Staffordshire Travellers

[Garen]

Wow - what a lot of terrific work, panished - wonderful. I spend a lot of time searching the newspapers for these stories too, it adds so much life to our lost relatives ... You could say a bad thing about having Gypsy ancestors is that they appeared in the papers a lot. But you can also say a good thing about having Gypsy ancestors is that they appeared in the papers a lot!

Black Bess (aka Brown Bess) is, I think, Elizabeth Hodgkins, daughter of Richard Hodgkins and Kezia Lovell. She was baptised in 1819 as Elizabeth Lovatt and married James Bloor in Rugeley in 1849. Her son, James Bloor (1844), was the father of Ann Bloor (aka Flattely?, 1868) who married John Nield (son of Job) in 1886, and they were the parents of Sarah Nield, d.1892. Some of this needs a bit more confirming, but that's where I was with it a year or so ago the last time I looked :-)

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Thank you Garen, what you talk of brings all the story's together, there must be several links, thank you very much for telling of what you know, if you know anything else would you put it on, i have found lots more to, i like to make things interesting for people who look for these things, i like to learn of everything and think that others would find the way my mind works interesting to, i will put more story's on soon.

[Garen]

I'm fascinated by the family of Richard Hodgkins and Kezia Lovell - but sometimes the connections get  so overwhelming I have to leave them and come back later - and then get lost in the tangles again!

Kezia was the daughter of Henry Lovell and Margaret, Henry probably a relative of Major and Daniel Lovell, gyspsies of Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland. She married Richard Hodgkins in Wolverhampton in 1824 (though there is also a Cannock Banns in 1817). Her sister, Kerrenhappuch Lovell married James Hodgkiss in Brewood in 1819, and a couple of their children married the children of William & Mary Hodgkinson of Cheslyn Hay, and the connections go on further from there.

Back to Kezia ... their first (known) daughter, Elizabeth (later Blore), I think was 'Brown Bess' (d. 1907). Next came Sarah Lovett who married Thomas Hodgkiss in 1840 - he the son of Edward Hodgkiss and Sarah Bradley of Wolverhampton (a lot of further interesting connections there too).

The next child, Richard Hodgkiss, lodged with his sister Elizabeth (Bess) later in life and died at Short Street, Uttoxeter in 1906. He was for some time married to Jane Smith/Hodgkiss and you'll find him, I think, encamped in a caravan at Penkridge in 1871, with his brother Thomas (who also lived with and later married a (different) Jane Smith).

Daughter Kerrenhappuch died an infant, and Caroline and Mary Ann I don't know much about. Priscilla Hodgkiss (1833) had several children, possibly with a Joseph Collins (and/or others) - but maybe not ... She died in Wolverhampton in 1905.

Diana (1837) married John Hall in 1892 (after having children from 1855 on), and he was the son of John Hall and Diana Hodgkiss - this Diana being another child to Edward and Sarah of Wolverhampton.

Then we have John Hodgkinson (who I think was aka 'Jack Grapes') who married Mary Udale - and she was the sister of Stephen Udale who married Margaret Hodgkins, the last child of Richard and Kezia. Stephen and Margaret had a son, also Stephen, who killed Thomas Hudson in a drunken fight in 1888. This Thomas Hudson (aka 'Booker') was the son of Selina Hudson, who would later marry John Hodgkinson (son of Edward Hodgkinson and Sarah Mayer ... I won't get started on the Mayers here ...).

Richard Hodgkins (possibly son of Isaac, tbc) died in Uttoxeter in 1863, and his wife Kezia died there in 1871.

[MeirSoul]

I'm fascinated by the family of Richard Hodgkins and Kezia Lovell - but sometimes the connections get  so overwhelming I have to leave them and come back later - and then get lost in the tangles again!

Kezia was the daughter of Henry Lovell and Margaret, Henry probably a relative of Major and Daniel Lovell, gyspsies of Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland. She married Richard Hodgkins in Wolverhampton in 1824 (though there is also a Cannock Banns in 1817). Her sister, Kerrenhappuch Lovell married James Hodgkiss in Brewood in 1819, and a couple of their children married the children of William & Mary Hodgkinson of Cheslyn Hay, and the connections go on further from there.

Back to Kezia ... their first (known) daughter, Elizabeth (later Blore), I think was 'Brown Bess' (d. 1907). Next came Sarah Lovett who married Thomas Hodgkiss in 1840 - he the son of Edward Hodgkiss and Sarah Bradley of Wolverhampton (a lot of further interesting connections there too).

The next child, Richard Hodgkiss, lodged with his sister Elizabeth (Bess) later in life and died at Short Street, Uttoxeter in 1906. He was for some time married to Jane Smith/Hodgkiss and you'll find him, I think, encamped in a caravan at Penkridge in 1871, with his brother Thomas (who also lived with and later married a (different) Jane Smith).

Daughter Kerrenhappuch died an infant, and Caroline and Mary Ann I don't know much about. Priscilla Hodgkiss (1833) had several children, possibly with a Joseph Collins (and/or others) - but maybe not ... She died in Wolverhampton in 1905.

Diana (1837) married John Hall in 1892 (after having children from 1855 on), and he was the son of John Hall and Diana Hodgkiss - this Diana being another child to Edward and Sarah of Wolverhampton.

Then we have John Hodgkinson (who I think was aka 'Jack Grapes') who married Mary Udale - and she was the sister of Stephen Udale who married Margaret Hodgkins, the last child of Richard and Kezia. Stephen and Margaret had a son, also Stephen, who killed Thomas Hudson in a drunken fight in 1888. This Thomas Hudson (aka 'Booker') was the son of Selina Hudson, who would later marry John Hodgkinson (son of Edward Hodgkinson and Sarah Mayer ... I won't get started on the Mayers here ...).

Richard Hodgkins (possibly son of Isaac, tbc) died in Uttoxeter in 1863, and his wife Kezia died there in 1871.

Surely these Hodgkins/ Hodgkinson/ Hodgkiss families must be one and the same . The names repeatedly appear in the local area marrying into the same families over and over again . The Hodgkinsons and Neilds seem to of intermarried on more than one occasion.  John Neild and Sarah Hodgkinson and Marie Hodgkins (grundy) (who I think was Sarah's sister)  also married a Neild.

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now i got to say wow... Garen, that's great information, all the story's of the Udale's Hodgkinsons Bloors Neilds and many more names that link up through generations in those story's telling of their life's shows that they are very closely connected, then the post that you just wrote tells how they are all related officially, its a great read, the whole story of these Uttoxeter family's is a great story, like MeirSouls as just said i bet to there are far more connection's, no wonder it could blow your mind, it looks like Richard Hodgkin's and Kezia Lovell started quite a colony over in Uttoxeter, they were quite an extended family unit, there are more names to on the periphery, the Bloods are from long ago in some story's i thought they may by Bloors, then you have that poaching gang from way back known as the "robins" i think their leader was a Robin by name, i will have to make a list of all the names i have found to leave it on here for people of the future who may look for their relatives, that's why i try and put everything together so their relatives may have everything to hand to cross reference the names in the story's, the fact's of these peoples life should be known, facts like census reports and marridges should all be known along side all this information, the story's that i have put up here are only in extract form, there is far more great information contained in the articles, its up to people to singe up to the newspaper archives and use the information that is put on here like the said dates and which newspaper to look for, then they will have a great chance to read the full articles, i like to learn all about which pubs they liked to drink in, who were there pals, where did they go poaching, what were their trades through life, i evan notice how the courts would open on certain days and how certain constables were offten themselves in the story's, i like to learn about who had dogs, one of the best things i have found is when they are talking, when their actual words are quoted, then there are the sad times like funerals, the sadess thoe is when children are ill, altogether researching the past life's of family's and sharing the information you find is a good thing, i am going to put on next about "Billy Button" i bet no one knows what i am going to say, and i found the articles about " Brown Bess" i will put them on, one of the most important things for every one to remember is, and this is number one, always when you find a article story in the newspaper well don't just think great look at all the evidence i have found, it is good evidence, you must thoe research other articles in different papers evan from different county's or evan countries, you would think that if a person came from Uttoxeter and say died there, well you would think all the things you would want to know would be in the write up from a paper located in Uttoxeter, well it does not always work like that, search out and read newspapers from other county's and you will see how you may find great aspects of a person life that you did not find when you first thought that you had found a great find, i will show you this in the different articles concerning the sad death of the noted Black Bess (aka Brown Bess) Granny Bloor, Elizabeth Hodgkin's, there are several articles and each one you read what seems a good read containing sound information, then if you go of and search another newspaer, which is sometimes not easy, well you may find articles from newspapers miles away that tell you things that are of great help and interest.

[Garen]

Surely these Hodgkins/ Hodgkinson/ Hodgkiss families must be one and the same . The names repeatedly appear in the local area marrying into the same families over and over again . The Hodgkinsons and Neilds seem to of intermarried on more than one occasion.  John Neild and Sarah Hodgkinson and Marie Hodgkins (grundy) (who I think was Sarah's sister)  also married a Neild.

I hurt my brain attempting to actually connect up these families - it may not be possible to find exactly how they are all connected - and, as I'm sure you know, it's dangerous to make assumptions. Sometimes an 'Eliza Hodgkins' may seem to be attached to one family, and then some obscure source will reveal she's actually connected to another - and often there is no source to help us find our way, so we just have to leave a question-mark for now.

The 'origin', or connecting person, will certainly never be found, but any Hodgkins/Hodgkinson/Hodgkiss/etc 'of Cheslyn Hay' or 'of Wyrley Bank' seems to be one of the main identifiers - some dating back into the 1730s and 40s described as travellers. One early family is Arthur Hodgkins and Sarah ('travelling people', 'vagrants'), but there are others who could be siblings or cousins, so there are further generations in the fog, with records sparse or non-existant.

I agree that Sarah Hodgkinson who married John Nield and Maria Hodgkinson who married Thomas Nield - John's brother - are sisters. I believe their parents are William Hodgkinson and Elizabeth Mear. William and Elizabeth were married in Lichfield and probably had two children there, in Greenhill, before moving to Uttoxeter. John Nield later married Sarah Hust, which can confuse his two Sarahs for some.

John and Sarah Nield had a son William who died in 1854. The informant on his death is Sarah Mitchell, née Sarah Grundy, next-door neighbour to William & Elizabeth Hodgkinson and older sister of the John Grundy who married Maria Hodgkins, and she then Thomas Nield.

I think there's enough circumstantial evidence to say that William Hodgkinson was the son of William Hodgkinson and Eleanor Young (m.1785). While William married Elizabeth Mear, another son, Edward, married Sarah Mayer - I think a sister of Elizabeth, and daughters of Obadiah Mayer and Sarah Blewer.

Obadiah had children who married into the Gypsy Florence family, the Bloods, and probably the Nields too. A grandson, Thomas Mayer, married Rhoda Johnson, daughter of Thomas Johnson and Jane Hodgkinson - and this Hodgkinson line leads us back to Thomas and Joan, parents of a number of travelling Hodgkins who married Sherriffs, Claytons and Hollands, and whose probable sibling, Edward, takes us to the Warwickshire Hodgkins families (Tracey Emin a famous descendant). DNA links confirm the connection.

A daughter of Edward Hodgkinson and Sarah Mayer, Eleanor, married another Johnson sibling, Joseph, and one of their children married into the Hollands. I also think Edward and Sarah Hodgkinson are the Edward and Sarah who are the witnesses of the marriage of William Sherriff and Tresi Boswell, daughter of Anselo, in 1832 in Rugeley, the same year Eleanor was born in the that town.

So much of the enjoyment of researching these families is the thousands of connections that keep coming up, but it's like an endless piece of string full of knots - sometimes you manage to undo them and find you've suddently two or three pieces instead of one!

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Well can anyone answer me this, who's "billy button"  William Nield would of been named as such for a reason, does anyone have a clue to the origin of "billy button", these posts below and to come are but extracts search out the compleat articles for a far more in depth report. 

Pearson's Weekly - 27 July 1911
 
POOR BILLY BUTTON  "Come here, Button," thundered the headmaster. " Here's a letter from Mr. Jones saying you hit his son yesterday, and hurt him so that he cannot attend school to-day. Is that so ? " sir," stammered Billy Button, I never laid a finger on him." " This letter says you did, Button. Hold out yoar hand " Swish Swish Swish When Jones returned to school the'next day the headmaster called him to his study. " Did you tell your father that Button thrashed you ? " he demanded. No, sir," said Jones. " I never " But this letter says you did." " I know, sir, but it were the French boy, Billy Bermetieux, what did it, sir. You see, father couldn't spell Bermetieux, so he wrote Button  "



Leeds Times - 14 March 1896

 At the leeds city police courts on Monday.T.Agnew, alias Billy Button, of Newcastle was sent to gaol for three months for attempting to pick pockets. Prisoner was seen on Saturday night two detectives near the 'buses and was observed putting his hand into ladies' pockets. 

Staffordshire Sentinel -08 October 1880
 
A Mania for Buttons.—At the East Riding Petty Sessions at Hull, a man, who presented a comical appearance, and whose name is George Scott, alias Billy Button, was brought before the magistrates on a charge of vagrancy. The peculiarity of his appearance was caused by the manner in which he had adorned his coat with buttons, that garment being studded with them from top to bottom. They were of various sizes, and of all descriptions. Though they had the look of having been sewn on indiscriminately, there appears to have been method in the way in which they have been attached. Long rows extended from the breast the skirt, the whole numbering 365—the number the days of the year. On his collar were about a dozen or more Large white ones, which indicated the number of times their wearer had been put in gaol for vagrancy, and on another part of the garment were a quantity which indicated how old he was. But this was not all. The man had with him a bag, in which were at least four hundred more buttons, which he stated he had picked up on his travels, and with which he replaces those which may come off his coat, or add to those already on, the exigencies of the circumstances may demand. Not with standing the variety of the buttons this singular character has with and on him, there is not one which has belonged to a police uniform, and, on being asked the reason for that exception, he said he should be murdered his companions if he were to obtain a policeman's button. Scott is a native of the North of England. He was apprehended at Newington on Tuesday for begging. He appealed to the Bench to be allowed to go this time, and he was let off on promising to leave the town. 

 
Bristol Times and Mirror -  21 July 1874
 
BILLY BUTTON. Gentlemen,--Can you, or any of your readers inform me of the fate of a man well known in Bristol some 35 or 40 years ago, as " Billy Button !"  he wore  a coat or mantle entirely covered with brass buttons (like a coat of mail), danced with considerable agility and not ungracefully, and was never known to beg. His features were hansomse, and it was said at the time he was a women in disguise. I have an impression that he was murdered. I had long since  forgotten him, but an excellent likeness in the window of a carver and gilder, in Maudlin street,   brought him to my recollection. W.T.

Bristol Times and Mirror - 23 July 1874
 
BILLY BUTTON.   —ln answer to your correspondent's query about "Billy Button," I have what is simulated a very good likeness of him, and from a pamphlet   pubshed in Birmingham in 1838 (a reprint from the Birmingham  May 5), I glean the following he belonged to a respectable family. When young man he went to sea........During a short stay he became attached to....... —. His  last voyage.....   but when he landed he found the young lady had been........   the Grief unhinged his mind, and be commenced a wanders life, vowing never to marry and never to wear shoes, he did not beg.......   He died at the age et 60....... He had wandered over the country for about 15 years. Many of his buttons were very valuable......  Bristol Times and Mirror -   22 July 1874 page 4......Another larger story about billy button is to be found here.....a good informative read, like several of the articles i transcribe in short.......... 

 

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North Londoner - 07 November 1874
 
Poetry.
THE BALDERDASH RHYMES.
No. 3.—THE PROBLEM. BILLY BUTTON bought a buttered biscuit. DID Billy Button buy a buttered biscuit ? IF Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit, WHERE'S THE BUTTERED BISCUIT Billy Button bought ? A simple question this appears, And yet the story's said; 'Tis very true—that little boy A buttered biscuit had ; But when he popped it………………..

 Sheffield Independent - 15 September 1862
 
SHEFFIELD. SATURDAY.- Before Wm. Smith, and S. Roberts Esq's. ' The New Scrap Shop Act.— A complicated case came up under this act, in which the parties concerned were Thomas Slater, Bailey lane, scrap dealer : George Brown, Trafalgar street, cutler ; and William' Thomas, alias Billy Button, Cemetery road, carter……   
 
 
Illustrated London News - 04 August 1860
 
MASSACRE OF MISSIONARY PARTY IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. We have received from Mr. Thomas Havers, of Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, minutely-detailed narrative of the circumstances attendant on the massacre of a mission party, on board the Alan Gardiner, by the natives of Tierra del Fuego; and we extract from it a few passages for the better understanding of the accompanying Engraving of the massacre, for the Sketch of which we are also indebted to Mr. Havers: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, Tuesday, March 27, 1860. In the third week of October, 1859, the schooner Alan Gardiner, belonging to the Patagonian Missionary Society, left the port of Stanley (a diminutive British settlement on East Falkland Island), bound to the Beagle Channel, in Tierra del Fuego. The European party on board of her consisted of Captain Fell, the master, his brother, Mr. Fell, the mate, Johnston, carpenter, Alfred Coles, cook, Hugh M‘Dowell (known as Hewey,” an old man-of-war’s-man), three Swedish sailors, named Jahnsen, Braun, and Petersen, and Mr. Garland Phillips, missionary catechist—making in all nine individuals. She also carried a party of native Fuegians, and the object of her voyage was to return these people to their native country and bring back further supply to be Christianised at the station upon Keppel Island (West Falkland), under the superintendence of the Rev. George P. Despaired, resident missionary there. The native party consisted of Mucklerwenchey, alias Billy Button (a brother of the notorious Jemmy Button mentioned in Captain Fitzroy’s Voyages of the Adventure of Beagle ”),……………   

Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal - 02 March 1860
 
Sale of horses. Cathlean also a cream-coloured mare fetched 52 guineas; and Selims, a very handsome dun-coloured horse, used for entree and double-horse sets, fetched 60 guineas ; Amakosa, a white horse sold for 40 guineas, and Tempest, another white gelding, which was described as a Billy Button horse, fetched 41 guineas; Beauty, a splendid cream-coloured gelding, 14 hands high, and stated a clever stage horse, brought 80 guineas.   


Cambridge Independent Press - 13 October 1860
 
       Sessions. Prisoner for trial at Ely on Wednesday next.  William Smith alias Billy Button, charged with stealing at Wisbech St. Mary's, money, the property Joseph Smith.
 
 
Derbyshire Courier - 15 September 1860
 
RENDERING GOOD FOR EVIL. A Manchester warehouseman published an exceedingly scurrilous pamphlet against the firm of Grant Brothers, holding up the elder partner to ridicule as Billy Button.” William was informed by some of the nature of the pamphlet, and his observation was that the man would live to repent it. !” said the libeller, when informed of the remark, thinks that some time or other I shall be in his debt; but i will take good care of that.” happens, however, that men in business do not always foresee who shall be their creditor; and so it turned out , that the Grant’s libeller became bankrupt, and could not obtain his certificate and begin business again without obtaining their signature. It seemed to him a hopeless case to call that firm for any favour, but the pressing claims of his family forced him to make the application. He appeared before the man he had ridiculed as Billy Button”. 


Leamington Spa Courier - 06 August 1831
 
  James Green, alias Billy Button,' was acquitted upon an indictment charging him with stealing from a person  at Nuneaton. 4s. in silver, a halfpence, a tobacco box, and other articles, of his property. 


The Scotsman - 06 October 1824

Circuit intelligence.....William o,Boyling alias billy button, accused of mobbing and rioting at the tole cross……….

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  so now we come to Uttoxeter and find William Nield.. alias "Billy Button"



Burton Chronicle -  21 August 1884
 
AN OLD OFFENDER. William Nield, alias Billy button, an old offender, was charged with being drunk and riotous, at Bromehall, on the 3rd inst. Defendant, who denied the charge...   

Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal - 11 April 1884

—William Nield, alias Billy  Button. was charged with using profane language at the Temperance Hall, Uttoxeter, a place of worship by the Salvation army, on the Ist ult.—lt seems defendant, who did not appear, was the ringleader of a band of roughs who attend the Salvation meetings for the purpose of annoying them; and on the evening in question defendant went into the hall and commenced using very bad language, and created some disturbance in that the meeting had to be closed before time.....

Burton Chronicle -  17 May 1883

 ASSULTING THE Police. William Neild, alias "Billy Button." labourer, of Uttoxeter, was charged with being drunk and with 'assaulting Mrs. Wigley and constable Campbell, at the police station. Defendant went into the Albion inn………..       


 Burton Chronicle - 29 June 1882
 
Refusing To Quit. William Nield, of Uttoxeter, alias "Billy Button," was charged with refusing to quit the licensed premises of the Wellington Inn, Uttoxeter……..     

 
 Staffordshire Sentinel -  09 September 1881
 
 Uttoxeter.   A Violent Character—William Neild, alias Button, Uttoxeter, was summoned by Michael Eagan, an Irish labourer, for assaulting him on the 28th ult. Complainant said that he and another Irishman (both old men) were walking along the road when they met defendant and some of his companions, Neild asked for some tobacco, but he said he had none. Neild then struck him and knocked him down, and abused him in a shameful manner. His friend then came to his assistance, but Neild served him the same, and worse; kicking them and brutally and ill-treating them. Defendant did not appear, but as there was a long list of convictions against him, he was committed to three months hard labour —The same defendant was also summoned by William Rudd for assaulting him in the Smithfield on the 31st ult  complainant said he had bought some sheep, and was removing them into another pen, when Neild came up and used very bad language, and said he must not move the sheep.  Complainant told him he had bought them and paid for them, and he shoud put them where he liked, but Neild knocked him down and otherwise abused him…………….   

 
 Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial & General Advertiser - 19 June 1880
 
UTTOXETER. Wednesday. (Before Captain Dawson, C. W. Lyon, and C. T. Cavandish, Esqrs.) Assault Case. William Nield, alias Billy Button, was charged on remand with assaulting James Ward, at Abbots Bromley, on the 17th May. It was shown that on the day named the annual Oddfellow's fete and gala was held in a field at Dunstall, and that defendant was one of a band of men who had gone there with the intention of doing as much mischief as they could, and by whom many of the people present were much abused and beaten with stick's.     

Derby Mercury - 23 June 1880
 
PETTY SESSIONS, Wednesday.   
THE RIOTING AT BROMLEY FETE.-.Williams Nield, hawker,' alias Billy Button, of Uttoxeter, hawker, was brought up on a warrant charged with having been concerned With a number of other roughs in creating a disgraceful row at the  Bromley Odd Fellows' fete on the 17th of May, and with assaulting James Ward at the same times and place. It appeared that defendant took hold of ward by the collor and he had to be forsably pulled away by two men., the Magistrates said it was a disgraceful affair, and the defendant  would be committed to prison for two months' hard  labour without the option of a fine.  REFUSING TO QUIT.-Thomas Blore, of Uttoxteter, labourer, was charged at the instance of Thomas Brown, with having refused to quit a tent on the fete ground at Abbot's Bromley when requested to do so by himself and the Landlord, Mr. Tomlinson......