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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hampshire & Isle of Wight => Topic started by: Muffin41 on Sunday 02 September 18 20:28 BST (UK)
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Can anyone say that the Belton families born in Headley, Hampshire were at one time Gypsies who lived as bargemen on the Basingstoke Canal?
In 1939 Thomas Henry Belton born 882 was a Wheelwright & Blacksmith who lived in the Canal Cottages in Boundary Lane Woking Surrey.
They may have worked the Canal between Farnbough and Woking at one time.
( I'm offline until tomorrow :D)
Muffin41
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Have you not looked at the family on earlier censuses to determine their respective occupations?
I don’t think occupations like bargemen, wheelwrights and blacksmiths are normally associated with gypsies so why do you think they were?
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You could try the Rootschat database for canal watermen
http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/dbsig/index.php?dbsig_num=4
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Canal Cottages.
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This Rootschat thread in answer to your BELTON of Headley query of 10 years ago mentions occupations like heath broom maker, charcoal burner and chimney sweep which were traditional gypsy occupations.
Levi & Amos were traveller names.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=332997.0
It looks as though they settled over time.
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Thank you all for your replies. :)
I have been told that the Belton family were lived on or near the canal and had hoped to prove it one way or the other. ::)
(Below:- My personal opinion)
Blacksmiths could have been useful as horses would have lost a shoe at one time or the other.
Wheelwrights - the wagons would have to be repaired as well.
Muffin41