Hello everyone
I am hoping someone may be able to help me or also be looking for information on this particular family. Family legend was always that my great great grandmother Ellen Cunningham was from a gypsy/traveller family that lived/travelled in a caravan and mended pots and pans for a living. I have managed to find some information on the family but can't get any further back than Ellen's parents.
Ellen's parents / my ggg grandparents were James Cunningham b. 1855 (approx) and Jane Lindsay b. 1863 (approx). Their birth places varied from census to census however the most common place they listed as their birthplace was Edinburgh, Scotland. I have been unable to find a marriage certificate for them in England or Scotland. They first appear on the 1881 census.
1881 - Living in Hartlepool with their daughter Jane and a George Lindsay (aged 10) possibly Jane's brother/relative?
1891 - Living in South Shields, Durham with their 4 daughters. Birth places somewhat correct.
1901 - Jane is in South Shields with 3 daughters. No sign of James. Birthplaces incorrect.
1911 - Jane widowed, living in South Shields with 2 of her daughters. Birthplaces incorrect.
On the 1911 census is states that Jane had 15 children but only 6 were still living.
I have managed to trace the following births from the 15:
Jane Cunningham born 1880 in Sunderland, Durham (I have BC)
Margaret 'Meg' Cunningham 1882 Musselburgh, East Lothian (can't find birth certificate)
Rebecca Cunningham 1885 Mold, Wales (I have BC)
James Cunningham 1888 Ormskirk, Lancashire (I have BC)
John Cunningham 1890 South Shields, Durham (I have BC)
Ellen Cunningham 1891 Berwick, Borders (I have BC) (My GG grandmother)
James Cunningham 1893 South Shields (I have BC)
Isabella 'Bella' Cunningham 1895 South Shields (I have BC)
Mary Elizabeth Cunningham 1899 South Shields (I have BC)
James' (b1855) occupation changed all the time on the certificates/census' too, sometimes he was a labourer, umbrella maker, hawker, hawker of hardware and it looks like the family were forever on the move although their travels don't seem to follow a pattern.
I'm tried to do some research on Scottish travellers/gypsys but the Cunningham/Lindsay surnames don't appear to show up. I would really like to try and get another generation back but I am struggling. Can anyone suggest how I could do that? Was it normal for married couples not to have an actual marriage certificate? Can anyone shed any light on the places they travelled to (where their children were born). Are they usual places that were travelled to enroute to somewhere else that I could look at for further birth / possible marriage records?
Any advice greatly appreciated - Thanks in advance!
Andrew