Hawkers

[Kazza]

Well,  I have only been away for the weekend,  and I come back to all sorts of Flaming and hi-jacking.  Am I going to have to smack some legs?

Kazza.

[Spursbird]

Hi,
My first posting.
The sites mentioned by Jane Masri:

http://www.passing-through.co.uk/
www.nwon.com/pauline/Travellers

These are research sites by Jackie and Pauline. As I have a foot in both camps (Gypsy and Travelling Showman) I told them about each others sites.

There are listings of all odd occupations - from most of the late census returns.  You can email either of them to add to these, as I have done.

Why do we get back to the old cabbage about Gypsy in the family?  To me, rather than working for someone for next to nothing, my family got out there and worked and had a good standard of living. I'm proud of my roots and researching any Gypsy/Showman/Traveller from Kent,London and E.Sussex.

In 1918 my GGdad Richard Pettigrove was the owner of "Fun City" several shops in the middle of the town, Ashford, Kent. Yet when he didnt pay his rates, he was just a Travelling Gypsy to the Judge. On Census returns his GDad was an Artisan and that of his wife family Fair Ground Caterers.  My GdDad was a Hawker on his marriage cert., and in turn on my birth cert., I am the daughter of a Travelling Showman.  The question is do I care what they have been called? I am proud of them and the standards they set have been passed down to me and my sister.  We are on this site to help each other and lets hope that we can forget this Hawker/Gypsy question.

[Hackstaple]

I hope this always friendly site is not turning into a vehicle for special interests to have a rant. I have no axe to grind for any part of this argument. I believe it is a pity that an honest effort by some people to research their ancestry has produced a number of perfectly insulting replies [amongst those of use].
Politeness is an obligation on civilised people, not a matter to be reserved for "Sunday best".

[casalguidi]

Hi Dylan

You were really lucky to have found your rellies living in a tent 1851 census because it wasn't necessary to list those not living in houses until 1861 - must have been a very conscientious enumerator!  The law changed for the 1861 census and then there were separate pages titled "Those not living in houses" which were entered at the end of each district - quite easy to find as you can skip to the end of each district - which includes those who slept in tents, barns, sheds, vans etc..

Hence doubt you will find them in 1841 census at all.

The best of luck with your future Gypsy/traveller research

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi there

There must have been more than one conscientious enumerator - as the 1851 for sussex contains lots of entries for tents, sheds, barns and roadside buildings.

Maybe it was moere common place than was at first thought

Chris in 1066Land

[fionahall]

Hi,

I am researching Isaiah Carter (born approx 1824) who on one census described as a licensed hawker.

I have seen the post with the extract from 'my ancestors were gypsies' saying for references to licences use jeremy gibson's quarter sessions records for family historians, does anybody know where I can find this?

Fiona