Welcome to
Whatever the future may hold for each and every one of us, may you find happiness, fulfilment and contentment to share with each other and pass the secrets of your success to those following in your path
Unfortunately due to the unexpectedly high level of correspondence and items being sent it, we are not able to update the website as quickly as we would like, but hopefully when the back-log is cleared we will be able to devote more time to bringing you many more items of interest - so please bear with us!!!
For those of you who don't know the committee who are bringing you Romany Road
let's briefly introduce ourselves:-
Mary Horner (nee Hearn) - Editor and Secretary
"I am descended from the Hearn family, Romany Gypsies who mainly travelled Middlesex, Bucks and Berks and occasionally Kent, but eventually settled in and around West London. My grandfather 'Jack Hearn' was born in a bender tent, possibly while the family were hopping in Kent, although he didn't know his date of birth, and my Mother's Bridges family were Herefordshire Travellers. I am one of the founder members of the Romany & Traveller Family History Society and have been researching my family history and Romany history in general for nearly 20 years"
Chris Barltrop - Chairman and Reporter
"I'm in the circus - I've worked and travelled with circuses since the early 1970s', as Ringmaster and Manager. I live near Hereford, and I work now as a Consultant to circus companies. I also perform as an actor and work as a radio reporter"
Rita Light - Assistant Secretary
"I am a grandaughter of Elizabeth Penfold - born in a tent in Nicholls Yard, Liverpool Road, Islington, and Samuel Light - born in a Battersea Field according to their birth certificates, and g.grand-daughter of Elizabeth Loveridge and Samuel Light. Very keen to learn more of my ancestry"
LATEST NEWS
We are delighted to announce that BILL LAWS, Editor of Traveller's Times and JESS SMITH, Scots Author, Singer and Storyteller are both joining us on the ROMANY ROAD committee this year. We welcome them and their expertise and experience, which we're sure will take us on to bigger and better things!
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ROMANY ROAD was originally formed in January 2007 by Mary Horner and Sue Day who were very quickly joined by Chris Barltrop and Rita Light. Initially Sue kindly helped to set up the website, submitted articles and information for the journal and then went on to produce a very successful website of her own. So far we have produced six journals, which are full of unique stories, poems and photographs. All have been very favourably received and already we have gained quite a large membership in such a short time. We are committed to producing attractive and informative journals and as the society evolves, we hope to produce more extra publications and eventually record many of the stories sent in onto CDs, which will go on sale.
Why not join now? Journal 6 is now on sale - although back copies of 2007 Journals are still available
If you have a tale to tell, we would love to hear from you - please contact us if you feel you can contribute in any way - or leave a message in our GUESTBOOK
In the meantime here's a lovely poem from one of our members:-
THE ROMANY
By Paul Stevens
When God made me a Romany
He told me I could roam
He said you don't need a house
This land will be your home
He gave me grass to lie on
He gave me hedges and trees
He closes my day with a sunset
And re-opens it with a breeze
He promised me lots of laughter
He said I would suffer pain
And after each break in sunshine
There would be dark clouds of rain
You gorgios will never accept me
As long as I live on your land
But God is always telling me
He will be there to hold my hand
And so I tell you gorgios
I don't mind where I roam
For God is there beside me
And will always provide a home
