Staffordshire Travellers

[Trillian]

Whilst hunting for my Hudsons, I found them in what appears to be a traveller community in both the 1841 census and the 1851 census. I've noted down some of the surnames of possible travellers which may be of help to anyone searching for their ancestors in this area.

Smithy Lane, Uttoxeter:

RILEY, BLOOR, ROBINSON, NOLAN, HODGKINSON, FIELDSTAFF, BENTLY, BOOKER, MITCHELL, NEALD, HARRIS, COPE, MARTIN, HILL, EDWARDS, HUDSON, MOORE, BOND, TAYLOR, DALE

[rob g]

Hi trillian. My family are the mitchells.  Traced back to 1600s Burslem staffordshire.  still travelling with the romany community. And olso related to the dales.know some of the names you mentioned.  But don't recognise  all of the names.  Rob.  G.

[Trillian]

Hi Rob.  I'm still at the fairly early stages of my research but so far have Hudson, Johnson, Lewis and possibly Hodgkinson in my family. They seem to mostly be around the Cheadle/Uttoxeter/Ashbourne area. Coincidentally I also have Mitchells in my tree but they're on the other (non-traveller) side so probably not related.

[sallyyorks]

Hi there 
In the industrial areas like the Midlands and North of England  I think it is harder to identify the Romany families, as "country" people settled into housing earlier in the industrial areas compared to the southern rural areas , where I think the Romany would have been more likely to stay on the road . Though many did settle in London's east end

This is a rootschat topic from a while ago - Impact of the Industrial Revolution
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=499128.0

Birmingham was known for its metal working , a Romany trade, so maybe many settled there (Black Patch area for example had a Romany camp right in an industrial area). 

The Lye Waste nail making district is interesting
From link
http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Small-Vulcans-sweating-anvil-child-nailmakers-Lye-Waste/story-20146396-detail/story.html
'....Life was notoriously hard in the 19th century Black Country. The combination of poverty, hard labour and the insanitary conditions of homes that were little more than hovels took their toll and few lived to a great age. Perhaps typical of the ‘bad old’ Black Country was the settlement at Lye Waste.
According to local historian Pat Dunn this area developed in the late 17th century, “when [Romany] gypsies descended on the Waste, the uncultivated land beyond Lye proper which was centred around the Cross. Attracted by the area’s prosperity and its raw materials, namely coal and fireclay, the newcomers built themselves crude mud houses, 103 being recorded on Waste Bank in 1699..'

1699 is quite an early date when you think about it

[janeo]

my 3xgreatgrandad was William Hodgkinson on the 1851 census in Smithy lane ,his daughter Ellen also on the census age 18 was my 2xgreat grannie,married to my 2xgreatgrandad Darius Deadman.
Their daughter AnnJane Deadman married John Smith and are my greatgrandparents ..
 

[Trillian]

my 3xgreatgrandad was William Hodgkinson on the 1851 census in Smithy lane ,his daughter Ellen also on the census age 18 was my 2xgreat grannie,married to my 2xgreatgrandad Darius Deadman.
Their daughter AnnJane Deadman married John Smith and are my greatgrandparents ..

Do you have an Ann Hodgkinson? I have her as one of the witnesses for the marriage of my 3x great-grandparents William Johnson and Rachel Hudson in Yoxall, Staffordshire in 1872. Rachel was in Smithy Lane for the 1851 census with her parents Nathanial and Elizabeth.

[janeo]

I have Ann sister to my Ellen ,I have her born born around 1828 baptised AnnJane Hodgkinson ,my Ellen named her daughter AnnJane my great grannie .Still a family name ...my family are all Romany still ...

[lalkav]

I've looked into a family tree for a gypsy man in Uttoxeter whose surname is Bloor. He still lives in the town.

[Garen]

Do you have an Ann Hodgkinson? I have her as one of the witnesses for the marriage of my 3x great-grandparents William Johnson and Rachel Hudson in Yoxall, Staffordshire in 1872. Rachel was in Smithy Lane for the 1851 census with her parents Nathanial and Elizabeth.

Hello Trillian

Apologies for resurrecting this topic, but I've just been working on my Hodgkins/on family and noted the names you mentioned.

Your William Johnson who married Rachel Hudson was my 4xg-uncle. I am currently trying to work out if William's mother, Jane Hodgkinson, was the sister of Rachel's mother, Elizabeth Hodgkinson.

Elizabeth Hodgkins/on is also my 4xg-aunt, as her parents - James and Constance are my 4xg-grandparents.

I think Constance's parents were Robert Hodgkins and Elizabeth Hollins.

My gg-grandfather William Hodgkins (1852-1910) married my gg-grandmother Charlotte Sherriff in 1885. William's father was James Hodgkins (1815-1864), another son - I'm sure - to James and Constance. Charlotte Sherriff's mother was Eliza Johnson (1824-1903) - sister to your William.

So, although I'm not a direct ancestor, I am also related to both of your ggg-grandparents, William and Rachel :-)

Best wishes -
Garen