Kemp family,circus acrobats,gypsies.

[Grant66]

I would like to find out more about Ellen Kemp and her romany roots. She was born about 1840 and was my husband's great great grandmother. I don't know her birthplace but she married a Sunderland man and settled down in n.e. England.Her daughter Emma Johnson was born in Coxhoe 1868ish.

[Coromandel]

Hello Grant66

To help us help you, could you fill in a little more detail? Who was Ellen's husband? Have you found their marriage? Is there any sign of them on census returns?

[Richard1955]

Could it be this family:
1881 census ref: RG11 5003/126/36
All born in Sunderland and living at 26 Lilburn Pl. Southwick. Durham.
JOHNSON, Edward b1847
JOHNSON, Ellen b1849
JOHNSON, Emma b1866
JOHNSON, Louisa b1870
JOHNSON, Charles b1872
JOHNSON, John b1873
JOHNSON, Mary Ann b1875
JOHNSON, D Ellen b1879

[Grant66]

Hi.Ellen's husband was Edward Johnson but I can't find their marriage .Perhaps they had a romany wedding. He was born 1847 and obviosly met Ellen when her family were in the north east. I did think I had found her mother Ann Lock but no proof. A few years ago when I started researching my husband's family ,I found a census return with occupation as circus acrobat and dismissed it as an unlikely connection but according to Ian he did have circus acrobats/romanies in the family.Now I can't find that census return!!

[Grant66]

Yes this is the family but it is Ellen's birth and early life that is a mystery. I did think I had a link to Ann lock who may have been Ellen's mother but no proof.

[Richard1955]

Birth:
Elen Kemp registered Mar qtr. 1850 Stockton XXIV 265

[Richard1955]

I think this might be Ellen on the 1861 census:
RG09 3696 71 16
But I can't find her on the 1851 census.

Crown copyright TNA