Author Topic: Part 1 of My g g grandmother Queen of the Forest  (Read 2247 times)

Offline Bryant

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Part 1 of My g g grandmother Queen of the Forest
« on: Tuesday 08 March 16 14:46 GMT (UK) »
My G G Grandmother Sarah Fletcher (nee Davies) (a pinch of salt with her declared age) Can anyone see her or him in earlier years and did Eli Fletcher from London arrive directly or via ?

1929
22nd August 1929
Western Daily Press
Cinderford, Forest of Dean.
                                                                   Old Gipsy's Death
Mrs Sarah Fletcher a well known Forest of Dean gipsy has died at the age of 91 years. She was interred yesterday. She had resided in her caravan in the forest of dean for many years. A native of Shropshire. She had twenty one children, eleven of whom are still living.
----

1929
The Western Times, Friday 23rd August
GIPSY QUEEN'S BIG FAMILY
          -----
Funeral of Centenarian Who was fond of her tobacco
Sarah Fletcher, who was over one hundred years old and was believed to be the oldest Gipsy Queen in Britain was buried at Parkend in the Forest of Dean yesterday. The mother of twenty four children, who had eighty five grandchildren, sixty great grandchildren and ten great great grandchildren. She was fond of her pipe of tobacco which she smoked right up to the morning of her death.
Large crowds attended the funeral and flowers were sent from all parts of the forest. The old "Queen" was a renowned herb specialist and her advise was eagerly sought by many.
                                           -----

1929
                                                    THE CITIZEN THURSDAY 22ND AUGUST 1929

                                                            MOTHER OF 24 CHILDREN
                                                                   ------
                                                    Death of Leader of Dean Forest Tribe.
                                                                       -----------------
       By the death of Sarah Fletcher "Queen" of a tribe of gipsies the Forest of Dean has lost an interesting character.
Mrs Fletcher was the head of the Fletcher family whose record eclipses the remarkable record of William John  " The Gipsy King"  She is stated to be 100 years old and although there is no record of her birth at Somerset House the fact that her eldest daughter Emily who keeps a lodging house at Pontypool is 80 years of age goes to support the age of this wonderful old woman.
       Born in a canvas tent on Hannam Common, Shropshire, Mrs Fletcher came to reside in the Forest of Dean when a little girl and ever since she made the Forest her home living the open life in an improvised shelter of canvas etc. She disdained the thought of living in a caravan always preferring to house herself and her children in tents associated with the true life of the Gipsy tribe. Mrs Fletcher
----

1917
Gloucester Journal
24th November 1917
Littledean Petty Sessions
Eli Fletcher was summoned by Susannah Taylor for assault, and she in turn was summoned by Maria Smith for a similiar offence. All the parties are gipsies. It appeared that the trouble arose out of childrens quarrel. Defendants were bound over for 6 months, and ordered to pay the costs.
---

1907
Gloucester Citizen 9th August 1907
Charge of Abduction in Dean Forest
In reference to the charge at Littledean, Police Court against William Slender a gypsy camping at Two Bridges, Blakeney of taking Mary Ann Davies an unmarried girl out of the custody of and against the will of her mother Sarah Davies who cohabitats with Eli Fletcher also a gypsy, the being alleged to be only 15 years of age, accused has been brought before Mr W. H. King at Newham and discharged, the police having discovered a birth certificate which gives the girl's age as 20 years.
----

1907
Gloucester Citizen
Friday 9th August 1907
THE CHARGE OF ABDUCTION IN DEAN FOREST
In reference to the charge at Littledean Police Court against William Slender, a gipsy camping at Two Bridges, Blakeney of taking Mary Ann Davies, an unmarried girl out of the custody of and against the will of her mother, Sarah Davies who cohabitats with Eli Fletcher also a gipsy, the girl being alleged to be only 15 years of age, accused has been brought before Mr W. H. King at Newnham and discharged, the police having discovered a birth certificate which fixes the girl's age at twenty years.
----

1903
18th April 1903
Gloucester Citizen
Little Dean Petty Sessions
Charles Fletcher and Sarah Fletcher, gipsies, of Two Bridges, Blakeney were summoned by P.C. Ryland for drunken and disorderly conduct at Soudley on the 4th April
---



Researching names BRYANT (Camberwell), PASTERFIELD (Essex and all), RAY (Holborn/Islington areas back to Brentford), POWELL (Glouc & beyond?)
Fletcher (Glouc into Warwickshie into Lancs?), BUCKLEY (Chatham area), Watson (Chatham area).


Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Bryant

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Re: part 2 of My g g grandmother Queen of the Forest
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 08 March 16 14:47 GMT (UK) »
1901 Census
Two Bridges, East Dean, Gloucestershire
Eli Fletcher....head...55.tin pan maker.....not known
Sarah......   "..wife....50.........not known
James.....   "..son.....23 (unm) tin pan maker.......Glos, East Dean
Charles...   "...".......21............. "..Monmouth
Sarah......   "..daur...19.Glos East Dean
Samuel...   "..son....18.Glos East Dean
Selia.......   "..daur..15.Glos East Dean
Mary Ann   "....".....13.Glos East Dean
William...   "..son....11Glos East Dean
John........   "....".......9.Glos East Dean
--

1891
Churchway, East Dean........RG12/2005 folio 21 page 36
Eli Fletcher....head.43..Tin Ware Maker...London
Clara.......   "...wife..40..Shropshire
Eli...........   "...son...22..General Labourer...Lydney, Gloucestershire
Letitia.....   "..daur..17..East Dean, Gloucestershire
Elizabeth   "....".....15..East Dean, Gloucestershire
Sarah......   "....".....12..East Dean, Gloucestershire
James.....   "...son..11..East Dean, Gloucestershire
Charles...   "....."....9....East Dean, Gloucestershire
Samuel...   "....."....7....East Dean, Gloucestershire
Cecilia....."....daur..6....East Dean, Gloucestershire
Mary Ann   "..."......3....East Dean, Gloucestershire
Alice.......   "..."......6 months..East Dean, Gloucestershire
----

1881
Gipsy Tent, West Dean, Coleford, Monmouth, Monmouthshire
Eli Fletcher....head..34..tin plate worker..London
Sarah......   "...wife...30..Hanway, Shropshire
Emily......   "...daur..13..East Dean, Glos
Eli...........   "....son...9...West Dean, Glos   
Hostin.....   "...son...7....West Dean, Glos
Leticia....   "..daur..5....West Dean, Glos
Elizabeth   "..daur..3....East Dean, Glos
Jami.......   "...son...1...East Dean, Glos
Sarah......   "..daur..1...East Dean, Glos
---
Letitia Fletcher born Green Bottom, East Dean (Newnham R.D) on the 17th Jan 1875 her father is Eli Fletcher and her mother is Sarah Fletcher (formerly Davis)
--
Researching names BRYANT (Camberwell), PASTERFIELD (Essex and all), RAY (Holborn/Islington areas back to Brentford), POWELL (Glouc & beyond?)
Fletcher (Glouc into Warwickshie into Lancs?), BUCKLEY (Chatham area), Watson (Chatham area).


Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Bryant

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Re: Part 1 of My g g grandmother Queen of the Forest
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 15 March 16 15:27 GMT (UK) »
I assume dear Sarah and Eli have not been found prior 1881 which is what I found a few years ago, they appear to have known the local police quite well as they was falling foul of them quite often along with the children.
My great grandfather was Austin (Hostin) Fletcher and my grandmother was Leah Fletcher who was born 1903? (no birth cert) and is on the 1911 census as 8 years old but not as Leah??? but flear or that is what it appears to be, difficult comes to mind.
Researching names BRYANT (Camberwell), PASTERFIELD (Essex and all), RAY (Holborn/Islington areas back to Brentford), POWELL (Glouc & beyond?)
Fletcher (Glouc into Warwickshie into Lancs?), BUCKLEY (Chatham area), Watson (Chatham area).


Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Barney8000

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Re: Part 1 of My g g grandmother Queen of the Forest
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 08 September 20 19:48 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I'm researching the Fletcher family - my son-in-law is a Fletcher.
Your grandmother, Leah, was sister to his grandfather.
I've got quite a few details and documents that I'm happy to share.
I'd be interested to see if you've researched Elizabeth Butler, wife (?) of Austin.
Ray