Joshua Scamp

 

In the  Churchyard of St Mary's, Odstock in the county of Wiltshire lies the resting place of Joshua SCAMP, a gypsy who was executed at Fisherton

gaol in 1801. The inscription on his grave clearly shows that he committed no crime:

In memory of Joshua Scamp

Who died April 1st 1801

May his brave deed be remembered

To his credit here and hereafter

Joshua Scamp's friends persuaded the vicar to bury him in the churchyard, a privilege not usually bestowed on felons but an action perhaps explained by the burial entry in the Parish Register:

 

4 April 1801: Joshua Scamp, a gypsy, hanged supposed wrongfully

The following is an extract from the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, Third Series, Vol IV p190.

From County of Wiltshire: Fisherton Gaol. Statistics of Crime 1801-1850 compiled by the Governor of the Gaol, W Dowding.

1801 Lent Assizes

Executed aged 40, Joshua Skemp , for stealing a horse the property of John Maish at Sevington.

This man was a gypsy and his fraternity made extraordinary efforts to save him from capital punishment in consequence of which he was respited till 2-3 weeks after the others named above.

At his execution he ascended the platform with firmness and looking around saw his wife and daughters, called them to him and asked if they were prepared to take away his body. On their answering to the affirmative he commended their care and then conversed with other persons. Turning to one of many gypsies present he said: "You see what you have brought me to, live soberly and take care of your wife and family".

He asserted his innocence to the last and behaved with undaunted courage, unmixed with indecent levity or stupid insensibility. Having stretched the rope tight and tried it with his own hand, he gave the signal and died almost immediately. He was a remarkably robust and powerful man. Some time after it became known that the gypsy whom he particularly addressed was his daughter's husband who being afterwards executed at Winchester confessed that his father in law hanged innocently to save the life of his son in law who had stolen the horse

 

Another notable Scamp was of course Gilderoy who featured in the 1893 issue THE SKETCH MAGAZINE 7 Jun as :-

 

 "Gilderoy Scamp The King of the Kentish Gypsies"  

Linda Hayward her self a grt,grt,grt, Grandaughter of Gilderoy wrote an article in the Romany & Family History Society Journal Vol 4 No 7 in June 2000.

Gilderoy was baptised at All Saints Church Birchington, 14th June 1812,Linda says that she does not know if he was actually born there though ,the 1861 census has his birth place as Bickington, Kent and aon same census!!! as birchington see Cenuus below (I have found double entries before)

 

   Obituary in the "Folkstone Herald" 27th May 1893 - 'Gilderoy Scamp ("Scissors to Grind") has gone over to the majority.'

1861*district: Blean Sub-registration district: Herne

Chl Leroy Scamp 47  hd b Bickington, Trav/ Tinker

Katherine Scamp 45 wife b Ashford, Kent

Flora Scamp 7  b Bredgak, Kent

Grace Scamp 15  b Herne, Kent

Rosehanah Scamp 9  b Throwley, Kent

 Flora Scamp  4

Second entry**

1861*Chislet, Kent (Caravan)

 Giederoy Scamp  30  Is this him ages are a bit out

as he was b 1810? so way out unless 2 wed a Catherine?

  Katherine Scamp 37

Grace Scamp 13

 Rosannah Scamp  11

*

 1871*Folkestone : Kent

Gildroy Scamp 60

Catherine Scamp 60

Clara Scamp 16

Gilderoy Scamp 12

Rose A Scamp 20

William J Scamp 8

*

1871*Plumstead, Kent (Gypsy Tents Birstall Heath)

Salomander Scamp 24 hd b Kent(all b Kent)

Cloranda? Scamp 15 brother  hawker of bee hives

George Scamp 13 brother hawker of bee hives

Marlille Scamp 9 sister hawker of bee hives

Mary Scamp 11 sister hawker of bee hives

Riely Scamp 24 brother b Charlton, Kent hawker of bee hives

Sampson Scamp 17 brother hawker of bee hives

Sidney Scamp 5 brother

---------------------------------------------------

Esther Baker hd 22 b Kent

Sidney Baker son 1 b Kent

------------------------------------------------------

Henry Dighton 23 hawker of clothes pegs

Sarah Dighton 23

John Dighton 2

____________________________

Mathew Lunnen?35 widow hawker of clothes pegs

Charles Lunnen?12

**************************************

1871* Kent > St Mildred

George baker 65 general dealer b Canterbury, Kent

Sarah Baker wife 64 b Canterbury, Kent

Ann Baker dau 16 field worker b Canterbury, Kent

------------------------------------------------

 John Scamp 45  hd General dealer b

Susanah Scamp 39  wife b Canterbury, Kent

George Scamp 3  b Canterbury, Kent

Grace Scamp 10  b Canterbury, Kent

John Scamp 12  b Canterbury, Kent

Martha Scamp 17 months  b Canterbury, Kent

Roselta Scamp 14  b Canterbury, Kent

Thomas Scamp 8  b Canterbury, Kent

William Scamp 4  b Canterbury, Kent

-------------------------------------------------------

1881 Census - Folkestone, Kent

Gildaroy SCAMP, M, Age 65,  cutler b/ Birchington, Kent

Catherine Scamp 64  b Ashford, Kent

Gildsroy Scamp 20  b Chilham, Kent

Clara Scamp 24  b Ramsgate, Kent(Wife of Gildaroy jnr)

*

1891 Census - Gilderoy Scamp,  Age 81, Born Birchington, Kent,  Head, Occ: Grinder.

*

1881 Dwelling  Solithwall Gipseys Tent  Deal, Kent

 Riley SCAMP  Head  M    61  Ewell, Kent,  Grinder (Artiz)  

 Sarah SCAMP  Wife  M    63  Ewell, Kent,    

 Sampson SCAMP  Son  U    27  Adisham, Kent,  

 George SCAMP  Son  U  Male  23  Charing, Kent,    

 Mary SCAMP  Daur  U  Female  21  Ramsgate, Kent  

 Marsala SCAMP  Daur  U  Female  19  Elham, Kent  

 Sidney SCAMP  Son  U  Male  18  Aslesford, Kent

*

 Oliver SCAMP  Head  W  Male  38  N.K., Kent  Hawker  

 Riley SCAMP  Son    Male  14  Woolwich, Kent    

 Subina SCAMP  Daur    Female  8  Maidstone, Kent  

 *  

1881 Dwelling  Solitwall Gipseys Tent Deal, Kent

 Riley SCAMP  Head    Male  33  N.K., KentHawker  

 Sidney SCAMP  Son    Male  11  Gravesend, Kent    

 Mathew SCAMP  Son    Male  8  Hythe, Kent  

*

1881*Charlton, Kent

George Scamp41 hd b Staple kent

Ann Scamp 42 wife b Dartford, Kent

Nelson Scamp 9 son b  Dover, Kent

Rose Scamp 12 dau b Dover, Kent

Safely E. Scamp 1 son b Dover, Kent

Solomon Scamp 14 son b Dover, Kent

Wellington S. Scamp 4 son b Dover, Kent

William Scamp 17 son b Swingfield, Kent

Gilderoy Scamp

(Oral Recorded tree as  held at the University of Liverpool)

 

1 Raili Scamp

2. Jack Scamp

died Ramsgate 1857

aged 99 years

3. Jack Scamp b. 1795-1800?

died at Ramsgate 1871

4. Raili Scamp b. 1820? d. 1903 at Ramsgate

sp. Mathers (daughter of Jack Mathers and a daughter of Tom Lee)

5. Raili Scamp b. 1845

sp. gaujo

6. Sidney Scamp (Ramsgate Scamps)

6. Matthew Scamp

6. ETC

5. Oliver Scamp

5. George Scamp

sp. Mary

6. Raili Scamp

6. Esther Scamp

5. Sinamenti Scamp

sp. William Gardner

6. Souwester Gardner b. 1880 (Plumstead Scamps)

sp. daughter of Plato Boswell

5. Sam Scamp

5. a daughter

sp. Baker

5. another daughter

4. Jack Scamp b. 1840?

lived first at Margate, then at Canterbury

5. George Scamp

sp. Young

5. Jack Scamp

5. Charlie Scamp

5. Grace Scamp

sp. Widdington

5. Bill Scamp

5. Tom Scamp

5. Martha Scamp b. 1869

sp. Williams

6. Charlie Williams

6. a daughter

sp. Leonard Wood

son of Old Gerry Wood of Canterbury

4. Byron Scamp

4. Gilderoy Scamp

3. Gilderoy Scamp b. Birchington 1812

d. at Folkestone May 27th 1893 aged 81

sp. Kitty Barton

4. George Scamp b. 1834

5. Blucher Scamp (Folkestone Scamps)

5. John Scamp

5. Nelson Scamp

5. Solomon Scamp

5. Samuel Scamp

5. Gilderoy Scamp b. 1860 d. 1927

buried at Cheriton Road Cemetery

5. Leander Scamp

5. Rose Scamp

sp. a gaujo Stapley (Macfarlane)

5. Wellington Scamp

5. Koli or Loli Scamp

4. a daughter

sp. a Lee

5. George Dangerfield Lee

5. Deighton Lee

3. William Scamp

ETC

2. Gilderoy Scamp

sp. Sophia Boswell

sister of Taiso

3. Raili Scamp

(Eat-The-Cat)

sp. Vansi Lee, daughter of Sam Lee

4. Tom Scamp (? Hairy Tom, sp. Sally Lovel, emigrated to America)

sp. Sally, daughter of Dick Boswell and Kitty Evans

4. Mary Ann Scamp

4. Sam Scamp

sp. Tianna ?

5. Selina Scamp

sp. Tom Lee

6. Seth Lee

sp. Lucy Price, daughter of Caradoc

6. Hyam Lee

6. Rose Lee

6. Liz Lee

6. Wally Lee

6. Jim Lee

5. Shandra Scamp

sp. Dona Lovel

6. Lena Scamp

5. Elafaia Scamp

5. Samson Scamp

sp. Gravelini Lee

6. Ivor Scamp

6. Albert Scamp

6. Perum Scamp

sp. Darklis Lee

6. Delai Scamp

6. Bella Scamp

6. Agnes Scamp

6. Bekki Scamp

6. Freedom Scamp

6. Vira Scamp

6. Nora Scamp

5. Rebecka Scamp

sp. Uriah (Huie) Lovell, son of John Lovell and Harriet Ellen Wood of Llanrwst, N. Wales

4. Nelson Scamp, killed at Swansea

4. Clara Scamp

sp. Sharrus Lee, son of Samson Lee

4. Saifi Scamp )

4. Sally Scamp ) both co-wives of Nathanel Lovell

5. Moti Lovell

5. Ismail Lovell

5. Elder Lovell

5. Jack Lovell

5. Seth Lovell

5. Liz Lovell

5. Avon Lovell

5. Urich Lovell

5. Edwin Lovell

5. Ruth Lovell

5. Noah Lovell

sp. Gairje (at Carnarva)

5. Janic Lovell

4. Rabbi Scamp

3. George Scamp?

3. Charles Scamp

3. Noah Scamp

2. Lucy Scamp

sp. Abel Boswell

brother of Taiso

3. Allen Boswell

sp. Delata Boswell (Taiso’s daughter

4. Samson Boswell

sp. Patience Lee

sp. Gazi

4. Mizelli Boswell

sp. Plato Boswell

3. Séla Boswell

sp. Justina Sipton

3. Levi Boswell

sp. Mary Lee

4. Henrietta Boswell

sp. Sant Buckley

4. Agnes Boswell

sp. Frank Buckley

4. Louise Boswell

3. Plato Boswell

sp. Mizelli Boswell

sp. Freedom Lane

3. Bias Boswell

sp. Fina Lee

3. Ryley Boswell

sp. Alli (Cardiff)