Thread: Tracing Romany Ancestry help reqd

My Nan was Jane Barnard 100% Romany born around 1897- settled in East London when she married Edwin Skillett in 1920's/30's.

her father was Charles Barnard and mother Louise Garson (spelling not 100% sure)

spent hours researching but not able to find info thru genes etc - prob coz they were on the road until they had too many kids.



my father was especially closee to his mother and often had to help her with her fortune readings as she could not read - his is not a well man nowdays but harkens back to his travelling roots on a regular basis - (hopping, fruit picking etc) even our only holidays involved working in the hopfields and living in the huts - and a bit of scrumping



know its a long shot but if anyone can provide any further info it would make him a happy man.



many thanks



Gary Skillett - 25% Romany and proud of it

Hi Gary - how interesting! You should try to help your father to record some of his memories (if you haven't already done so).

Like with any other family I guess you have to trawl through BMD & census material to piece it together.

If you put 'Romany' in the search box you should find some information of interest on the site.

Here is Jane & Edwin's marriage for a start.

2nd quarter 1923 marriage Edwin Skillett to Jane Barnard West Ham 4a 343

Gillian

Many thanks Gillian



sent off the marriage certificate but they sent money back as they couldn't find the actual certificate - despite giving them the full ref No (same as you quoted) - very weird??



he tells stories all the time but is suffering memory probs a bit and tells 3 in 1 sometimes and gets a bit frustrated



have spent hours on census etc to no avail - got back to 1700's on other sides but cant get past my nan and grandad on this - once again many thanks for your time and trouble



Gary

!!! That counts as incredibly bad luck.

Why not try the local register office - they should have the record. Unfortunately West Ham records were split I think between 3 offices! - I should try emailing Newham with the reference to start with.

Good luck

Gillain

Did your father have brothers or sisters?

Gillian

quite a few them Gillian - only 1 brother & 2 sisters left now though - intrestingly his survivng brother married my mum's only surviving sister and no I haven't got 2 heads



Gary



ps trying to get to grips with gedcom! and load my tree from genes - really wish we had pc's when I was at school



update - got it uploaded and its got most of relationships wrong i.e my mum being the daughter of her great grandfather & me being my grandfather's father - grrrrrrr

Hi Gary , your going to need a lot of luck and determinations to help you find them.



I am searching for Turners, who were / are Romanies .



A brilliant place to start is this Webb site where people are more than helpful and this



one ; www.Romanygenes.webeden.co.uk . It has so much be prepared to have a few



hours spare and take a look at the wagons and vardos via a link they are amazing .



hth Tina

many thanks Tina



cheers



Gary



cute pic btw

Thats ok Gary , i have many more i look on.



The pic is my mum who is 1/2 romany.



Tina