Gypsies/ Travellers in houses

[Kaybron]

Hi Ruskie,

My ancestors were Gypsies.  My great great grandparents, in the 1861 Census are listed as living in a Tent.  Also in the 1891 Census, one of their married daughters is on the Census, living in a caravan on the Epson Downs.  The Census lists a number of families living in Caravans and for some of the families the occupation is provided as Travelling Gypsies.

Regards Kaybron

[Ruskie]

That’s interesting Kaybron. 

I have no traveller/gypsy ancestors myself, but have read threads which mention similar examples to yours.

[Ashjo]

The 1861 census shows an ancestor of mine, Nathali Smith with three sons, three daughters and his sister-in-law listed entered as 'Parish of Granby, Leicestershire. List of persons not in houses. Barkestone Road in tents'.
An old thread I know, but may be of some inter est.
Ashjo.

[MeirSoul]

The 1861 census shows an ancestor of mine, Nathali Smith with three sons, three daughters and his sister-in-law listed entered as 'Parish of Granby, Leicestershire. List of persons not in houses. Barkestone Road in tents'.
An old thread I know, but may be of some inter est.
Ashjo.

Were they gypsies in houses ?

[Ashjo]

Yes they were Gypsies. The post was in response to a question as to whether census returns only covered people in houses.  The Napthali referred to died in 1865, but by 1871 his children were listed in that years census as living in Little London, Melton Mowbray.

Ashjo.

[Ashjo]

Re my previous perhaps it should have read 'Yes they were Gypsies and at the time of the census were living in tents, not in houses.'

Ashjo.

[Lanc81]

Has anyone got examples of Romanis in houses??My ancestors lived in houses and travelled. I'm sure it was quite common to do both.

[MeirSoul]

Has anyone got examples of Romanis in houses??My ancestors lived in houses and travelled. I'm sure it was quite common to do both.

Plenty do these days.  And from the research I've done since creating this thread it seems to of not been out of the ordinary back then neither.  Smithy Lane in Uttoxeter was a street that was basically a gypsy camp .

[Al16]

I have seen this in my husbands tree early 1800s in these cases they tended to be agricultural labourers so lived on the farm, probably in a barn or such. He is Romany.

The descendant I was tracing lived exclusively in tents or gipsy caravans after leaving the family which would suggest a history of travelling despite this not showing on the prior censuses. She also married another gipsy. It would have been very uncommon in those times to marry outside the community.

They also came up in different county's on each census - Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire suggesting they were travelling.