gypsies/travellers

[skyp]

My Grandmother's parents still travelled in a romany horse drawn 'caravan'. My mother told me of staying with her as a child.
How do you go about tracing travellers, and is it worth trying to trace that side of the family?

[liverpool annie]

Hi Sky

Liverpool University has a wonderful collection about the Romanies

http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/gypsy/intro.htm

When I was a kid growing up in Liverpool -  the wonderful painted caravans were an annual occurance and absolutely mesmorizing - what a wonderful opportunity for you - to be able to delve into the most fascinating history of these wonderful people - you will be transported all over the world - from India and the far East to the Eastern bloc - I am so jealous - you go for it!!

I'm trying to think of a particular web site and it has completely escaped me - just remembered -  here it is - I had it in my favourites!!!!!!!

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/patrin.htm

Annie

[indiapaleale]

Hi Sky
This is a good list to subscribe to. Lots of people helping each other with their Romany ancestors.

uk-romani-l-request@rootsweb.com

Cheers,
Indi

[casalguidi]

Hi Sky

There is the Romany & Traveller Family History Society

http://www.rtfhs.org.uk/

There are lots of other bits & pieces dotted about the net but it would depend upon your area of interest.

An interesting site for Kentish Romani

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/voices/index.shtml

Some of my ancestors were Romany too and I have managed to trace them back a couple of hundred years in much the same way as I have traced other families ............. sometimes they are a little harder to track down but all the more rewarding when you do find them 

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[liverpool annie]

Hi Sky

Found another one that might help!! ( I found out a long time ago that Cooper was a Romany name - hence my interest!!)

http://www.geocities.com/seraphim_angel_2002/Gypsyindex.html

I might not have a Romany family - but mine sure did travel a lot!!!!

Annie

[Boongie Pam]

Hiya Skyp,

It has to be said they are a lot harder to trace but all teh more rewarding when you do.

I have travellers in my tree and I've found them tricky but I've found them.  As more and more census become indexed it will be a lot easier.

There is a good little book available...

"My Ancestors Were Gypsies" Sharon Sillers Floate

Published by the Society of Genealogists. 

It cost me £3.95 from the FRC.  Very useful.

Best of luck,
Pam