In the little village churchyard of Hawkinge, near Folkestone, a typical representative of the Kentish Gipsies, Gilderoy Scamp, has just been buried.
The old man, who had long been known as the 'King of the Kentish Gipsies', was born at Birchington, in the Isle of Thanet, 81 years ago. Gilderoy had a regular store of out-of-the-way reminiscences of his wanderings to relate. Perhaps the most stirring was that relating to the 'Courtenay rising'. The notorious pretender, Courtenay, caused serious trouble in the county in the early part of the century by raising a following of fanatics, who had to be forcibly dispersed at the cost of some lives.
The old man's eyes used to gleam with excitement as he narrated how he climbed up the walls of a ruined cloister somewhere to keep a good look out for the 'enemy' to guard a midnight carousal from interruptions. He never would admit that Courtenay was shot dead - 'it was impossible'.
Gilderoy died of bronchitis, and by his special request was buried in the quiet little churchyard among the hills overlooking Folkestone.
With Thanks To:
The British Newspaper Archives
Original Article/Image Copyright:
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Extracted From:
Southern Echo - Saturday, 3rd June 1893
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