Hi,
I'm interested in the travelling FLETCHERs too. I'm descended from Darnity (various spellings of her given name) DRAPER a daughter of Billy (William) and Mary (COTCHIN) DRAPER, who married a gorgio.
Billy and Mary had two daughters the other being Ellen who married John RAINBOW in 1841. I'm still trying to work out if he has some Gypsy blood but he certainly travels around dealing in horses, as a carrier and general dealer, mainly in Bucks and Northants but sometimes further afield. He was baptised in Yardley Hastings, Northants and his roots there appear to be settled, but maybe there's some Gyspy blood a bit further back.
Ellen DRAPER was his second wife, his first died in late 1840 leaving him with young children, and he quickly married Ellen. They can be found in the 1841 census in Yardley Hastings "in a van at the side of the road". His first wife was called Lavinia DRAPER but I can't fit her into any DRAPER tree so far.
Billy and Mary also had four sons - Spencer, Billy Jnr, Kisby and Ellick (various spellings but formally Alexander).
Billy Jnr died as a young man, with no known issue.
Kisby, who lived to a good old age, appears to have carried on a relationship with a Gypsy called Cinderella (sometimes SMITH, sometimes BELDAM) and have a number of children with her, whilst also marrying a gorgio and having lots of children with her too. He can sometimes be found as Kisby DRAPER, sometimes Kisby SMITH and in later years with his wife as Kisby COTCHIN.
Spencer has a son called Aaron who marries Emma SEABROOK as SMITH in 1876 and says on his marriage certificate that he doesn't know who his father is. Spencer can be found as DRAPER up to the 1881 census but in 1891 he's with his wife Ann using the surname SMITH and his death is registered as Spencer SMITH.
It's Ellick where the FLETCHERs come into the story....
In 1834 at St Mary Magdalene in Little Brickhill, Bucks William FLETCHER a gyspy sojourner marries Mary LOVERIDGE otp.
At the same church in 1835 they baptise a daughter Sophia FLETCHER and in 1838 another daughter Hannah. They are shown as being of somewhere that begins BUL... in Northants, but I think this may be Bulwell Notts as there seem to be FLETCHERS in that area but I haven't seen the OPRs yet.
In the Autumn of 1860 down in Kent, and the DRAPERS seem to regularly travel down for the picking season, Alexander DRAPER marries Hannah FETCHER and then I can't find them again...... although oral history suggests they had some children.
But in 1881 Ellick pops up in the Reading area as Alexander SMITH with a wife Phoebe and children.
So what's happened to Hannah FLETCHER/DRAPER/SMITH after 1860? Can ayone help - thanks
