Gypsies in Local History By Freda Matthews (1994) Thanks to Freda Matthews, who worked for the Travellers Education Service from 1987 until her retirement in 1992. She researched Gypsy history and produced the work shown on this website. She also wrote an article entitled "Gypsies in Leeds Local History", published in "Aspects of Leeds 1" edited by Lynne Stevenson Tate in 1998. 1572 It is now widely accepted through linguistic studies of the Romany language from as early as the end of the 18th century that the Gypsies originated in India. It is thought that they left around the 10th century, passed through Europe in the 14th century and arrived in England, calling themselves followers of the Princes and Dukes of Little Egypt, around 1514. The Leeds reference is therefore relatively early in the history of the Gypsy people in England. From Leeds Parish Registers First and Second Books 1572-1612 ed, by Samuel Margerison: 1891 Vol 1 publications of the Thoresby Society The first recorded Gypsy prescense in Leeds is in the Leeds Parish registers of 1572. The baptising of "Elizabeth, child of Anthony Smawleye, the Egypsion" is entered on 29th June 1572. A footnote in the transcript published in The Publications of the Thoresby Society vol 1 reads "Egyptian, now corrupted to Gipsy". Original now kept in the West Yorkshire archives Leeds. Back to Top 1612 - 1628 Tinkler Leas near Pontefract Lane Knowestrop The manor of Leeds was surveyed in 1612 and 1628. Tinkler Leas near Pontefract Lane is mentioned in both surveys. Was this an early Gypsy stopping places? Traveller Gypsies stay near Pontefract Lane nowadays on the Cross Green Industrial Estate. Back to Top 1904 A group of Russian Gypsies stayed in the Leylands Road area of Leeds in 1904. Their presence was covered in the local press of the day. The presence of sixty Gypsies living in three houses in the Leylands district of Leeds caused much hostility. They had been refused admission to the United States and had come to Leeds from Liverpool. Their eventual departure by train to Manchester, on their way b ack to Russia, was watched by a large crowd, the platform from which they departed having ot be barricaded off. In 1911 about twenty Russian 'Circassian' Gypsies were living in Cobourg Street in Leeds. The men were apparently tinsmiths, making copper pans in the back yards whilst others were singers and dancers. They had been travelling in Europe for two years. Newspaper photographs suggest that these two groups were Kalderash Gypsies (who spoke Romany as well as East European languages), who had begun to migrate round Europe in the later 19th century, partly as a result of the abolition of Gypsy slavery in Romania in 1856 and moved to Western Europe in the early 20th century. The Circassion Gypsies mentioned above had come to Leeds because there were Russian speaking Jews there. They were engaged to entertain them at the Jewish Institute during their stay. Back to Top 1929 The Gypsy Parties Baildon Baildon Public Library, posters etc. of Baildon Gypsy Fairs. 0ne place where Gypsies gathered every year, in June, was Baildon. It seems to have been a gathenng of families and no doubt weddings took place as a result. A report of 1929 says these annual events, 'Gypsies Parties', had started two to three hundred years before- records are said to go back to 1770 when it was even then an ancient custom. Up to 5,000 people are said to have paid for admission in 1881 when 200 gallons of 'Gypsy broth' were sold! By this time the encampment had been enclosed and a charge made for admission. Gradually the event was being taken over by local residents who dressed up as Gypsies and formed 'tribes'. It was advertised as a 'Gypsy Carnival (proceeds to the Horticultural Society)'. After 1897 the tradition died out, it is assumed from local accounts that the 'real Gypsies' had disappeared. In 1929 however the 'party' was revived, in September instead of June, to raise funds for Baildon Hospital and Charities Week. Old local Gypsy Travellers confirm that 'real' Gypsies attended these 'parties' alongside locals dressed up as Gypsies. John Keen, one of those to revive the Gypsy parties of the 1930s, went to Leeds for advice from 'Gypsy Smith' and, being unable to find him, enlisted the help of Xavier Petulengro, a Romany Gypsy, who was living in a caravan in Manchester. This was the beginning of the involvement of Petulengm culminating in the Carnivals of 1937 and 1938 which were reported in the national press and appeared on cinema newsreels. Petulengro became a famous broadcaster as a result of the publicity. He never forgot his Baildon friends and it is said that places were reserved for them at his funeral in 1957. The Gypsy Parties ended with the start of the Second World War and were never revived although Gypsies still occasionally camp near Baildon Moor. Back to Top 1969 In January 1969 six Gypsy leaders went to Strasbourg to find somewhere permanent for their people to live. One of these Gypsies was their "King", a Mr KTB O'Doherty. The ultimate outcome of the negotiations began that week was the provision of the permanent site at Cottingley. You can read about Tommy Doherty and the history of the Cottingley permanent site elsewhere on this website. Tommy, the chairman of the International Gypsy Council at Cottingley Springs, the Leeds Corporation site.