Gipsy Dan Boswell

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                                         Coventry herald Friday 15 September 1916



                                                        GIPSY ABSENTEES.



Three gipsies of no fixed abode, Sidney Biddle. Andrew Wilson, and William Stevens, were charged with being absentees under the Military Service Act. P.c. Skidmore said he visited vans at Collycroft, where he found Biddle, who admitted that he had not a registration card, nor had he attested. Wilson and. Stevens had registered, but not attested. They were men of military age. Lieut. James pointed out that Stevens  registered at Bath, but he did not notify of any change of address, whilst Biddle did not register at all. Each was fined 40ss. and handed over tho military.

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                                   Nottingham evening post Monday 7 august 1916



                                                     IGNORANT OF THE LAW.



                                     NOTTINGHAM MEN'S FAILURE TO REGISTER.



The excuse that he was no scholar was offered by a vandweller, named William Wiltshire, 39, of Hawthorne-street, who was at the Nottingham Police court to-day he was charged with being drunk and disorderly and also failing to report himself under the Military Service Act. His evidence showed that prisoner was offering oilcloth for sale, and when he met with a refusal he became very abusive and used bad language. With regard to failing to report to the military authorities, Captain McGuire said that the man was one of a number of van-dwellers who had neither registered nor attested.
 Prisoner, who was smilingly observed that he was quite agreeable to be a soldier, he was fined 40s, and handed over to the military authorities, the charge of drunkenness being adjourned generally. Thomas Wiltshire, another van-dweller, was also fined 4os, and handed over to the military authorities.

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                                               Hull daily mail Thursday 13 July 1916
 

                                                            WEEPING GIPSIES.
 

Four gipsey women broke into a paroxysm of weeping at Driffield  police court on Wednesday, when two male members their camp were handed over to an escort as military absentees. The men were arrested in their camp. The younger one said he had never heard of the Military Service Art, and could not read or write.

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                                        Bury free press Saturday 9 September 1916



                                                    ARMY ABSENTEE AT SOHAM.



On Friday, at the Newmarket (Cambs) Police Court, Walter Winter 23 married with one child, described as a hawker, of Soham, 3, Portland Road, Oldbury, was charged with being an absentee under the Military Service Act. He said he did not think he was a deserter. he had not had any papers or anything. police-sergt. Haylock deposed that on Thursday morning he called on prisoner at Soham and asked him to produce his registration card. Prisoner said “I am writing to Birmingham for it.”  Witness found that the man was a gazetted  deserter, he arrested him Thursday evening. When asked if he had lived at a Caravan, 2 Fox’s Yard, Dudley, prisoner said: "No, but my brother registered me living there.” Prisoner was fined 40s. And he was handed over to a military escort. 

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                                         Western times Wednesday 7 march 1917
 

                                                         
                                                              GIPSY'S AGE



 Holsworthy Charge of Being an Absentee Before   H. Stranger (in the chair) and the Rev. T, S. Kendall  Holsworthy, on Monday, Harry Sanders, a Gipsy, was charged with failing to register under the National Registration Act, and also with being a deserter from the army. P.C. Cotton stated that he questioned the defendant at Highborough Farm, sutcombe, on Sunday morning, and as the answers were not satisfactory he arrested him. In answer to the first charge defendant now said that he registered at Bideford but had lost his card. The Bench gave defendant the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case. With regard the charge of desertion defendant said he was 43 years of age and therefore not liable for military service, Supt. Boutfield, however, pointed out that when defendant was married at Bideford in January 1899 he gave his age as 21, which would make him 39 now. There was no war in contemplation in 1899 and the superintendent suggested that the age given at the marriage was correct. In answer to the Bench, defendant said he gave his age at marriage as 21 because it was usual to put down something. He had no idea then how old he really was, but since then his father had reckoned the age of all his children and he (defendant) was 43. Supt. Boutfield suggested that as defendant had nothing to show as to registration or military service, it would be advisable to hand him over to the military. If kept defendant would make a dear soldier, because he had a wife and seven children, but if he was rejected he would have something to show in the future, Defendant was ordered to pay the costs and handed over to a military escort

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                       Seven oaks chronicle and Kentish advertiser Friday 25 January 1918



                                                 CROW BOROUGH POLICE COURT



                                                     RAID ON THE GIPSY CAMP.


Five young men were brought before the Justices as the result of a raid carried out by civilian and Military police on Sunday morning. Jack Fuller. Thomas fuller. Thomas Fuller and Charlie wenman.  Were charged with being absentee under the Military Service Act. 1916. Three of the prisoners pleaded guilty, but one of the two men, named Thomas Fuller, stated he was not yet 18. P.c. Savage said at four o’clock in the early morning, in company with the Military police, he visited the encampment at Crow borough, and found the four prisoners. Who had nothing to show why they were not in the Army. They were without registration cards. Thomas fuller (son of a man bearing the same name) said he was under 18, but he could not produce any evidence to prove this. The prisoners were ordered to await the arrival of a Military escort.

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                                              Surry mirror Tuesday 11 April 1916



                                       GIPSY  ARRESRED  AT THE POLICE STATION



Richard Chapman, of no fixed abode. Gipsy, was charged with being an absentee, it being deemed that he had not enlisted under the Military Service Act, 1916. P.C. Sturt deposed that the accused called at Redhill Police Station to claim some horses that had been impounded. In reply to questions he gave the name as Richard Chapman, aged 23. And said he was not married. Asked if he was registered he first replied “Yes” and subsequently “No.” On being searched no papers were found on him. Witness arrested the man under the Military Service Act. Prisoner said he was willing to join the Army.  He was fined and the money deducted from his military pay, and remanded to await an escort.

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                                              Middlesex chronicle Saturday 15 April 1916



                                                                  Defaulters



                                                        Interesting cases at court



                                 SERVICE DEFAULTERS INTERESTING CASES AT THE COURT.


The rounding up of defaulters under the Military Service Act within the Brentford Petty Sessional Division proceeds steadily, and Saturday there was two men before the Court- on this day—-Daniel Smith (23), whose address was given Caravan, Dockwell-lane, Hounslow,” and Robert Smith (20), of Stainforth-road, Battersea, both hawkers had been remanded from the previous Saturday for furious riding, and inquiries made during the week resulted in their being further charges as absentees.—A number of gipsies, both men and women, were in Court during the hearing of the case.—P.c. Wood stated that when he asked the men whether they had presented themselves in accordance with the public proclamation calling upon certain persons to report on March 17th, Robert- Smith said he was a married man, and that the marriage took place at the Old Battersea Church. Witness was unable, however, to find any such record there, nor any other churches in the vicinity. Daniel Smith appeared to be living with a woman who had two children, but said he had not been through the marriage ceremony. He could neither read nor write, and Robert could only write his own name. Cross examined by Mr. Wilfrid Firth, the sergeant said he did not think the men had received any notice from the military for the reason that they had not been registered, but he personally warned Daniel Smith in Staines-road about a month ago. Mr. Firth said he understood accused would be no good for the Army for medical reasons, and he suggested that they might be given an opportunity of presenting themselves for enlistment has had been done in other cases. Capt. Swinton submitted that they had already had a very good opportunity, proclamations had been posted about several works, and they had without doubt heard the subject talked freely in the streets. the Bench ordered the payment of fine of 40s. Each, and handed the men over to the military, the charge of furious riding being dismissed. 

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                                    Sussex agricultural express Friday 31 march 1916



                                                               ABSENTEE.



On Friday, at the County Hall, Lewes, Mark Ripley, aged 24. gipsy, was charged, under the Military Service Act, with being absent without leave.—P.S. Burt said prisoner, who was arrested at Lane, Ringmer, did not give any explanation as to why had not joined the Army.—The Bench fined prisoner 40s, and decided that he should handed over to the military escort.