Yes, it is all absolutely fascinating. Oh to have been a fly on the wall around Rawmarsh at the end of the 19th century. If you take a look at the censuses, not just at one family, but in my case, the whole of Green Lane, you will probably find extended family, also! Hannah Burnside was with Terrance Rafferty first, then when he died, moved on to Andrew Wilson. The younger Rafferty children took the Wilson name. Not sure if Hannah was already expecting Lavinia when Terrance died or if she was Andrew's. Terrance was a "bit of a lad" as was Robert Burnside - they were both up before the magistrates on 'drunk and disorderly' charges together.
How do I know? Research and listening to stories from older relatives who have long gone.
Fanny Wilson was my great-grandma.
As far as " were they all travellers?" is concerned, it depends on whether you mean romany gypsies or travellers. A bit of both, I think. Sometimes if the work was plenty, as in Yorkshire at that time, with the mining and rail, they stayed still for a bit. I do think that if we were able to see pictures of them, we'd know for sure. In my heart, and by looking back at old pics, I'd say they all were.
