@whataboutbob
Sorry if this has already been asked. Is it true that a significant number of Romany people came to Britain from Eastern Europe in the 19th century/ early twentieth?
I lived in Romania for a few months and it was striking how Indian many of the Romany there looked . I find British Romany seldom look that Indian, although a few do. In kent you used to see some quite traditional looking ones around at events such as the large weekly boot fair in Canterbury, but not so much anymore. Ladies with long skirts and plaited hair, guys in hats and gold earrings. I miss them!
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I think it was before the 19th Century, although the 1930's onwards saw a lot of mvement due to the concentration camps, where Romany/ Roma, were transported a long time before the attrocities of Hitler.
There are at least 1000,000 Romany in Romania and iirc the same in Brazil.
Yes, Kent was the main place for Romany in England, not just the hop picking in summer but we lived in the forests until evicted in the 1960's.
Some did stay, but nowhere near the population that existed in the area before.
Yes, the genes are quite funny at times. I have a cousin who is ginger and this has never happened, I have the odd blond or lighter haired person in the family, but mainly we are dark haired and what was described as swarthy whatever that means.
I only have to go out in the sun, not bathing and I go a beautiful brown colour almost instantly.
People often think I've been abroad for a month when I've just been outside a bit