About us
Welcome to the first – and still the only – British family history society for people with Romany Gypsy, Traveller and Fairground roots.
How did we start?
Back in the early 1990s, a group of keen family historians with British Gypsy ancestors first met at a Gypsy family history conference organised by the historian and author, the late David Smith. Until that moment we’d all thought that we were pretty much alone in trying to trace our travelling ancestors and that there was no-one out there to learn from or share our experiences, trials and tribulations with.
Two of the conference delegates – Janet Keet-Black and Alan McGowan – had already been in touch with each other and together had created a database of Gypsy family history information. Inspired by them, we decided to launch the Romany and Traveller Family History Society in late 1994. It was the first of its kind in Britain: a family history society especially for people with Romany Gypsy, Traveller and Fairground roots. And we’re still going strong.
Janet and Alan were two of the founder members of the Society and were actively involved in its management and progress from Day One. In 2012, in recognition of her contribution to the Society, we invited Janet to become our Society’s Honorary Vice President. And Alan continued to be a tireless member of our Committee from 1994 until his death in June 2017.
And where to now?
Our quest has been the same since the start. We’re a friendly crowd who like nothing better than bringing together other like-minded people and helping them to research their family trees, find out about their heritage and share know-how and information.
Face-to-face meetings at locations around the country – at our own Society Days and Open Days and when we take part in family history fairs – are a very important part of that. Our quarterly journal and publications are too. So is our presence on Facebook: a page that attracts a lot of family history questions and a lively exchange of photos, information and ideas. And as long as there are people out there who welcome this spirit of great teamwork and friendship in family history research, the RTFHS will be here for you.
Sounds like you? Please do join us. Find out how here.
This photo gallery shows just a tiny selection of Society Days and Open Days from our history.
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- Weston super Mare, Somerset, 2013
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- Hatfield, Hertfordshire, 2001
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- Coddington, Nottinghamshire, 2009
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- Warnham, West Sussex, 2011
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- Swindon, Wiltshire, 2011
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- Swindon, Wiltshire, 2011
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- Hereford, Herefordshire, 2005
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- Cranbrook, Kent, 2009
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- Devon Record Office, Exeter, Devon, 2006
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- Tring, Hertfordshire, 2010
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- Gordon Boswell’s Romany Museum, Spalding, Lincolnshire, 2004
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- Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Suffolk, 2008
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- Wareham, Dorset, 2010
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- Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, 2011
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- 2012
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- Haywards Heath, East Sussex, 2014
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- Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, 2015
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- Steven Knight, author of ‘Peaky Blinders’, one of our speakers at our event in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, 2017
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- Hook, Hampshire, 2018
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- Surrey History Centre, Woking, Surrey, 2019
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- Celebrating our 25th anniversary in Dorchester, Dorset, 2019
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- Celebrating our 20th anniversary in Iffley, Oxford, Oxfordshire in 2014 with the help of the Headington Morris
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- Stepping it out in 2015 at Brockenhurst, Hampshire, following a performance of ‘The Hither Side of the Hedge’, the story of Gypsy life in the New Forest
The Romany and Traveller Family History Society is a non-political, non-profit making self-help group. We’re also a member of the Family History Federation.
And what does Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine have to say about us?
“The Romany and Traveller Family History Society provides one of the richest and most specialised resources for anyone exploring their Gypsy roots. A small annual subscription brings you their quarterly journal Romany Routes, with advice and information on British Romani, Traveller and fairground families.” May 2022
A friendly word about copyright
The complete contents of this website, including its design, all words, photographs and images, are subject to the copyright of the RTFHS. So please do not copy anything, display it on any other website or reproduce it in any printed work without first contacting us and asking our permission. Thank you.
Like to read the RTFHS Constitution? Find it here
This page last updated: 22 September 2022.
