FLETCHER family - were they gypsies, travellers?

[jack alan fletcher]

Hi There

Thought I would drop you a message as I am a Fletcher also and my family settled in Hanney was Berkshire but now Oxfordshire in the 1871 census and their address was Black Horse Orchard in a caravan. There is a site called RomanyJib that lists my Fletcher ancestory on it all the way to my great grandfather who was called Albert Fletcher. I wonder if we have the same bloodline somewhere down the way?

Jack Fletcher

[smileyface471686]

could this be your Hannah in 1871? I was looking for my 4xt gt grandparents son William Loveridge born 1859/60 and came across the following:-
1871 Bells Lane Hoo Kent
William Moles  36 conneystanton Hunts
Hannah Loveage  mistress 34  Little Brittle Bucks (most like little brickhill)
with children Mary ann, William, Rebecca, Joseph,Benjamin and Ellen.
Seeing that your Hannahs mother was a Loveridge, it is quite likely she took on the names of Fletcher and Loveridge.

[smileyface471686]

Hi,

I'm interested in the travelling FLETCHERs too. I'm descended from Darnity (various spellings of her given name) DRAPER a daughter of Billy (William) and Mary (COTCHIN) DRAPER, who married a gorgio.

Billy and Mary had two daughters the other being Ellen who married John RAINBOW in 1841. I'm still trying to work out if he has some Gypsy blood but he certainly travels around dealing in horses, as a carrier and general dealer, mainly in Bucks and Northants but sometimes further afield. He was baptised in Yardley Hastings, Northants and his roots there appear to be settled, but maybe there's some Gyspy blood a bit further back.

Ellen DRAPER was his second wife, his first died in late 1840 leaving him with young children, and he quickly married Ellen. They can be found in the 1841 census in Yardley Hastings "in a van at the side of the road". His first wife was called Lavinia DRAPER but I can't fit her into any DRAPER tree so far.

Billy and Mary also had four sons - Spencer, Billy Jnr, Kisby and Ellick (various spellings but formally Alexander).

Billy Jnr died as a young man, with no known issue.

Kisby, who lived to a good old age,  appears to have carried on a relationship with a Gypsy called Cinderella (sometimes SMITH, sometimes BELDAM) and have a number of children with her, whilst also marrying a gorgio and having lots of children with her too. He can sometimes be found as Kisby DRAPER, sometimes Kisby SMITH and in later years with his wife as Kisby COTCHIN.

Spencer has a son called Aaron who marries Emma SEABROOK as SMITH in 1876 and says on his marriage certificate that he doesn't know who his father is. Spencer can be found as DRAPER up to the 1881 census but in 1891 he's with his wife Ann using the surname SMITH and his death is registered as Spencer SMITH.

It's Ellick where the FLETCHERs come into the story....

In 1834 at St Mary Magdalene in Little Brickhill, Bucks William FLETCHER a gyspy sojourner marries Mary LOVERIDGE otp.

At the same church in 1835 they baptise a daughter Sophia FLETCHER and in 1838 another daughter Hannah. They are shown as being of somewhere that begins BUL... in Northants, but I think this may be Bulwell Notts as there seem to be FLETCHERS in that area but I haven't seen the OPRs yet.

In the Autumn of 1860 down in Kent, and the DRAPERS seem to regularly travel down for the picking season,  Alexander DRAPER marries Hannah FETCHER and then I can't find them again...... although oral history suggests they had some children.

But in 1881 Ellick pops up in the Reading area as Alexander SMITH with a wife Phoebe and children.

So what's happened to Hannah FLETCHER/DRAPER/SMITH after 1860? Can ayone help - thanks

could this be your Hannah in 1871? I was looking for my 4xt gt grandparents son William Loveridge born 1859/60 and came across the following:-
1871 Bells Lane Hoo Kent
William Moles  36 conneystanton Hunts
Hannah Loveage  mistress 34  Little Brittle Bucks (most like little brickhill)
with children Mary ann, William, Rebecca, Joseph,Benjamin and Ellen.
Seeing that your Hannahs mother was a Loveridge, it is quite likely she took on the names of Fletcher and Loveridge.

[Darnity]

Thanks very much for that - I'll have a good look at these people you've found in 1871.

[Darnity]

Thanks smileyface471686 for the find of Hannah LOVEAGE shown as William MOLES' "mistress" on the 1871 census.

Forward ten years to 1881 and they are elsewhere in Kent, with more children, and all using the surname MOLES.

This Hannah is baptised in Little Brickhill May 14th 1837 to Richard LOVERIDGE and his wife Mary, he described as a tinker.

My Hannah is baptised at Little Brickhill Feb 11 1838 to William FLETCHER and Mary nee LOVERIDGE, descibed as travellers of Northants.

Her sister Sophia Fletcher is also baptised there Sep 13 1835 to William and Mary travellers of Northants

The two Hannahs look to be cousins as Richard and Mary Loveridge appear to be siblings:

Richard Loveridge married Mary Hemmons 1833 both otp
Mary Loveridge otp married William Fletcher gypsy sojourner 1834
Lucy Loveridge married Frederick Olliff, he son Thomas and she dau Benjamin a lab, both otp wits Benjamin Loveridge  and Ann Bates 1840
John Loveridge married Elizabeth White he son Benjamin tinker, she no father shown, wits Moses Loveridge and John Perry1843

all at Little Brickhill.

There are three Loveridge burials at Little Brickhill - James 1832 aged 2, James 1834 infant and Mary 1854 age 43 (probably Richard's wife)

There are nine Loveridge baptisms at Little Brickhill:

Charles Richard 1853 Nov 17 to Richard and Mary chimney sweeper born 13 Jul 1851
Elizabeth 1853 4 Dec to Richard and Mary  born 19 May 1847
the Hannah who partners William Moles in 1837
James 1831 Feb 6 to Benjamin and Hannah tinker
James 1834 Dec 18 to Richard and Mary tinker
John 1841 Dec 19 to Benjamin and Priscilla tinker and brazier
Margaret 1814 - the earliest Loveridge entry in the transcribed PRs - to Solomon and Mary tinker sojourner
Mary Ann 1853 Dec 4 to Richard and Mary chimney sweeper born 12 May 1845
Sarah 1842 Apr 17 to Richard and Mary chimney sweeper
and William 1839 4th Aug to Richard and Mary tinker


Lucy and Frederick Olliff are in Aylesbury in 1851 with Richard and Mary.

So it looks like Richard, Mary, Lucy and John are the children of Benjamin Loveridge and they all often spend time in Little Brickhill.


So Hannah FLETCHER (mother Mary Loveridge) wife of Alexander DRAPER (aka SMITH) is still awol after her marriage in 1860 in Kent.


Thanks again

[j.1959]

i think some of the loveridges mentioned on here are my relatives . my 3rd great grandad benjamin loveridge was married to hannah grey they had ten children including john,richard,aaron and moses (twins) and mary who married william fletcher they stayed in buckinghamshire and east anglia

[Darnity]

Very pleased to meet you j.1959

So if Mary was the daughter of Benjamin Loveridge and Hannah Grey
 that would explain why she and William Fletcher named one of their daughters Hannah - after granny.

Do you know what happened to Hannah after she married Alexander Draper/Smith?

Which of the children do you descend from?

[j.1959]

hi i havent got hannah as a daughter of mary and william on my tree iv got them as having four children;thomas,david,sophia and william.my 2nd great grandad john was marys brother ,his son james was my great grandad,his son robert was my grandad and roberts son also called robert was my dad

[Darnity]

hi i havent got hannah as a daughter of mary and william on my tree iv got them as having four children;thomas,david,sophia and william.my 2nd great grandad john was marys brother ,his son james was my great grandad,his son robert was my grandad and roberts son also called robert was my dad

At what point in time do they have the four children Thomas, David, Sophia and William? Is this on a Census?

Do you agree that the parents' marriage is 1834 at St Mary Magdalene in Little Brickhill, Bucks William FLETCHER a gyspy sojourner marries Mary LOVERIDGE otp?

At the same church in 1835 William and Mary baptise a daughter Sophia FLETCHER and in 1838 another daughter Hannah.  She marries in Kent in 1860.