Romanies

[edgbaston]

I would love to hear from anyone who knows about a family of gypsies who lived in Aston on an encamptment their name was Clayton.

[busyglen]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Could you let us know roughly what years we are looking at?

Glenys

[edgbaston]

Thankyou for replying,I have found out that a gypsy girl named Mary lived in the Denbigh St encampment Aston in and around 1862-1881.I would love to know if she was the Mary Clayton who emigrated to America and spoke to her grand children about their Clayton name being on the Thomas Clayton and Fellows Morton and Clayton narrow boats.If only I had saved this information but I was using my sons computer at the time .

[busyglen]

Hi again.

I don't know if these will be of any help but here are two links which mention Fellows, Moreton & Clayton canal boats.

http://www.bcn-society.co.uk/BCNS_Photo_Gallery11.php (about halfway down page)

and

http://www.canals.com/files/bill_bks.txt this mentions a book which has a bit of history of the familes.

Will let you know if I turn up anything else. :)

Glenys

[busyglen]

I take it that you have seen the details from the 1881 Census which mentions the Denbigh St. Encampment? If not....the head of the family is William Clayton aged 60, who is shown as a Basket Maker?? Could this be the man that was involved with the narrow boats? It sounds doubtful but not impossible, if he'd fallen on hard times. Both the wife and a married daughter and son-in-law also live with them as Basket Makers, and also Mary aged 19 who is a Hawker. She is shown as born in Tamworth, Stafford.

Glenys

[edgbaston]

Thankyou busyglen very much for your reply I have gone through the information with a sense of enjoyment.I will now study every word in appreciation of your kind response Thankyou Mary.