Many of the Price Gypsies from South Wales are descendants of Elenor Ingram and Henry Price. They may be this couple, who married in Shropshire in 1803.
Henry was a shoemaker from either Wellington in Shropshire or Newtown in Montgomeryshire. Henry and Elenor's sons included 'Fighting Fred', Bob, Dick and Amos.
Henry's son Bob married Mary Beddesford (Braddock or Beddoes), whilst brother Dick married a Welshwoman from Carmarthen.
Amos married Mary Ann Dailey. In 1871 Amos was a grinder in Llanelly with children William, Richard, Emily, Cornelius, Ellen, Amos and Charles. Cornelius was rated as a great storyteller.
Fighting Fred married Ellen Taylor. Possible children are Sampson, Billy, Golaia, Hope, Chesi or Josiah, Cradok, Starini, and Fred. Sampson married Muttering Jenny and had at least six children: Sampson, Gabriel, Arthur, Billy and two girls.
By the 1930s, along with Herons, Ayres and other tribes, the Prices gathered annually at Barratt's Farm in Cadoxton near Barry (Glamorgan).This was a place to trade, gossip, marry, and to find work, part of a wide circuit which took in the hop fields of Kent and the fruit orchards of Worcestershire.
Some of the Prices settled in the area, and Gilbert Lane in Cadoxton became known to local people as Gypsy Lane because branches of the family camped at both ends of it.
The Prices continued living in traditional Gypsy ways. Old Gabriel Price made dolly pegs out of hazel to sell, and he lived in a tent in summer and an upturned water tank in winter. Gabriel cut a door in one side and insulated the walls with straw and the roof with turf. It must have been a healthy existence as he lived to a ripe old age.
Caradock Price lived in a house but with his vardo (caravan) in the garden. He couldn't read or write but he was an inspired herbalist, mixing up potions and wines to sell to local villagers. He also made violins, and played them too. When Caradock died, his vardo and possessions were burnt to a crisp ceremonial cinder.
Katherine, married to Caradock, was styled 'Madame Romany'. She and her daughter Emily dukkered (told fortunes) at the Pleasure Park on Barry Island.
Emily married a showman called Albert Punchinello Holland whose family ran several rides, plus Punch and Judy of course, at the Park. When Madame died, Emily continued telling fortunes at Cardiff Market until fairly recently. Her sister Ivy married Hope Lee, and sister Josephine married Michael Evon (a Kalderash Rom).
In the 20th century descendants of the Prices and Hollands emigrated to Canada and Australia.
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Romani Cymru researchers would like to hear from anyone who is Welsh Romani or has Welsh Romani ancestral connections.
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Please email The Romani Cymru Project at: avpro@valleystream.co.uk
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