Nellie Saunders - Portsmouth, 1901

[rosie99]

Firstly I have a James or a Thomas Saunders, who was born about 1878 in Brighton.
He married a Rose Davis, born about 1882 in Bristol.
They had Nellie Saunders, born 1900, Portsmouth
Also Emma Saunders, born 1915, Midhurst
And Horace, born 1925, Portsmouth

There are other children between 1901 & 1911 

[rosie99]

Possible birth registration for Nellie 

September qtr 1899   
Ellen Davis   
Portsea    2b   541

Why do you think he was a gipsy.  Tents were sometimes used as accommodation for the poor, by the next census he is in a house.  The 1901 census shows him as living next to Gipsy Caravans it does not classify his tent the same.

[Clarkey500]

Possible birth registration for Nellie 

September qtr 1899   
Ellen Davis   
Portsea    2b   541

Why do you think he was a gipsy.  Tents were sometimes used as accommodation for the poor, by the next census he is in a house.  The 1901 census shows him as living next to Gipsy Caravans it does not classify his tent the same.

From family members 

[rosie99]

 It is believed they are gypsies by the family and the census record agrees with that as it says they lived in a 'tent'.

The census record does not mention gypsy against this household.  The previous entry states gipsy/caravan, this entry just says tent.  These caravans and tents appear on the census between 34 & 36 Prince Albert Street, Portsmouth.

Do you have the family in 1911.

[lizdb]

Getting the marriage cert would give (hopefully) names and occupations of each of their fathers, and be the next step to tracing them further back. Hopefully that will help find themin earlier censuses and then eventually to their births.

[Darnity]

You say that family members believe these were a Gypsy family.

Sanders/Saunders is a name that is found in the community and Olympic boxer Billy Joe Saunders comes from a Romany Gypsy family but you need more facts about your Saunders.

See if your local Library has a copy of Sharon Sillers Floate's "My Ancestors were Gypsies" or Alan McGowan's "On the Gypsy Trail" or Bob Dawson's "A Gypsy in the Family" that you could read to get some help with deciding if your Saunders are Gypsies and tracking them down.

Hope this is useful.