Robert McDougall - Historian/Author

Robert McDougall has written to Romany Road to say that in 1989 he photographed numerous encampments of Romani Travellers, their families and caravans, on waste land in the Waterloo Road area, Yeadon Way, South Shore, Blackpool. Robert intends to self-publish a book of his photographs with text once he gets sufficient time.

In 1988-1989 he also photographed Romany extensively at Appleby Fair and published many of those photos in his book "Romany Royal Gypsies in Britain", which also included photos of Romanies at Epsom, Town Moor, Scarborough, Morecombe and Blackpool. Lots of the Blackpool Fortune Tellers are shown, as Robert is well known to Blackpool Romanies, including the Petulengroes etc.,

In the 1990s, Robert self-published "Gypsy Gallery"  which featured other Romany photos and text. He also published another Romany book on the History of the 1890 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Gypsy Camp, and who initiated the first amusement park there - not the Thompson/Bean family as it is wrongly claimed. The Boswells' were a very prominent family at the turn of the century on Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Romany historians familiar with Robert's numerous books are Barrie Law, ARPS, Robert Dawson, and Jennifer Boyd-Cropley of Cottage Books. Robert hopes to reproduce his books in 2008 and will keep us informed as to when this happens.

Very kindly Robert tells us that he very much appreciates the interest shown by Mary Horner, Jean Matthews and Romany Road regarding his out of print Romany Books and that he is highly impressed by such brilliant journals (his words), which he hopes to significantly contribute to from time to time. Grateful thanks indeed from us all!!!

Romany Archivist and photographer Robert McDougall with part of his rare photograph collection

For further information as to when these books are likely to be back in print contact:-

Mr. Robert McDougall

34 Patterdale Avenue

Marton

Blackpool

FY3 9QU

A Romany baptism at St. Lawrence Church, Applyby 1990 - Photo copyright of Robert McDougall