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Sorry Yvonne, I should also add, that this website is run by the filmmakers to promote the Gypsy Royal documentary – which your father very kindly agreed to participate in. This is not a website about the reunion, that’s just what people are talking about on the ‘have your say’ page as it is coming up so soon. The documentary is not just about the reunion (that’s just one small part of it).So anyone assuming your father is involved in the reunion itself has simply come to that assumption on their own. But as I’ve said above, we can easily remove his image if it’s causing problems.
Fiona
Fiona,
Will it be possible to get hold of a copy of your documentry? I hope it gets to Australia but I’m not sure if it will (you had better try hard) All the best for the next few weeks, wish I could be there.
Nils
Hi Nils,
The outlet for the doccie is still to be determined. After filming in Yetholm we’ll be putting together a 10-minute primer to send off to the likes of the BBC. But don’t expect anything to happen too quickly – these things can take quite a while! We can post a taster of the primer on the site when it’s done though. Did you see I’ve put in links to your video in the news page? And the Oscar goes to …
F
Fiona,
When I was younger I was a little bit better looking. Deby camera must have had a cracked lense or something. Anyhow my wife still loves me, that’s the main thing after 33 years. Allright Iwas a cradle snatcher, she was only 21 I was 29.
Nils
You’re a stunner Nils! Granted, not quite as much of a stunner as your beautiful wife, but a stunner nontheless.
To Yvonne, can you tell me why your father would be upset when people assumed he was connected with the documentary ? as he has been part of the history all those years ago, and especially when “The Yetholm Gypsies” was one of your uncles passions. Kind regards Esther
Esther, I think Yvonne meant that Tom is upset about people associating him with the reunion, not the documentary. Perhaps because people are asking him questions about it that he knows nothing about. But I’m sure Yvonne will clarify that.
Sorry about that Fiona, the question still remains, why would he be upset about being associated with the reunion then? Esther
Hello Everyone,
Everything seems to be in place now for the Reunion Tribute to Alexander Kennedy.
The reunion has developed a couple of very interesting off shoots i.e. the new information regarding The Blyth sisters and the artist, Samuel J. Peploe, who painted their portraits. Linda Lennen has been in touch with Guy Peploe, the great grandson of the artist, who has very generously released some copies of the paintings and, I , believe, other documents relating to the Blyth sisters. Linda will bring this material to the reunion.
The other subject is the extensive work of Nils Blyth who has researched the family trees of not only his own line but many others and it is fascinating to see how we all link up over the centuries. Nils has generously given copies of his work to Deby Sowter from New Zealand to bring to the reunion to share with us.
The final details are as follows:
The film crew will be setting up at around 10-11am.
There will be a yellow gazebo set up as a point of reference and where the paintings and the family tree information will be displayed.
Please make your way to the yellow gazebo around midday for the welcome.
Jackie Hendry will pay tribute to Alex Kennedy.
Linda Lennen and Deby Sowter will be available to tell you about the paintings and the family tree documents respectively.
Jackie Hendry M.C. will lead the sing-song – and I hope all you singers and entertainers will come forward to join him.
Remember to wear your name badges and bring your photographs etc. also bring your picnic hampers, seats etc. I hope we don’t need umbrellas!!
All I have to say now is thank you so much for all the interest and support you have given to this event. The warmth and affection that everyone is showing towards each other as we discover kinsfolk is really touching and I know we will all pull together to make this a wonderful day to remember. I look forward to meeting you on the 25th.
Maggie x.
Hi Nils,
I tried to send you an email –but it bounced back –full mailbox? (you are popular
)Thank you for your response on the website. I think its wonderful that you given such time to tracing the family tree! In my note, I referred to Esther Faa Blyth Rutherford’s granddaughter, Margaret Jane, marrying John Frater in 1896.
I have that my gg grandfather, John Frater, drowned on Jan 27, 1921 at River Tweed – Ward Haugh Coldstream Parish, Berwickshire. He was born on April 27, 1873 and his profession was cattle dealer. His son, William Rutherford Frater, married Dora Gibson.
I have lots of information from William Rutherford Frater on as I was close to his daughter– my grandmother (a “war bride’ who moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, with my grandfather, Norman Campbell, following the war). Their descendants, including myself, all reside in Nova Scotia as well.
It’s the earlier information that I am sketchy on — though I plan on chatting with my older relatives shortly to see what else I can gain.
Thanks!
Stephanie
While I was researching Douglas’ I came accross a death certificate for a Rachel Douglas in 1927 in the Melrose District. Rachel was widow of Matthew Douglas, her father was James Frater and mother Agnes Tait. Possibly the same family as you
st boswells fair day 18th july ,remember when it used to be packed with trailers ,good weather,grass like a bowling green,nice people,and them morning rolls from the village shop were the best,the main avent the dance at the village hall, we enjoyd it ,me mam and aunt pheobee would come in after the club for a bit of a fob . the fair was over in 2 days then of to coldsteam or hawick harth for the rest of the week then back to graft sick as a chip
I can remember when we all had stick fires, how we wernt burned to death I dony know. Good days
Hi Harry
Do I remember??!!! Best day of my holiday at my Grandma’s at Clintmains. Used to look longingly at the back windows of the trailers at all the lovely ornaments. Played roll the penny, hoopla, darts, dodgems, little roundabout with horses. Stared entranced at the horses and ponies – Oh happy days, I’m talking late 1940s and into 50s. Much too young for the dance sadly.
I won a balloon one year and hid it from my Grannie because I was sure she would say it was a waste of money. Won a goldfish another year and took it back home to Glasgow in a plastic bag on the train – it survived too!
I’m wishing all of you a wonderful, happy day on the 25th. No gypsy blood I’m afraid but always been very interested in the stories and traditions. I hope there is a picture in the local press that I can get my cousin to hold onto for me.
Good luck and best wishes to all of you.
Lorna
one of my ever lasting memories of St Bozwells is, going on the pony rides and my brother Alex would pull the horse by its bridle and make go really fast and Iwould screaming my head off but I loved it all the same!!! I think I would be about 8or 9yrs old ,oh !!! happy days. Before and after the fair we used to pull onto a camp at Innerlethan it was right next to the river it was lovely and my granny used to walk us for miles , Alex and my couson Billy Knight caught a hair and for devilment I put it inside the trailer door so my sister Aliceann would get fright lol and she did !!! take what I got when she caught with me later that daylol. See you all on the 25thxxxxxxx
Hi Lorna thanks for that lovely comment it must have been a happy time for you for you to remeber it all these years! Esther
Hi to all again,
Last weekend was another typical winter weekend for us. We took off on Friday morning towing our combo caravan / horse float, went down to Jugiong about 180 kms away for a Polocrosse carnival, unloaded the horses, unfolded the yards on the side of the float, then set up camp. Had the camp fire (you guys call them stick fires) going by about 2pm and waited for the others to arrive. We had about 14 or so in our camp with 8 horses, with a total of about 400 people and about 240 horses plus at the event, our camp won the first event (but lost the next three) Most weekends we cook in camp ovens in the fire but there was a pub with good food about 300m away so we used the pub. Packed up Sunday afternoon and headed home.
Nothing now for the next two weekends, then another event about 250k away for team penning. Could be anything up to 300 horses at that one. Probably cook a roast, vegies, spotted dick (sweet damper with rasins & sultanas in it) in the campfire.
After that, horse events will probably slow down a bit. Might have to do a bit of site seeing. Last big one we did was 12,000k across Australia. Still got a lot more to see though. Just put this to make some of the overseas relo’s jealous. Then again I’m jealous I won’t be there for the 25th.
Nils
Nils. Just to say thanks for all your efforts and I for one canni wait to see the family trees you have worked so hard on. Im sure we will have a good day and may even raise a glass to you in the pub later. laugh!
nills that sounds like a perfect weekend ,food drink,stick fires,horses,and a good laugh ,me and a few of your cousins are up for adoption lol
Nils, Netty and I arrived in Edinburgh this afternoon by train.A lovely trip up the county from London. I have all your documents safely with me and intact. Looking forward to sharing with everyone on Sunday. I know you are disappointed to be missing seeing everyone and sharing the event. We will do our best to make you a part of it, have your nice ‘cards’ to hand out also. Take care and thinking of you -Deb
Hi to everyone we are off to the Borders tomorrow….so looking forward to Sunday and for those who cant make it we will have lots of tales to tell and photos.x
And the forecast is for sunny weather! See you there. Can’t wait !
Hi, my first time make contact + am in awe to what I have read about gypsies… my name is anne faa blyth kennedy I was born + reside in cape town south africa + alex kennedy is my first cousin so you can imagine how astounded I feel to have read the news of the reunion + memorial to alex I wish I could be there to meet + be with you all I’ll be there in spirit
Hello Ann I remember you very well I am Alex sister Esther, you will not believe but Aliceann and I were talking about you tonight wondering if you knew anything about the reunion and I said probally not!!! how did you find out about The Gipsy Royals? we will have to keep in touch from now on. I will send you photos of the reunion so will you send me your e-mail please? mine is rallan.1958@talktalk.net.
Keep well keep in touch cousin Estherxxx
Anne in South Africa,
Who was your father or grand father? William with a wife Olive. I have a William Kennedy died in Rodesia
Nils Blyth
Hi Nils
I am Anne’s sister, living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our father was Matthew Kennedy son of Alex Kennedy and brother to the William Kennedy you refer to. My dad passed away on 25 September 2006.
I have been keeping in touch with my cousin Esther Allan and Maggie Kennedy and have sent photos of my dad to them. I was lucky enough to spend a few days with Alex in December 2008 after 30 years. It was as though we had never been apart and we just laughed and laughed as only Alex could make you laugh.
I wish I was able to be in Yetholm today to attend the memorial, but fortunately my son Glenn, whom you may have been in contact with or met at Alex funeral, is living in Edinburgh and will be attending the reunion in Yetholm today. I will be there in spirit.
I’d just like to say thank you to everyone for allowing us to film the re-union yesterday.
It was a lovely gathering and hopefully we’ll be able to do it justice in the documentary. We still have some filming to do but we’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Tony Glover
Yes ditto to that. Sorry we didn’t get to say goodbye to everyone – particularly Deby – but by the time we finished interviewing Maggie in the Palace everyone had left! And then of course the sun came out
Our tech guy (aka my husband Rod) is going to put some photos up on the site over the next week. If anyone has any particularly good ones – particularly of the filming – please send them to admin @ thecraftywriter . com Please include names of people in pics if you know them. Please don’t send hundreds, just a couple of choice ones please.
Many thanks to yourself Tony and to the rest of the film crew for helping to make the Yetholm reunion day special.
It is a bit daunting standing in front of a camera for the first time. However, because it was all spontaneous the responses to Fiona’s questions were honest , if in my case largely inarticulate and garbled.
Anyway good fun and interesting.
A big thanks once again to all of you for your hard work.
Jimmy Davidson
Hardly inarticulate Jimmy! You were great. As were all the interviewees. Thanks for your patience having to stop and start for motorbikes et al
I just want to say that I was very happy and proud to be apart of the GYPSY REUNION AT KIRK YETHOLM, and because of all the hard work of everyone involved it was a great success and I was amazed at the amount of work that Nils Blyth has accomplished over the years to put together the family history it was all perfect…. Ali x
Thanks to everyone who made it possible love you all xx
Hello Fiona where you at the reunion yesterday sorry I didnt see you. x
Hi Ali, yes I was. But I was running around with the film crew all day holding umbrellas to keep the camera dry. I was wearing a turquoise rain coat. It was a fab day, wasn’t it?
Would just like to say a big thank you to my cousin Maggie Kennedy for all her hard work in getting this reunion of the ground, all her months of worrying and fretting and organisation came good in the end. A great day was had by all who attended, and even the wee drizzles of rain, didn’t put a damper on our spirits. It was particularly nice to put faces to names and exchange knowledge between ourselves, and it was great to see that so much documentation is available through photographs, written word and especially by word of mouth. Even though we are being diluted as a line by time and marriage, it is comforting, knowing that our roots are still growing and not forgotten.
Also a mention to Jackie Hendry, our master of ceremonies, who made us very welcome, and kept us entertained with his singing.
Here’s wishing it won’t be too long ’til our next family reunion.
Lovely Fiona a great success you should all be very proud of yourselves xx
Just off the train and was desperate to get on here and read the comments. For me it was a wonderful day meeting up with family I already knew and meeting more for the first time. Thanks to everyone who attended and made it a good day.(Great to meet my facebook family buddies too!) To Fiona (smile) you are such a little fibber (laugh)
you predicted sunny weather and told me being interviewed was not scary! I felt like the village idiot lol x
At least you didn’t look like it! You were great, Linda. Come on, admit it, it wasn’t as bad as you thought, was it?
Thankyou to everyone for making me feel so welcome yesterday. I loved every moment. (could you tell! I was the one grinning just a cheshire cat all day!!) I’ve met some beautiful friends and will take a way some fantastic memories.Thankyou Maggie for making it so comfortable and the great focus of the yellow tent to display all the info Nils sent for all to enjoy. I cant thank Nils enough for allowing me to bring all his hard work. I dropped all the records off today at the Kelso Library and I believe it is being sent to the ‘Heritage Hub’ in Harwick for future family to enquire.
Netty and I have spent the day meandering down lanes and villages that have linked me to Family from this area. I loved every moment and again want to thank all for the opportunity to meet ‘living kin’ and put faces to distant family -fond memories Deby
I’ve put up some photos of the reunion – please let me know any missing names. If you would like to contribute some photos, drop me a line via the contact page and I’ll let you know how to send them in.
I have been working on my family tree for the last 20years and have now came upon the connection to the gypsies however I can not get back any further at this point. The names I have are Kennedy, Baillie, Wilson’s, Ruthven and Tait. Does anyone have any information on them. My Wilson’s and Baillie’s were last living in Borthwick and Temple.
Hi Thresea I have Taits, Kennedys and Baillie in my family tree can you give some dates and names.
Or I have a Facebook group Our Ancestors the Yetholm Gypsies with family tree infomation. Ali
Mine come off of John Baillie and Jean Wilson in Borthwick. Their daughter Mary Baillie married my John Wilson. Records show Mary and John were Spooners in Winton Pencaitland then moved to Temple. I will check out your facebook and get back with you. I have all of mine in Ancestry.com but I also have a book me and my father have made with all of our records and pictures.
I have come accross these on Ancestry in the Temple, Borthwick area. They were in the Martin Family Tree. I am interested in the Baillies and Wilsons.
Where do yours come in Marshall? Which Baillie or Wilson?
A William Baillie married to Agnes Blyth. They had 4 children Wm. David, James & Elizabeth. The Wilson I am looking for is a James Wilson married to Agnes Inglis I Have only found a daughter Jane who was my gggrandmother and her brother James. The Wilson seem to be in the Dalkeith and Haddington Areas. I have a feeling they are the same Wilsons that are from Temple. If you can help me with them I would be very grateful
Hello everyonr well we all had a good day on Sunday everyone was in good spirit and happy and pleased to see each other, well I have just had Alex wife on the phone only to say on Sunday while the reunion was taking place that her trailer had been broken into and a large sum of money had been stolen, what a low life thing to do !!!
Oh my word, that’s terrible!
Was so sorry to here that Esther, as my Granny used to say may their fingers drop off
Thanks for that Marshall you don’t realise how sick some people are
Hi I too am saddened and shocked to hear about the theft, disgusting to say the least…
Hello Everyone,
Almost a week already since our gathering on Kirk Yetholm Green.
I enjoyed every minute of it and only wish I had had the opportunity to sit down and talk to you all and put faces to the many names I have met through the web site.
For me the gathering was a step back in time to when my granny, Maggie Blyth Hendry McNab, would take me to Innerleithen to spend some time with the family camped there before moving on to St. Boswells. Granny gave up her travelling life when she married but every year she would join the old family just to show her affection and to keep up with the crack!
The atmosphere last Sunday was filled with affection and friendship as people met up after, in some cases, many years. The family trees, photo albums, documents etc. were fascinating and it was very moving to see people of all ages seek each other out and with their heads close together examine photographs and share information on their ancestors.
Sometimes it is the small things that encapsulate the whole and for me the sight of the men with their mufflers,Trilby hats, and brown boots, all tokens of the fraternity, said it all. Thank you gentlemen.
As a tribute to Alexander Kennedy the event could not have been better – a gathering of family and friends expressing their joy to be with each other and showing pride and respect for our old gypsy culture.
Everyone did their part in making the day a success – we travelled from near and far carrying what we had to share with others but most of all we came with love in our hearts and a desire to be together for just a little while to remember the way we used to be.
As a “reunion” it was just that – I hope we continue to be united!
Thanks for the memories.
Love
Maggie x
Hi Margaret, Enjoyed the day very much and was so happy to see your Aunt Marshall again it was so good to hear her say “I remember when you were born” it is usually me that says that now. Good to see you and all your cousins the last time must have been when your Granny died. If St Boswells is on for a week next year why dont we all try to spend some time there and have more time to spend with everyone. Nils work was fab I must go to Hawick and see it again as there was too much to take in all at once. Many thanks to you for organising the day. Love Marshall Hartley
Hello Marshall,
Yes, I would like us to meet up again and St. Boswells would be the perfect place. Maybe your sister Esther would come too-she and I used to play together when she came with your mother to visit my granny.
Roll on next July!
Love
Margaret x
We will need to get as many lots as we can to go and the weather it spoils everything we are now to comfortable in our wee hooses to put up with trailers in the rain. Love Marshall
Just found this website, barry. Actually looking for any info on Hutchisons as my wife is the great great granddaughter of ” Swanny” through his son Hughie. Her granuncles were Hughie and Jimmy the boxers. We have photos of them. Her granny Mary was the oldest daughter of Hughie Hutchison and Mary Stewart. The family came to the states in 1912. Also any info on the Williamsons or Kelbies would be welcome as well. We have been in the states for right around 100 years and are still on the road hawking. Jimmy W
Hi James, I am a Williamson and my grannies name was Mary Stewart, we are located in the Highlands of Scotland, a lot of my family on the Williamson side live in or around Elgin and are big names in the scrap business although our old trade was horse dealing.
Oh and good to hear that your still hawkin, I recall hawkin with my mum when I was a wee boy, always the poorest of the crofting folk would give eggs, jam or tatties as way of a kind gesture but the toffs wouldn’t part with much. ah good times.
Aye, Donald, our yins were into the horses. My naescoulls hantel were all Caithness, my naesmorts hantel were from Elgin and Keith. Drop me an email to: tinkerjimmy@yahoo.com and we can have a Bonnie craic. Jimmy
Aye James , looks like we must be kin, I will email you tonight for e’ crack.
Dear Maggie,
I have been researching my Kennedy family connection for the past three years. I would love to know when and where the next reunion will take place.
Robert
What a lovely recollection of the reunion Maggie. I hope we can make it an ongoing event in some way as I believe the decendents of the Gypsy Royals are truly unique. There was talk on the day of our people not letting the traditions and memories fade away and I am wondering if there are any feasable plans to keep our culture alive and breathing for future generations? Maybe through this site we can all suggest and discuss practical ways to do this? Any suggestions from willing participants? Its a difficult one and it would require a group of informed,likeminded,passionate people and a lot of time and effort…..Lets see what we can all come up with. x
hello james pleased to here from you,my grandfarther mark hutchison was full cousin to your wifes granny mary , here brother jimmy came back to scotland in the late 40s and stayed with my granfarther in trailers for about two months on return to the usa jimmy sent my grandad mark a gold wrist watch in the post,there were over fifty full cousins in this generation,i was talking to mary horsefall yesterday she was youre wifes granny full cousin il send what i have on the hutchisons to your email above
Hello Harry, please call me Jimmy. I think my Jean (your third cousin) is in touch with Janice Burnside and has seen your daughter Elizabeth on Facebook. Sad to say there have been no true Hutchisons here in the States seen old Jimmy the Boxer died in the 70s. Jean is really thrilled to find all of you. The family over here have wondered for years why old Hughie and Mary left for the States all those years ago, any ideas or old family stories on it?
Hi Jimmy did your family ever come across Jimmy Hutchison married to Betty Daly they had a son James and a daughter Ann they were in America and Canada for few years ? Esther
Aye, Esther, we have heard of Jimmy. My father-in-law (Hughie Gorman, Gorman on his da’s side, Hutchison on his Ma’s) minded on Jimmy Hutchison years ago.
Hi to anyone who may be interested. Just a suggestion but would it not be a good idea to help the owner of the Gypsy Palace to use an out building (as stated on the site he would like to do this) Opinions please x
Hello Linda,
I must have missed something – help the owner of the Gypsy Palace do what with his outbuildings?
Hi Maggie I think Linda meant to say” ask the owner” not “help” slight typing error as she has just had her nails done !!!LOL!!! either that or she has had a wee dram!! only choking sorry I mean jocking, what she means is having a kind of museum with memorabilia to keep our culture alive, photos etc, etc. Esther
Just wanted to let everyone know the the documents Nils sent up for the ‘Kirk Yetholm Reunion’ are now at the ‘Heritage Hub -Hawick’. they have information containing many of the names and connections people are enquiring about. ie Hutchison being one…also many other Links to names in the wider Family. You can contact them there for any follow up or view the documents also:
Contact person being:
Mrs Susan Donaldson
Enquiry Researcher
Heritage Hub
Kirkstile
Hawick
Roxburghshire TD9 90AE
Tel. 01450 360699
EM: archives@scotborders.gov.uk
Web: http://www.heartofhawick.co.uk/heritagehub
Love to all Deb
Glad everyone got home safe and sound from the reunion, I enjoyed it very much.
Sorry to hear however that some think that making a claim for the crown is outdated, I could argue that if that was the case then perhaps our language is also outdated, and our culture is outdated..no to claim sovereignty as a tribal right can’t become outdated, but a right unclaimed is a right that is lost.
I will be going ahead with my claim and sincerely hope that I get the blessing of you all, I have a staggering support up here in the Highlands and things are moving along nicely. A crown has been now been secured and a ceremony is planned for next year but official notices will appear in national papers and on this forum well beforehand.
Hi Mr Williamson. I have a question ..Why do you want to be a King… and what makes you qualified? I am also surprised that you have support in the Highlands as you seem to have a very English name !…..Maybe I have missed some previous statement of yours ?
Well first of all hello Paul, and I mean no offence by this, but the term Mr. is a term belonging to a society to which I don’t belong so I never call myself Mr.
Such titles were introduced by the Romans and is a legal fiction attached to a name which creates obligations to said society and surrenders a person to the authority of Government that rules over that society.
I want to be King so that I can begin to reinstate some of our laws and traditions and have it recognized by the state and the person known as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. While we are on the subject of Her Majesty, I am afraid that she has broken her coronation oath…did she not say on her coronation that ” I swear by almighty God that I will rule this country according to the laws and traditions of the people of this country” I am paraphrasing but that is near enough if not exactly word for word, however here we find ourselves being ruled over by a foreign power… Brussels…over 75% of our statute law comes from Brussels! statutes made by people who haven’t ever even been to this country!
So what Her Maj. has done is she has allowed the Sovereignty of this country to be freely given away after so many millions died in trenches trying to protect our sovereignty! I wonder what they would have to say about that if they were here today.
Anyway the title of King is not enough to make changes but if I could get the authority of the title to be recognised I could then have something to bring to the negotiating table, the first objective would be to put together a council and have a written constitution drawn up. If done correctly we would be slowly but surely working towards regaining some of our God given rights.
For instance in the sixties the government devised a plan to get the travelling communities to stop living as nomadic people and get us to settle into permanent housing , their plan was nothing more than to send the heavies in! Camps were torn down, bulldozed over etc and threats of having our children taken away unless they settled into council houses permanently. Now that they got what they wanted they now say we have to PAY for the privilege by means of council tax! …can anyone else see the bare faced cheek of it all.
The reason I want to be King? … well there are many reasons, but as far as I can see we are being taken for a ride by our so called government and they are not going to slow down either!
We could negotiate our rights with the gov. and begin to re introduce our own ancient laws and customs and be more in control of our future…while we still have some.
As far as qualifications are concerned, well I am a full blooded Roma and I have lived my life as such, with all the hardships and happiness that entails, and I know in my heart that if we all pulled in the same direction we can make a difference that will allow us to hand over to our children something better than what we had, our basic God given rights for starters.
I am from the Highlands Paul that is why I have so much support, the gypsy folk all know me and know me around here.
And finally, whosoever becomes King/Queen would have to be willing to stick their neck out…after a King or Queen would have to stop paying all taxes and refuse loyalty to Her Majesty, after all a King/Queen cannot be ruled over by another Royal and this is where it can become a minefield, ever tried to stop paying taxes? taking on the state? because I have and they can get real nasty! you have to be prepared to go all the way and stand in court without representation, being a gypsy I do not allopw ANY of my affairs to be contolled by the country hantle/ gorjio, flatty..whatever they call them in your region.
Being titled a King may sound fancy and all but who here is willing to take on that burden?….I am.
…phew that was a wee bit long winded..:)
Well Donald I think your plans regarding gypsy rights could be achived just as easy (or even more easy) without a crown on your head . I think in this day and age you claiming to be a King and taking on Queen Elizabeth , most likely would be looked on as a bit of a joke ,and not taken seriously. I feel you may have more success just being yourself with the support of your many Highlanders. Is the Ross clan on board? Cheers
Hello Donald, I also would like to know why you would like to be “KING” ? what or who will benefit from this? will it stop all the prejudices and the disregard that none Gypsies have for us ? what changes do you think you could make if !!! this were to happen ? Maybe if you look back in history when Patrick Faa was given this title you might change your mind. Esther
Have just been thinking about this “Man who would be King”… you are only a Leader if someone is following you. You cant lead people beyond where you have grown and expanded yourself.
Its a large responsibility with so many layers behind it.
A King fundamentally lives to serve his people.
Perhaps a good question is how are you going to help?
Its not so much about privilege title or rank …but how can you serve and help ‘your’ people???
Often a true leader is recognised for there character, strengths and qualities…not so much by claiming a specific mantle or title.
Hi , D.Sowter and Esther, I agree please see my reply I gave Paul. and yes I will be doing this for my people but not only the ones that are with us today no, I do this also for my ancestors who have suffered humiliation, torture and death at the hands of the evil corrupt, racist small minded people who claim they have ” authority”, I do this so that I never have to see tears running down the cheeks of a wee bairn cause the Hornies are kicking their mum and dads camp to bits I am doing this because I saw first hand how my people are treated and that is something I won’t ever want my children or yours to see..and I’m gonna suffer for what I am doing..don’t think I won’t cause I will!
but I will take whatever they through at me but I won’t be as much as a blip on their screen unless I can rely on all gypsies/travellers to stand by me.
Donald,
Which Traveller group do you wish to become King of. The Highland Travellers? Over the years a number of the “tribes” had their own leaders, in fact, probably all of them did. There were a few groups who had a “King” one was one of the English tribes and I think Haddington may have been another and of course Kirk Yetholm. If you want to stop paying taxes, talk to a good accountant. I have to pay tax on 23 cents every year in Australia, they don’t even bother billing me. The King / Queen bit is long gone, there is no benefit in royalty even in Denmark or England, all they do is cost working class people money. I don’t even like the idea of a President. If you want to help, help form a UK wide comittee, set an agenda, sign up members so you have the numbers to talk for, and start working from there. Would be much better than a “King” talking for an unknown number of the people concerned.
Nils