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Some Special Interests => Travelling People => Topic started by: wiccacat on Thursday 30 December 10 11:49 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I was wondering if anyone had come across the Drakeley Family? I know they had a fairground in the early 1900's and later became coal merchants and there is still a distant part of my line that still run a fairground in the South.
I would like to find out when they got in to the fairground and if there are any gypsy connections as I was told there is when I was a child but unfortunaely there is no one around anymore that I can ask.
Thanks
Wiccacat
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hi, w.cat, i dont recognise the name as a gypsy one. but most fairground people dont really mix with romany folk. that said my uncle did marry into a old cumbrian fair family.there are fairground family history sites on the net, well worth a look, sadly i cannot recall the sites, but am sure if you give showman history, a look somthing will turn up. good luck rob..g
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We may have a few coincidences..... I have both the name of Drakeley and Elstone. My Elstone's were in the Hampshire,Sussex & Surrey borders. My Great Grandfather, John Matthews (1875 - 1931) was the Great Grandson of William Matthews and Bethsheba Drakely from Nuneaton. Like you, there was also a hint of perhaps a gyspy connection. Can we share notes? and see if there is actually a connection?
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Hi sorry for the delay (whoops) I have seen those names. I'll have a dig and see what I can find.
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my name is Diana Cox (nee Goodhead) i am the great grandaughter of Tom Drakely who had fairground in the midlands, an my grandad Goodhead had a coal business. there is a gypsy connection on the Goodhead side as my great grandad Goodhead married a gypsy called Rebecca Neal her brother Josiah Neal. If you would like to know more dont hesitate to get in contact.
Diana Cox
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Hi Diana
thanks for the message. any information would be great and if i can help you in any way please ask. i may be on here at odd times and dates as i had my babay a week ago so please bear with me! lol
Wiccacat
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i don't come on here much, i now live in lincolnshire and would like to talk to you more. my email address is * the goodhead family originates from burton on Trent but my great grandad goodhead was the blacksheep of the family as he married a gypsy, i since found out this year she was Jewish so that could be another reason.
look forward to hearing from you soon.
Diana Cox
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Hi Julie, it is a number of years since we have been in contact. As you are aware Bathsheba and William are my great great grandparents.
The fair ground family are descended from Abraham Drakeley (1665) who was Bathsheba's great grandfather.
David
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Hi there, first time at this so I hope it's right.
My name is Raymond F Drakeley, born in Kitts Green, Stechford, Birmingham 33 in 1953. For the early part of my life the Drakeley fair would winter and set up on a piece of ground in Stechford on the banks of the river Cole opposite Cotterills lane island. I believe that the land is still unused today so is it still owned by the fair? And yes I believe they sold coal from there too.
I was always lead to believe that my family were linked to a family of 9 brothers who started the fair, I think the main player was Charles Drakeley, I have not yet verified any of this. Some of the rides are still in use and apparently owned by their descendants. The helter skelter was built in the early 1900's and is still in use, recently it was in Malvern. At present my knowledge of family only goes back to1886, my grand father.
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I hope someone sees this. I have Romani in my family but I have just discoverd that I have Bathsheba Drakeley born 1797 married to William Matthews on my fathers side..Is this the same person I wonder.
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As I said previously Bathsheba and William were my great great grandparents. I can confirm that we have the same dates of birth for Bathsheba. I am interested how you are related. However until you make two more posts I can't contact you using the message system. I have a large amount of information about both the Matthews and Drakeley families.
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I am new to this sorry.. Here is what I have.Bathsheba 1797 - 1878 married Wm Matthews 1791 - 1861 My 4x grandparents. Son Wm 1822 married Jane Pettifer 1823. Their daughter Rhoda 1857 married Thomas Green 1856.
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I think the Drakeleys are still involved with funfairs.
Have you seen this?
http://www.oldtymefunfairs.co.uk/corporate-funfair-hire.php
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Thank you. I havent long found them.
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The line back from Bathsheba is as follows:
Her parent were William 1754 and Hannah Dewell.
His parents were John Drakeley and his second wife Jane.
John was the son of Abraham and Anne (possibly Paine)
The fairground/coal merchant/canal boat branch of the family is descended from Abraham the brother of John.
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Thank you for the reply.. I am excited to find out that I have a mixture of different cultures within.
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Could it possible to view someone's tree please.I am trying to find out if my Drakely s connect to the Boswell s or Smith's. Thank you
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My paternal grandparents lived in a double decker bus on ground owned by the Drakeley family on Belchers Lane. Birmingham before it was brought by Birmingham Corporation to build houses. recently I met the second wife of Jack Drakeley whose Dad was also called Jack who I think owned the land. Its a small world
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Hi all, I have recently convinced myself that there is no connection between my family and the fairground. for those looking and not heard of it, there is a book called "midland fairground families" by Ned Williams, there is a good section on the Drakeley fair / coal business including some family tree information.
Good luck with your searches. Ray
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Hello everybody I hope you are all well. I understand this is quite an old post but I don't know where else to go. I'm looking for information on the Drakeleys. My name's side. She told me her line were travellers until her mom decided she didn't want to live in a 'bleedin' can't anymore. At that point my great grandad John or 'Jack' worked the coal barges in Birmingham instead of the fairgrounds. I'm curious as I've read that Romany married in to my family. I would love to know more if anyone can help me? Behind the frogs (love that name) do you have information at all? Indeed does anyone? Much love xxx
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I have a number of Drakelys in my tree that could fit the information that you give above. Once you have made a few more posts we can exchange private messages and I can send you copies. Meanwhile can you narrow the field a little by providing a few dates and places. In particular do you know the names of any of John's siblings.
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Thankyou! This could be invaluable. Sadly my nanna is poorly and her memory with it but I have asked my dad to findd out what he can. I can certainly provide the name of my great nan and all of my nan's siblings shortly when he gets back to me.
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Hi, I’m new to all this my mother is a Drakeley and was from the fairground also but they lived in Lower Dicker East Sussex at the time of them being on the fair, her Dads name is Harry Roy Drakeley and his Wife is Caroline,
His mother and father were George and Linda but that is as far as I can go back.
They worked on Nicky Shaws fairs 90% of the time
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This brings back so many memories for me. My grandparents lived in one of the last houses in Stechford Lane & fetched their coal from Drakeleys. I was taken to the fair when it came to the yard, over 70 years ago. I was about 4 or 5 at the time. I can still see in my mind, the swingboats the roller coaster & the merrygoround.
Those were the days.
Good luck with your research.
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my name is Diana Cox (nee Goodhead) i am the great grandaughter of Tom Drakely who had fairground in the midlands, an my grandad Goodhead had a coal business. there is a gypsy connection on the Goodhead side as my great grandad Goodhead married a gypsy called Rebecca Neal her brother Josiah Neal. If you would like to know more dont hesitate to get in contact.
Diana Cox
Hi Diana - I have recently found out my grandfather worked for WJ Goodhead. He was a sign writer who produced the guilded lettering on the coal (trucks) and the graphics on a number of the fairground rides for Drakeleys. Do you have any photos of any of these at all?
Nick
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Hi there, first time at this so I hope it's right.
My name is Raymond F Drakeley, born in Kitts Green, Stechford, Birmingham 33 in 1953. For the early part of my life the Drakeley fair would winter and set up on a piece of ground in Stechford on the banks of the river Cole opposite Cotterills lane island. I believe that the land is still unused today so is it still owned by the fair? And yes I believe they sold coal from there too.
I was always lead to believe that my family were linked to a family of 9 brothers who started the fair, I think the main player was Charles Drakeley, I have not yet verified any of this. Some of the rides are still in use and apparently owned by their descendants. The helter skelter was built in the early 1900's and is still in use, recently it was in Malvern. At present my knowledge of family only goes back to1886, my grand father.
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I'm a Drakeley, goin back Tommy n Charlie started the fairs from Aston, Birmingham. From me family we spoze be off of the canels but me Great Great Grandmother was an Irish Traveller me old Grandfather married. From what me family said she was the most beautiful woman anyone had ever seen wiv long jet black hair down her back n bright green eyes. Me family been involved in the fairs from when I was a boy. Me Father n Mother was heavy into the horses aswel. Me Father supplied Shires n foals to Whitbreads in London fir pulling the drays to deliver the ale around London until Whitbreads stopped it completely. They opened a big farm in Sevenoaks, Kent where all the horses retired n made it a attraction fir the public wiv the hop farm aswel n that. We used do Horse of the year show n all the big fairs n steam fairs. Times change n I spose we all aft to adapt. Fir my knowledge Drakeley ain't a common name, spelt Drakeley not Drakley. So if use from or got connections to Warwickshire, Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton or Stoke On Trent then I'm sure we's all related somewhere along the line