Stallards in Somerset

[FrancesStickley]

I'm researching my Stallard family from Bristol and Bedminster. Rumour has long had it that somewhere in our line there are Romany Travellers. I've yet to find out but have spotted with the Stallards some potential details - names like Moses, Nehemiah, Priscilla and Keziah. Surnames involved include Taylor (lots of), McGill, Card, Attwood, Lee, Gray and Webb.

I've found one member of the Attwood's in a travelling Wild West show but the Stallards are generally Plasterers and tilers. As far as I understand it, this wouldn't have been a typical profession of a traveller?

Also, I've noticed that many, nearly all of my Stallards appear in the criminal registers - one for counterfeit money but more often for assault when aprehended and I wondered if this was perhaps a clue - was it common for travellers in the 1800s to be aprehended by police for doing nothing wrong, as was the stigma attached?

If anyone can add anything, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks so much for your time,

Fran.

[Kedi01]

Hello Fran
I have Romany Taylor's on my tree, who were yours?
Kedi

[Frances Stickley]

Hello,

Keziah Taylor is my direct link - b.1827. Her parents were George and Mary - Keynsham, Somerset.

Does it ring any bells?

Thank you,

Fran.

[rob g]

Hi. Fran. Certainly gray and Lee are Romany surnames. Also Taylor. But also Gorgio names. Because gypsy folks move around. And tend to be secretive. We have allways attracted certain type's.we normally do General tradeing hawking. Dukkering...fortune
 Telling. Seasonally working on farms. But criminals on the periphery.find this attractive.to evade justice. We rarely ask questions. So these people may move in gypsy circles. We know who they are. But would not inform. As I have said before. Allway look at census and who are around.and related to and marrying into your family. Try Romany genes site. Not much.help. but Cushty boct. Good luck. Rob

[Kedi01]

Hello,
George and Mary would be the generation of my Jeremiah and Sarah Taylor. Kezia is a very Romany name but I don't recall it in my direct Taylor Line. Do you have any Platos? Keynesham sounds a bit familiar though. Do you have any further info for your Taylor's? Mine were around in Herts, Berks and Bucks then London and Essex.
Kedi

[Frances Stickley]

Thank you - I'll look a bit deeper into the Taylor's.

I do have a court transcript for one of my Stallards that describes his occupation as (quote) "goes around with a donkey selling pots and pans'. Does this sound like hawker or was it quite common to do this outside of Romany circles too?

We do seem to have a lot of interesting names - including Nehemiah and Zephaniah, Kezia and the like. Hmm. I shall keep on.

Thank you again.

[Kedi01]

Hello.
Biblical names or unusual names are a great sign. The fact that he went round with his donkey, sounds like he was a hawker or a tin man or both. All good signs for them being Romany. I'm also having a look for you. I'm sure my Jeremiah b1785  and saying he's from Egam Surrey,has plenty of siblings. He has children called Nathaniel, Jospeh, Plato, Thomas, William, etc. Also a grandson called Pyramus/Lazarus. There weresome wonderful names around! Then, of course they had their nick-names too. Just to make life more complicated! Not to mention the lack of registration for BD and M! We can only hope they have a criminal record as it gives us more clues!
Kedi

[Frances Stickley]

Wow, they really are good names! Love Plato.

Hmm, see we do have a fair bit of BMD info so maybe I am barking up the wrong tree after all. My Grandma is adamant though that she was of Romany decent so I might need to think on.

I have transcripts that describe tattoos too, but they seem to be mostly naval which is probably the Bristol connection.

[Kedi01]

So far all I've found is a Robert Henry Taylor baptised 2/7/1837 Winterbourne, Steepleton, Dorset. Son of Robert and Ann.

Also a marriage of a Henry Taylor b1840 Sussex, son of Robert, to Eliza Voller on 8/7/1876

He was born (according to your info) in the year that they required births to be registered. That doesn't mean they did it, or even knew. Also, he could/may not have been baptised out of the area when he was older. Sometimes baptisms happened when for example, hop picking time when all the families got together. They may have travelled quite a way for seasonal work.

Also, when he married, he may have said he was a Batchelor, when In fact he might be a widow? They also had a way of deciding to change their names, because of association or because they didn't like it. As we know, children were usually named after the fathers, grandfathers, mothers, grandmothers and siblings. When someone died, their name may never have been said again. (Superstitious) If a child was named after a loved one who died, they may assume another name.
It all adds to the confusion. :-)