The Gipsies' Advocate: Or, Observations on the Origin, Character, Manners, and Habits of the English GipsiesCrabb, James
Religion
The Gipsies' Advocate: Or, Observations on the Origin, Character, Manners, and Habits of the English Gipsies
Crabb, James
Romanies -- England
From what has been said in this chapter, it will appear, that, visiting
their tents to pray for, and instruct them, teaching such children to
read as cannot get to public schools, and prevailing on all who are able
to do so, to attend public worship; are the principal things to be
attempted, in this great and good undertaking. Those Christians who wish
for opportunities of doing good to the Gipsies in and about London, will
find many of them in the suburbs in the months of April, May, and June,
when they generally find work in the market gardens. In the months of
July and August they move into Sussex and Kent, and are engaged in the
harvest. And in the month of September, _great numbers_ of them are to
be found in the hop-districts of Kent, Sussex and Surry, where they find
employment. During the winter, many of them settle in London,
Westminster, Bristol, and other large towns, when a good opportunity is
presented for teaching, both to the children and adults of this class,
the elements of reading, and the principles of true religion. For the
information of those who may wish to visit the Gipsies in London and
Bristol, during the winter, the author thinks it his duty to name the
streets where they generally reside.
Tottenham-court Road; Battle Bridge; Paddington; Bolton Street; Church
Lane; Church Street; Kent Street, Borough; New Street; White Street;
Banbridge Street; Shore-ditch; Tothill-fields; and Tunbridge Street. In
Bristol they are principally found in Saint Phillip's, Newfoundland
Street, Bedminster, and at the March and September fairs.
At the Ascot and Epsom races, they may be met in large numbers; and if a
benevolent, kind, and zealous minister of Christ were to visit them at
their encampments at these seasons, and explain to them the facts,
doctrines, and blessings of the Gospel, much good might be done. The
morning would be the happiest time to visit these Gipsies, as they are
too often at races, inebriated before night. It is presumed little could
be said to profit them in a state of intoxication, and many of the women
are then employed either in swindling or fortune-telling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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