Stevens

[Dundonald]

I would greatly appreciate information about the Stevens family of Gloucestershire.

I'm not sure whether they were genuine gypsies or not but certainly were travellers and often described as gypsies. They were hawkers rather than showmen.

The members whom I am particularly interested in are:
Ambrose Stevens (b.1809 Chedworth- d.1894 in Monmouthshire) and his wife Susannah (b.1808, Nailsworth- d.1896 Monmouth); his father Robert Stevens (1764, Gloucestershire- 1840 (Chedworth)
and other members of the Chedworth family.

[rob g]

hi, dundonald.  a long way off from your area, but they were travellers after all.  and there were/ still are traveller/romany folk, called stevens. i know many, try the lancaster, and lancashire areas, and the lanc opc site. olso yorks areas, they are still hawking stuff, and travelling. so an old romany traveller family name, that is well known. hope this is of some help.  rob,

[Dundonald]

Thanks for the info.
Derek

[vince smith]

Hello Derek and Rob g.

I am related to the Chedworth Stevens.  My 3xGrt Grandad was Emmanuel Stevens.  All th information I have is thanks to either, Don Locke or Rootschat member, Bagpuss.

Have you checked the Chedwoth website.  It tells of the Stevens family involvement in the Swing Riots.

Rob knows his stuff as far as who's who, .  As he says, the Stevens of today are considered as very Romany.  There are also many Showmen Stevens', but many Showpeople have deep Romany ancestry.

Until family members DNA test, it is alost impossible to ascertain if a given male line was originally Romany. Sometimes a Traveller of say, English origin, married a romany woman.  After a few generations, that name would be considered as a Romany name.

The descriptions available of the Stevens men during the swing riots, were typically Romany. 

The family married into the Mustos, Lockes and Smiths, as well as others.

hope this helps,  Vince.

[Dundonald]

Hi, Vince

Thanks for the info.
I do have the Swing Riot information.
Emmanuel was my x3g G uncle- as I decend from his brother Joshua (of swing riot fame!).
Which of Emmanuel's twelve children (in my records) is on your direct line?

Is it possible to contact Don Locke or Bagpuss??

Derek

[vince smith]

Hi Derek,

If you go to the link thread here on the Traveller board, you'll see contact info for Don Lock.  If not I'll pm his contact.
as for Bagpuss, she is also a member on here. If you put Stevens or Musto into the search on this forum, you'll see her posts and ber able to PM her.

My ancestor, was Eve Stevens, daughter of Manny Stevens and Eve Lock.  She married my grt grt Grandfather, Guilroy Smith. Scources: Don Lock and Sue Day

According to Sue, Eve was also known as Cenementi.

There are some good photos of Stevens family members on Romany Jib.

Also my x2 grt Gran, Alice Musto, was Grandaughter of Robert Stevens.

Apparently a daughter Jane married twice.  First to a non Gypsy Wheeler and after he was deported, a second marriage to a Gypsy/ Travlleller/ Tinman, Abraham Musto.

Her Daughter was Alice.

[Dundonald]

Thanks for the new data.

I do have one query.You say that Jane married a Wheeler and later Abraham Mustoe.
I have this as Eleanor Stevens (1817, Chedworth- 1891, Dursley Workhouse) marries James Joy (also known as Joy Wheeler) on 11 Dec 1832 in Chedworth.
Joy was transported in 1835 to Tasmania- 7 years for Poaching. Convicted 1835 Apr 4, transported 1835 June 18 on the Aurora (under name James Joy). He stayed in Australia, remarried twice (to Rose Ann Milligan (1844 June 9 in Hobart) and later to Isabella Williams. He died on 25 Nov, 1882 and is buried in Gray's Bridge Cemetery, St Arnaud, Victoria.
Eleanor remarried to Abraham Mustoe, probably in 1840, and had 9 children (full details on request).
Do you think that Jane is an alternative name for Eleanor or do we have different people?
Derek

[vince smith]

Hello Derek,

You are absolutely right.  Eleanor was indeed the wife of Joy Wheeler and Mustoe.  Non researcher that I am, I've confused other family Janes. 
Robert Steven's wife, may have been a Jane, and Jane Musto, daughter of Abraham, married my x2 grt Uncle, Samson Smith.
There were also connections with the Davies family. Bagpuss shared details of some of the davies relatives being taken into the workhouse as children, for hawking in the streets.  Samson and Jane also had two daughters taken away in this fashion.

Thanks for your information, really interesting.  sorry that mine is to say the least inacurate.

Gloucestershire is still full of all the aforementioned Gypsy families.

vince.

[Pollypooh]

Hi, My great grandmother was Elizabeth Stevens, her dad was Charles and his dad was John Stevens. They were a gypsy family.  John Stevens was born in 1833 in Chadwell Heath. He was a horse dealer then a metal dealer.  I have been unable to research any further back.  I was wondering if these names rang any bells with anyone.  I would appreciate any help that is available.  Thank you.