romany gypsies

[trier]

can any one tell me how trace my grandfather who was Romany he was a hop picker in Kent any help very grateful sorry for bad spelling

[casalguidi]

Hi Trier

I don't know if you have done any family history or tracing of your ancestors before but if so, Gypsies can be traced in exactly the same way as non travellers.  They are often harder to track down because they moved around so much but the process is the same.

Would you like to tell us everything you know about your grandfather ie:

When/where was he born?
When/where/who did he marry?
Do you know if he had any brothers/sisters and their names/ages/birthplaces?

With some further information we should be able to help you or point you in the right direction at least.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[smeghead]

what bad spelling 

[corbie]

Hi Trier,
     Try this site  www.thegalloper.com it has loads of links to travellers sites.  Click on the 'names index' that links you to census' for romany's
               Good luck
             Sue

[trier]

hi thanks for the replies my grandfather died in 1944 of cancer after being a pow (japanese) his name was john smith but I've been told he was known as john brenchly in his early childhood after the place he was born in kent? i don't know when he was born possibly 1899, don't know when he married my nan abt 1918 i believe as their first was born 1919 my Nan's maiden name was savage and her mums name was muckell both born islington London my Nan married twice after that a Edwards and a waterman no info there either i know its not a lot to go on but heres hoping

[casalguidi]

Ok.  I think what you first need to do is to look for the marriage certificate of your grandparents ie. John (SMITH?) to ........... SAVAGE.  You might find it easier to search the indexes for SAVAGE first - I assume that you know your grandmother's first name.

The indexes can be searched (pay per view) at http://www.1837online.com and when you find an entry for your grandmother you need to look for an entry for your grandfather in the same year and quarter with the same reference number.  When you have a match ............. you can then order a marriage certificate for £7 at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

If you are unsure of your grandmother's first name, then you will probably need to find the birth certificate for one of their children first .............. again you can search the indexes at http://www.1837online.com and order from the other site that I mentioned.

Yes, Brenchley would make sense for somebody who was hop picking in Kent.

Have you seen this site 

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

Best wishes

Casalguidi