Petulengro

[mc8]

Sanspirella Heron was called "Pokomovna" by Borrow.

What a name! I'm surprised they needed to invent anything else to make it more exotic
Monique

[An65]

hahaha yes - I must say, I like Sanspirella much better, it kind of rolls off the tongue. 

[nickimck]

Hello all. my sister and I have found this interesting reading. Our mother was married to Leon Petulengro in Baildon on 2nd/9th/1937 she was Illena Smith and shows on the Pathe news clip.I also have the newpaper cutting from the Telegraph and Argus and some of the original photos from the wedding. We would love to be in touch with any members of the family or people that can fill in a lot of the gaps, as we may be able to fill in a few for others.. We have been told we may have half sisters and brothers from this marriage that we do not know about.I have enclosed a photo from the wedding. This one I have taken from the Pathe news clip but I have some of my own. To add to some of the information on here, yes my mother danced,  her and Leon also featured in an old black and white film as Gypsy dancers, does anyone know any way I could find that?Thanks Nicola

[William Cook]

Hello Nicola

I was the one who orignally started this thread as I was looking for my aunt whom I found and a bit of info of the band she was in. Sadly the Petulengro I am researching is not the same Petulengro to whom you are related. There are a few replies above indicating that they may be the same but they are not, so any information I have on the ones I was tracing will not be much use to you I think but of course you are welcome to see all I found anyway (which sadly, isn't much) I have created a website that contains pretty much all I have discovered to date. I am still searching! The website is located at http://www.petulengro.co.uk

Good luck in your searching

Kind regards

William

[liverpool annie]

I'm glad to see your website Bill !! 

We should start looking again !! 

Nice to see you !

Annie 

[Terry Weller]

Hello Bill, looking at your website yesterday the photos below Dora Davidson I am pretty sure the top one is Dora and the bottom one looks very much like Vi Moss.

[Isabel H]

Have you tried The Stage archive? A search for Petulengros Gypsy Hussars brings up one mention,  dated Jan 26, 1933.   

[nickimck]

I wonder if anyone can help me.i have attached a photo of my mother with Old Pet. (Xavier) My mother Illena Smith married Leon Petulengro in 1937 in Baildon at a huge gypsy wedding with 40,000 people present. I know its a long time ago but can anyone remember it or even better were they there?

[liverpool annie]

I wonder if anyone can help me.i have attached a photo of my mother with Old Pet. (Xavier) My mother Illena Smith married Leon Petulengro in 1937 in Baildon at a huge gypsy wedding with 40,000 people present. I know its a long time ago but can anyone remember it or even better were they there?

Hi nickimck and welcome to RootsChat !! 

I can't help you with your question but just wanted to say ..... what a terrific photo !!  you probably have this already but just in case ...... 

Xavier Petulengro
Was described as the King of the Gypsies, in an account of a Romany wedding at Baildon in Yorkshire in 1937 between his nephew Leon Petulengro and Illeana Smith. According to the caption of a photograph Xavier Petulengro cut the hands of the couple to mingle their blood during the ceremony. Baildon was a famous fair and meeting place for Gypsies. Petulengro was well known as a broadcaster on Gypsy subjects.
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10249897&wwwflag=3&imagepos=1

I'll keep looking !

Annie