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Author Topic: Romany Smith, Wilson in Cumbria and Morecambe  (Read 889 times)

Offline Seaside Girl

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Romany Smith, Wilson in Cumbria and Morecambe
« on: Monday 20 February 17 14:31 GMT (UK) »
Apologies if I have posted this before. I'm trying to find out more about my mother's side of the family. My great grandmother Annie Halsall (nee Hadwin) born 1875 from Morecambe was supposed to have Romany links.
 Annie's mother was Jane Smith from Kendal born 1837 and her father was David Hadwin from Morecambe.  Jane's father was James Smith an Ostler (mentioned on Jane and David's marriage cert). The only family I have found is:
 James Smith living in Milnthorpe in 1841 with his wife Jane and children Jane Smith Jnr. and Hannah. James is Ostler at The Cross Keys Inn ( I have newspaper cuttings on his death in 1845 to confirm this) His parents are John Smith, farmer from Haverflatts and Dorothy Bindloss. Jane Smith senior, who is married to James, was born around 1811 as Jane Wilson. Her father is John Wilson, a clogger!!
My great great grandparents Jane Smith and David Hadwin travelled from Kendal, through Morecambe and down towards Southport/ Liverpool. Annie met my great great grandfather Charles Halsall from Southport along the way and were married in Southport 1898. Charles was apparently a clown at a circus but I have nothing to prove this and that is another story!!
If anyone knows of the family or any Smiths/ Wilsons from Kendal I would be extremely grateful as I want to either prove or disprove the story if possible.
Thank you.

Offline Radcliff

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Re: Romany Smith, Wilson in Cumbria and Morecambe
« Reply #1 on: Monday 20 February 17 21:23 GMT (UK) »
What makes you think she has Romany links,
her family certainly appear to travel a little around the county
but surely that was because of their farming Ostler work

Gunning County Down,Kneale Isle of Man,Riddle Tynemouth,Bibby Kendal/Bradford,Colenso Penzance/Barrow-in-Furness,Steele Corney Fell,Chapman Ely,Dawes Alfreton,Blamire Westmoreland and Ulverston
Dislike the use of P Messaging system, unless its of a sensitive nature, Rootschat is  an open forum,

Offline *Sandra*

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Re: Romany Smith, Wilson in Cumbria and Morecambe
« Reply #2 on: Monday 20 February 17 22:29 GMT (UK) »
"We search for information, but the burden of proof is always with the thread owner"

Census information is Crown Copyright  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

British Census copyright The National Archives; Canadian Census copyright Library and Archives Canada

Offline Seaside Girl

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Re: Romany Smith, Wilson in Cumbria and Morecambe
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 23 February 17 01:44 GMT (UK) »
Hi Sandra

Thanks for your interest. From when I was a child my mum always told me about the Romany link on her father's side of the family. She remembers seeing a photo of her grandmother stood by a Romany caravan and that when her grandmother died, the caravan had been destroyed along with all her possessions. Also apparently if a traveller came to the door selling clothes pegs they would apologise once they saw my mum, saying that they wouldn't bother her again and that she looked just like her ancestor "Margaret Ann"!! (Mum said she was named after Margaret Ann, the Romany)
The odd thing is that on my mum's maternal side of the family her grandmother was called Margaret Ann Redmond. I have traced her back to Liverpool. Margaret Ann's father died when she was young and she appeared to be living with her grandparents the Lennon's. They were all from Ireland and had come over to Liverpool during the potato famine. 
I therefore wondered if my mum was confusing the two grandmother's but she is insistent that the Romany link was through her father.
When I get chance, I'm going to Liverpool to see if I can go through the Gypsy Lore records but have just been putting feelers out beforehand to see if anyone could help me.
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