NORWOOD GYPSIES

Henry Locke did supposedly have a son JohnLocke That being the case, it is just possible that John and Matthew Locke, who were
arrested in a cottage at Norwood in January 1817, on a charge of robbing a man on the highway between Sydenham and Dulwich, were Gypsies. At any rate, Matthew was the name of the grandfather of Esmeralda Lock, the wife of Hubert Smith and Groome; and though at the time of Matthew’s birth the family still passed under their original name of Boswell, not under the alias of Lock by which
they have generally been known for the last century, that alias had already been adopted before 1817, as on October 24, 1815, ‘Unity, second daughter of Henry Locke, a gypsey,’ was married at Chedworth, Gloucestershire, to a ‘Mr. George Payne, late of Terrington.’ Henry was father of Matthew, and so little averse was he to house-dwellers that, though the marriage took place in a ‘Gypsy
encampment,’ he offered to give a dowry of ‘500 guineas with each of his two unmarried daughters, provided they marry men of good character, and householders.

It may seem improbable that the Locks, who now travel mainly in and on the borders of Wales, especially North Wales, should be found so far south as Norwood; but within the memory of the older living members of the family Gloucestershire, still the habitat of Mairik Lock’s descendants, was the home of all the family; and it was not till the middle of the last century that Matthew and
his descendants migrated, first to Shropshire, where some may still be found, and then to North Wales as a centre.
[The Norwood Gypsies and their Vocabulary,
Eric Otto Winstedt, JGLS, 2nd Series, Vol. IX, pp. 151-152]


1868, March, Locke, Bowfie, Alverley, conviction QR496/100

1869, June, Lock, Esmarelda, gypsy, Newport, deposition QR501/29

1869, June, Lock Ismerelda, gypsy, no residence recognizance QRQR501/212
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It is not so many years ago that in a little frequented spot, where none but the initiate would seek, I came upon the van and tent of Simpronius Bohemia Boswell, and in his company was a young man wearing his left arm in a sling, whom I recognized at once as one of the Taylors, a Cheshire tribe with a not undeserved reputation for general lawlessness. There was no mistaking the
tall, powerful figure—the Lockes and Taylors are our two tallest families—andsmall snake head, which, with its closely cropped hair, formed such a contrast to Booy’s long glossy ringlets. ‘A new stiffo-cher,’ thought I, for Booy’s sons in law changed frequently, his docile daughters never seeming to question the paternal right to dismiss a son in law with whom he had quarreled and
replace him with another. ‘It seems to me,’ said I, ‘that I know this young man.
’ ‘No, my dear child,’ said Booy soothingly, ‘however should you have aknowledge to him? No one in dese parts has so much as see him before; dis is one of de Prices from South Wales come up for a day or two to pay me and my old ‘oman a wisit.’ But later as we sat together in the tent a grimy newspaper wasproduced, and I was invited to read aloud an account of a poaching fray in which one keeper had been badly injured and another left for dead, while three Gypsies had been captured and a fourth had so far managed to evade custody.
Oddly enough the delinquents were all Taylors, and the legal point upon which my opinion was desired was set forth by Booy with a fine moral air worthy of Palmer ’s ‘Preaching Charlie.’ [Welsh Gypsy Folk Tales, Collected and Edited by
John Sampson, JGLS, 2nd Series, Vol. I, p. 315]
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1909. On the 29th of April, too, Stephen Hewitt (husband of Pamela Smith) of Great Yarmouth, and John Taylor of Hopton, were fined at Woodbridge for turning their horses onto growing grass. This John Taylor is no relation to
Sylvester Taylor, who, a day or two later, was fined at Oswestry for encamping on the highway; nor to Isaac Taylor, who in the first week in May, was convicted at Abergele for allowing his horses to stray; nor to Benjamin Taylor, who, at the same place, on September 4, had to pay 12s. 6d. for taking his three year old child with him into a public-house; nor to Richard Taylor, for stealing whose donkey John Ward, a groom, was sent to gaol for a week at Mold on November 8.
The four last-named all belong to Longsnout’s Breed. [Affairs of Egypt, 1909,
JGLS, 2nd Series, Vol. V, p. 122]
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Related to the Locks, and springing from them are the Taylors, Smith, Craydens, Davies and Organs. The Taylors are mostly in North-East Wales and North-West England. They began, as older members will know, from a marriage between Lucy Lock, Matthew’s daughter, and Edward Taylor, a traveling barber, called ‘ Bill the Barber,’ ‘Longsnout,’ and ‘Credit’ among other nicknames. Of their children, three stayed single, and all the rest married Gypsies, mainly their cousins or nieces and nephews. Solomon married Sarah Boswell, daughter of Yui. They, too, had quite a batch of offspring, most of whom again married relations. Two who did not were Maisi, whose wife Janet Wood was the daughter of Llewelyn Wood and Minnie Lee, and Holidays, who married Asela Price.
[The Gypsies of North Wales, JGLS, 3rd Series, Vol. 42, p. 86-87]

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The Liverpool Echo on November 21, 1907, reported the death of Ernest Taylor, aged sixty-four, a native of Chester, and member of a well-known Gypsy family. He was a scissors-grinder, and for months had traveled with the van of Mr. and Mrs. Rabi Lock, hawkers, sleeping in a little tent alongside the caravan. He had a bad cough, and was found dead one morning in his tent.
[Affairs of Egypt, 1907, JGLS, 2nd Series, Vol. 11, p. 128]

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And, finally, a glimpse of Edward ‘Credit’ Taylor and his poor wife, Lucy Locke, from Francis Groome’s In Gypsy Tents. Now we know why he used aliases in his book:
Look at my Uncle Will's white-headed children--" barns," he calls 'em. Regular Dane's breed, and can't understand plain English, let alone Romanes. Why, the other evening Mantis told little Maggie their neddy was down the lane; and she had'nt no notions what he meant, till Aunt Sinfi said, 'It's the cuddie he's meaning.' Lord! Sinfi was a fool." "Gently, Adam. How did she come, though, to take up with Willy?" "It was all my granny's fault. She was always on with the poor wench, saying as she'd never be worth a man, till long and by last she took and went off with my Uncle Pyramus and Aunt Lucretia, when they was going up to Scotland afterponies. They were going along the road somewheres up in those parts, and left Sinfi behind; and my uncle was just sticking up the place, when, on looking round, Anselo (he was gone with 'em too, and he was littler than me then) he cries out, ‘Here's a highflier coming with a bit of a budget under his arm.’ He come walking right up to the’ place, and said to Pyramus, ‘Good day.’ ‘Good day , man,’ says my uncle; and they never took no more notice of him. So presently he said, ‘Mr Lovell’ (he had got the name very quick). ‘ Mr Lovell,’ says he, ‘will you giye me your sister?’ ‘Ay, man,’ he said, you can have my sister, and welcome,’ never thinking Sinfi was behind. And they all burst out laughing. But he turns back, the highflier did, and brought her up to the tent as bold as brass; and when they saw that, they were so struck they didn't know what to do or what to say. And my uncle laid it on to her like anything, butshe didn't mind it in the least. And there and the this Credit (we always call him Credit, because he said once he was a 'Creedit to the family') went over the hedge, and cut some little tiny bits of nut-stick, more like twigs than tent-rods; and green briars they cut to lie upon. My uncle wouldn't give them nothing to sleep in, and she made a tent of her frock. And next morning they heard a kind of half-­smothered screaming; and when they got up to look, it was Credit beating her with his naily boot. My Aunt Lucretia said it served her right, and they never interfered with her. But they gave him some money to go to the shop for things; and seemingly he sat upon the gate wondering whether he should go to the shop or run away altogether. So that's the end of the man
and his ass.""At any rate, she seems very fond of him." "Oh, bless you! yes; and if any of us goes atween them when he's beating her,
she'll begin on we, say it's her affair, not ours."
[In Gypsy Tents, Francis Groome, pp. 30, 31]

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"Tales of the Old Gypsies" author Jennifer Davies There is a lovely article about Jack and Gevoner Locke, they married even though their fathers were cousins. Jack Locke says his father was James Locke a horse dealer, and his mother was the daughter of Cornelius and Helen Shevlan (Shevlin). He says, "We used to travel through Shropshire and Cheshire with our relatives the Boswell and Finneys, in six caravans." James Locke referred to in this book is James Davies [Locke]. James was born near Bewdley, Worcestershire in 1870 [son of James Davies and Olive Locke] and by the 1871 census he is no longer living with his parents and siblings. Jane Thams - born around 1876 in Shropshire. She married James Lock Davis at Quatford in 1897. Her father is recorded as William Thams. In the 1881 census the family of Leonard Lock are living in Kemberton Shropshire 1881 Census Kemberton Shinfnal Shropshire Leonard Locke..............30 b 1851 Bridgnorth Shropshire - horsedealer Mary.......................27 b 1854 Kemberton Shropshire Ganius (M)..................5 b 1876 Kemberton Rhode.......................3 b 1878 Kemberton Agness..................8mths b 1881 Kemberton Elijah Davies..............14 b 1867 Bewdley Shropshire - Nephew/horsedealer [PRO ref RG11/Piece 2633/Folio 56/Page 12] Along with a nephew, Elijah Davies, aged 14, born in Bewdley. I think there is a possibility that this is James Davies and that Leonard Lock may have been the younger brother of Olive Locke [James' mother] who was the daughter of Elijah Smith & Margaret/Margery Locke. Leonard had a daughter called Rhoda and a Rhoda Locke was a witness to James' and Jane's marriage. 1891 Census Wombridge Shropshire Leonard locke........37 b 1854 gloucestershire - horsedealer Mary A...............39 b 1852 Burton on trent Derby Rhoda................12 b 1879 Newport Shropshire Agnes................10 b 1881 Newport Shropshire leonard...............8 b 1883 Newport Shropshire Johnathan.............5 b 1886 Malvern Link Worcestershire Fedrix................4 b 1887 Bridgnorth Shropshire Hezekiah..............2 b 1889 Newport Shropshire

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Lock/Draper/Boswell family

Ann/Anis/Alice Draper who partnered a Lucas Lock and had three children:
Clementine baptised 1845 Hawkesbury,Gloucestershire,
Jemima Leckhampton, Gloucestershire 1850
Lucas born c1848, place unknown.

Lucas LOCK came to Hawkesbury about 1822 from Chedworth where his father Merrick or Mirack LOCK married Mary LEE 16th Apr 1821
Merrick LOCK was probably from Stolton Worcestershire where a family of Locks lived from early 1700's
Lucas Lock was born there 24 Oct 1813 to Merrick and Mary Lock ( Boswell) although we can't be sure its not and earlier wife called Mary
Merrick and Mary baptised a daughter Temperance at Hawkesbury 20 Mar 1818 , there also seems to be a probable brother Henry who married Elizabeth
They had a child Charlotte b.27 OCT 1816 in Chedworth and later Zacharias 25 Mar 1827 in Hawkesbury and probably a few more not recorded, probably the reason they came to Hawkesbury was Merrick may have had another brother and sister in law, Matthew & Memberance LOCK who baptised Isaiah on the 22 Mar 1817. it may have been during a stay with them Temperence was born.
At some point Lucas meets Anne DRAPER I think its probable they lived at Hawkesbury for some time, until after daughter Clementine was born then they seem to go on the road.
Lucas LOCK jnr was born in May 1848 Nr Berkley he died 2 weeks later buried at Berkley Church 9 Jun 1848, another daughter Jemima was born Dec 1850 and died 8 months later at Swanley Nr Berkley buried Berkley 6th July 1851.
Meanwhile Lucas LOCK sister Temperance b.1818 Hawkesbury has married Arnold SMITH a Tinker and Brazier from Oxford and they are living in a caravan on the roadside in Golden Valley Deerhurst
On census day 1851, they have a daughter Mary Ann aged 12 and cousins Obadiah DAVIS his wife Cinderella
(no doubt does the ashes) with their sons Joseph, Obadiah, daughters Mary and Maria aged 2 weeks, this must be one crowded caravan no wonder the lodger Joseph MOUR aged 40 was sleeping in the farm house.
Anne DRAPER must have died during the next decade in 1871 Lucas LOCK is living in a caravan with Arnold SMITH and his wife Temperance Lucas's sister parked in a field at Parks farm Slimbridge he describes himself as a tinkers
assistant what ever that is, also in the caravan is Prudence SMITH ,Arnolds grand daughter b, 1853 at Hawkesbury.
Its known that Gypsy families congregated at certain weeks at set places I know some did at Hawkesbury but I don't know where, I don't think it was a big thing in Hawkesbury some places hundreds of families gathered and still
do today horse trotting being a popular thing to do and gamble on.

Notes :England & Wales Criminal Register 1791-1892
Trial date : 24th March 1853 Herefordshire
Israel Draper & Lucas Locke convicted of Malicously killing Pig - sentenced to 1 year

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"The Locks were renowned fiddlers: John Lock had learnt many of his tunes from his father Ezekiel ('Zekie') Lock, and his Uncle Noah. John himself was said to be the best of a number of fiddling brothers, one of whom may have been the 'Polin' Lock who was found dead in the snow with his fiddle (which was buried with him) near Church Stoke, Montgomeryshire, in about 1928. Another of Sharp’s sources, James Lock, then living at Newport in Shropshire, may also have been related, as may 'Winkles' Locke, “the best of all gypsy fiddlers” according to Jack Locke, the son of another Noah Locke.

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/baldwin.htm
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1871 Census Frampton On Severn (In Caravan Parks Farm)
Arnold Smith 47 b 1824 Oxfordshire Tinker/Brazier
Temperence Smith 52 b 1819 Hawkesbury; Upton, Gloucestershire
Lucas Lock 56 b 1815 Hawkesbury; Upton, Gloucestershire Brother/in/law
Prudence Smith 18 b 1853 Hawkesbury; Upton, Gloucestershire Grand-daughter

Going through rest of Census there are these people I have no idea if related:
Moses Smith 56 Gloucestershire Ag labour
Mary Ann Smith 55 Gloucestershire
William 9 Frampton Gloucestershire grandson
+
Thomas Draper 42 b 1829 Frampton Gloucestershire Ag Labour
Ann 44 b 1831 Frampton Gloucestershire
Charlotte 21 b 1850 Frampton Gloucestershire
Possible Death for :
Lucas Lock 1805-1885 Oct/Nov/Dec Wheathurst Gloucestershire aged 80 6a 200


1901 Census LIansadwrn Anglesey Wales ( In a Caravan)
Charles Lock 30 b 1871 St Aseph Denbighshire Wales - Horse dealer
Mary 28 b 1873 Chester Cheshire
Ida 7 b 1894 Menaibridge Anglesey
Merenda 5 b 1896 Beamnain Anglesey
Meyrick 3 b 1898 Minia Bridge Anglesey
Gwendoline 1 b 1900 Minia Bridge Anglesey
+
Noah Boswell 78 b 1823 Shropshire England - Father
Henry 45 b 1856 Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire, Wales - Horse & Cattle Dealer
Maria 42 b 1859 Llanfairfebe, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Merinda 22 b 1879 Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, Wales
Jane Williams 32 b 1869 Clyewy, Caernarvonshire, Wales - Servant

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