, but when accused of the paternity he stoutly denied it. It would appear that the two women live with Smith on the most amicable terms. The man admitted the depraved mode of life he was leading with the women before the magistrates without the slightest concern. The girl was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. And the magistrates said they should have given her more but for the bad example which had been set her. They refused to allow Smith any expenses.

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I wonder if any one can help, I have been researching articles around Yorkshire in a place named Attercliffe Common, its in Sheffield, then i came across this interesting book, I,v just wrote a small extract, I am just trying to find out how much you can believe, if it is true what is wrote below why do I find other information that seems to contradict this story of James Bosvile, I wonder was he born a Gipsy or did he join with them, it is of no matter, he sounds alright to me, I,m a bit of alsorts myself                                                   
                                                     
                                                            "OLD YORKSHIRE"
                                                         Morley, April 2nd, 1881.
                                                         WILLIAM SMITH, F.S.A.S

 " All these things here collected are not mine,
But divers grapes make but one kind of wine,
So I from many learned authors took
The various matters written in this book.

Some things are very good, pick out the best,
Good wits compiled them, and I wrote the rest,
If thou dost buy it, it will quit the cost,
Read it, and all thy labour is not lost."

TAYLOR (.The Water Poet).

 The present volume consists principally of articles selected from
the " Local Quotes and Queries" columns of the Leeds Mercury Weekly
Supplement. These contributions have been appearing during the past
two years, and have added much valuable information to our previous
acquaintance with the habits, customs, pursuits, sentiments, and
surroundings of our forefathers.
Having been favoured with several most interesting original
contributions, I have as yet used but a small proportion of the articles in
 " Local Notes and Queries," and it is my intention, should the present
venture meet with the approval of my subscribers and the public, to
issue another volume of " Old Yorkshire" in the autumn of the present
year, and subsequently, a volume on the first day of March in each
year. Each of these issues will contain choice selections from the
Mercury Supplement, together with original contributions; and the
series, will it is hoped, be a worthy addition to the history of our
ancient county, and tend to save from perishing much that is eurious,
valuable, and interesting.
I am wishful to make the work a depository for matters of interest
relating to the County, and now that a taste for Archaeology is becoming
more general, I trust the successive volumes of " Old Yorkshire " may
be taken advantage of by antiquaries and others, to place on record any
remains of antiquity existing in their own immediate localities, or some
of those numerous discoveries in Topographical and Archaeological
subjects which are made from year to year, and from want of being
published are lost to the world for ever.

                                               THE KING OF THE GIPSIES.

JAMES BOSVILE was a member of the Bosvile family, of Ravenfield
Hall, near Rotherham, and possessed an estate of the value of 200
per annum, at Rossinglon, near Doncaster, where he was born about
the middle of the 17th century, and was described by De la Pryme as
" a mad spark, mighty fine and brisk, and keeping company with a
great many gentlemen, knights, and esquires." At that time a great
number of gipsy families lived  at the adjacent moors, in tents and
waggons, in whom he took great interest, studying their ways, customs,
language, and legends, and frequently travelling and camping with
them. In process of time, he came to be recognised by the wandering
tribes as a sort of Sovereign, whom they implicitly obeyed and looked
up to with reverence and love. Being a man of great integrity of
principle, and anxious to promote the welfare of all by whom he was
surrounded, he laboured assiduously in the endeavour to restrain their
propensity for pilfering, and to advance them in the scale of civilisation
generally, and to a certain extent he was successful, for which he
earned the grateful thanks of the farmers. He was also much beloved
by the villagers of Rossington, to whom, as well as to the gipsies, he
administered gratuitous medical advice and physic, and afforded them
pecuniary relief as far as his means extended. He was buried in
Rossington churchyard in the year 1708-9, and for a long period
afterwards it was the custom of the gipsies to pay an annual visit to
his grave and perform there certain ceremonies, one of which was the
pouring, as a libation, a flagon of hot ale on the turf which covered his
remains.

Extract from the "Dony"  Online Magazine Doncaster

James Boswell (or Bosvill) was King of the Gypsies, he is buried in Rossington.
Millers Langdale's Topographical Dictionary of Yorkshire (1822), says: In the church yard, was a stone, the two ends of which are now remaining, where was interred the body of James Bosvill the King of the Gypsies, who died January 30, 1708. For a number of years, it was a custom of Gypsies from the south, to visit his tomb and there to pour a flagon of ale upon the grave.
 St. Michael's Church in Rossington is the burial place of James Boswell, who like Robin Hood, living in Sherwood Forest, helped travellers and gypsies. it is said his grave was opened up so that his black cat could be buried with him.

[addyb]

Very Interesting all the articles enjoyed reading them .

[panished]

hello everyone and i hope all's good,

sure I know now I,v been away, well we all know that , but not a worry now I,m back,
I know my posts got disjointed about Brampton if you was following right,

 I know I have talked about Brampton in the after talk, but my hand was pushed into such things by the forgiven, but I'm not going back to Brampton yet in the original talk flow, I will and great talk for Gipsys that will be , just be patient,

now I will talk of the Gipsys of my Mothers and your Mothers or Mothers Mothers People of the Great War, wow just get ready , do you know the more you learn and find things of life, you realise the so called elite intellectuals are the stupid ones, I was going to put on questions and information about the Great War and an in-depth history gained from I would say thousands of hours of research in books and on line, but you know I have Great respect for everyone of those times, everyone, I just can not write what I have found , I will summarise my talk around what I think is Gipsy People and forgive me for not telling of the Great Dead and the times within those times, I will stay with my Mothers Relatives and near as I can to Gipsy People , please say if any thing I write is not as you think and I will listen , I have got to delete hundreds of thousands of words from research, I will show you the truth , I will ask some questions of roots history , I do hope some one will answer me this time, I will ask questions of my Mothers Relatives , and I will ask questions for the Relatives of Gipsys who I write about, wait till you hear what they tell me, now you know now we all Love and Respect the Gipsys of long times R.I.P

are you ready Gipsy People ,and all who have an interest,  they want to tell  you, they want you to know, they are not forgotten, and the truth is coming,  they will rest..

michael