Gypsy Families of Portsmouth

[Natz2007]

I have been told by my uncle that my Great Grandfather was a gypsy however I have not found any information to support this. He was told this by someone years ago who knew my G Grandad personally so I have been trying to find out more.  His surname was LUSH and he married a CARTER who I suspect may have more likely to have been a gypsy family but I have found nothing to prove either.  Is there anywhere that I can look to find out if either names were known Gypsies families or branches of my tree.  Most lived around Fareham/Titchfield and Cosham, Waterloovile and Hambledon in Hampshire.

Thanks

[CaroleW]

Can you provide christian names & a timescale please

There is a 1932 marriage between Ernest F Lush & Queenie A Carter in Portsmouth

www.freebmd.org.uk

There are births in Fareham 1905 for Ernest & 1906 for Queenie Alice but until you confirm they are your great grandparents there is no point posting more info as it may not be relevant

[Natz2007]

Sorry I should have given names, yes you are correct it's Ernest Lush and Queenie's Carter and the dates are correct. Thanks

[CaroleW]

Possible 1911 entry for Ernest

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWQ7-BK5

[Natz2007]

I have all the information on him but trying to work out if he really was a gypsy or if it was Queenie. The Carter's owned a farm and many worked on farms. I'm wondering if it's a familiar Gypsy surname. Thanks

[Kaybron]

Hi Natz2007,

It is difficult to work out if an ancestor was a gypsy.  My ancestors were gypsies and for a long time I could not find anything to prove this.  In Census data they moved around a lot, lived in tents or caravans and had occupations such as chair caner, hawker, flower seller and umbrella maker.  These were all common traits of a gypsy family.  There is a website that will give you names that are often associated with a gypsy family (rtfhs.org.uk). It was not until I found an article in a newspaper that actually stated the family were gypsies that I was able to finally prove what I had been told was true.  The family were staying in a caravan on a Common in Surrey, set aside for gypsy travellers.  One of their children died and there was an inquest and write up in the local paper.  You do have to research and may not easily find anything that states your Great Grandfather or Great Grandmother was a gypsy.