marine store dealer

[mike4301]

Hi all, i have been told that somewhere in my family ther is a gypsy link. My ancestors did travel for work in the iron industry from Staffordshire to Sheffield and ending up in Manchester. There surname was HALL. My gt granfather Timothy was a marine store dealer manager, I read somewhere this was a gypsy discription for a dealer in scrap,is this true? His father Jabez was an iron worker as was his father before William. Jabez and Timothy ended up being greengrocers in Levenshulme Manchester. My mother remembers visiting gypsy people with her granfather ,in the 1940,s. She didnt know who they were but were made welcome in the caravans. Any help would be much appriciated.
bye for now Michael

[casalguidi]

Hi Mike

Yes, marine store dealer was an occupation followed my many travellers and their descendants and, yes, they were the equivalent of the modern day scrap merchants

The origins of the term "marine store" are described by Goggy http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,128580.0.html

Casalguidi

[mike4301]

Thanks casalguidi,
  one of my Hall lot married into the Ralphs who were also scrap merchents.
  regards Mike