Do I have Gypsy blood

[Janice Arnold]

Come to a halt on my family tree and I'm guessing it's because my Great great great Grandfather was a traveler. i was told years ago that we had gypsy in the family but didn't really know if it was true. I know from my Great great Grandfathers James James's marriage certificate that his father Samuel James was a Tinman. After some research that seemed to be a  common trade for a gypsy. I have found James as a sweep "which I know to be true" on a connection to gypsies site. Would be really grateful for any help.

[trystan]

Janice,

A big welcome to RootsChat. I hope you find the site useful, and enjoyable - but most of all that you find more about your ancestors.

I've moved your post to this Travelling People section of RootsChat, so hopefully you'll get lots of help and ideas.

Trystan
RootsChat Support

[Steve G]

Janice; James is a very well known and widespread Gypsy surname.

 Want to know a dirty little secret? I grew up knowing a James girl. Over half a century later and I swear there's not a week goes by that I don't think of her!  Mental, I know. It's just something in the blood.

Anyway, yes,now ye just need to carry on doing what we, as Genealogists, do. Dig back. Only, try doing it open mindedly. Go at it like a Dog after a bone? Ye get blinkered.

Just do the old finger tip search bit. Moving backwards from yeself. Leaving no stone unturned. That way, time ye get back to that GGG Grandad, ye'll have a firm foundation and a sound methodology to tease out what ever there is to find, without bias.

Besides; It's great fun, snooping around in peoples past lives. Keeps us out of mischief and flat skint too! 

[LizzieW]

Want to know a dirty little secret? I grew up knowing a James girl. Over half a century later and I swear there's not a week goes by that I don't think of her!

Over half a century later, I still think of a certain one that got away, of course, in my mind he is still 19, but with a bit of research I found one of his daughters on Facebook with her wedding photos.  Oh dear, this handsome 19 year old is now a 74 year old man    I guess you'll find the James girl has similarly aged.

[Steve G]

Heart breaking, isn't it?

Anyway, I was thinking about ye man there. I think there's genuinely a very good chance that he'll prove the real deal. All the right boxes are getting ticked.

Fastest track might be to work with the census'. I don't know if ye could even get a certificate for that far back? Dunnow. Not clear, in my head, how far back he is. Or how far back we can get paper work.

Certainly worth a shot though.