Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Tuggybear
    Guest

    Default Irish travellers

    Hi there,
    Not sure if this is actually the right forum for this opst so please accept my apologies if I've got it wrong.

    I am searching for my grandfather's paternal family. He was always very proud of his traveller roots and often told stories such as how he and his father went walkabout to places like Mablethorpe to buy a donkey or horse and then walk it home to Leicester. Also he said that his parents (although he may have meant g/g/g/grandparents) Came over from Ireland and were fairground people who had a fairground ride onm the racecourse at Vistoria Park in Leicester.
    Granddad did lots of jobs, he was a demolisher, a slater, a printer, a farm labourer, a horse dealer and was known as 'The Apple King of Leicester' when he used his horse, Nellie to pull his fruit cart around Leicester selling all kinds of fruit and vegetables at the door. He was most definitely a 'horse man' and was known to 'find' horses long before they were actually lost! He sat me on his farm horse when I was 18 months old and from that moment I have been described as 'horse mad' by the rest of my family... they aren't wrong, I set up a small sanctuary and now have 9 of these magnificent creatures. Obviously, our mutual love of horses drew me very close to granddad and I would love to trace his family back to Ireland if I can.

    The Details: As I understand them.
    Granddad was John Thomas Charles William Knight born in Leicester in 1894
    His father was James Knight born in Leicester in 1867
    His mother was Charlotte Anne North born in 1866 in Newark, Notts

    James' father was William Knight born 1823 in Leicester
    James' mother was Mary Ann ? also born in 1823 in Leicester

    From this point i lose them and have found great difficulty in tracing granddad and his brothers, at least one of whom emigrated. I believe William was listed as a 'traveller' on at least one census.

    Can anyone offer advice on how best to take this line further back assuming that William's parents were the Irish travellers who came across to England?
    Many thanks for reading this.

  2. #2
    Brick wall demolition expert!
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    South London
    Posts
    3,678

    Default

    Hi

    Do you have your family in the census? If so, could you post any census references you have please, as this will ensure members find the correct family. Also, have you looked for a marriage between William Knight and Mary Ann?

  3. #3
    Mutley
    Guest

    Default

    Is this the family in 1901
    James Knight age 34 being a Slaters Labourer born Leicester
    Annie Knight age 31
    William Knight age 6 (is this Grandad?)
    Annie Knight age 4
    Percy C Knight age 1

    RG13/2989; Folio192, Page 35.
    (census records held by TNA, Crown Copyright)

  4. #4
    Tuggybear
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mutley View Post
    Is this the family in 1901
    James Knight age 34 being a Slaters Labourer born Leicester
    Annie Knight age 31
    William Knight age 6 (is this Grandad?)
    Annie Knight age 4
    Percy C Knight age 1

    RG13/2989; Folio192, Page 35.
    (census records held by TNA, Crown Copyright)
    That is the family I assume are mine although I'm not sure whether William was my Granddad as he was always known as Jack to us but maybe his parents used William as that was James' dad's name. I know Granddad fell out with Percy and they never spoke again. It was something to do with Percy having an affair and leaving his wife or that is what I was told by my dad.

    Olliecat, thanks for the reminder, I must log the details properly in future. I am so busy with MIL's story that I just scribbled down the details I found (names ages etc) and didn't list the references.
    I haven't traced any marriages for this family yet other than my Grandparents John Thomas Charles William, a small man with a personality that matched his huge name, and May Newton.

    Thanks to both Olliecat and Mutley for the replies.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: