From The Exeter and Devon Gazette, 24th October, 1846:
"Last week the quiet village of Broadclist was the scene of one of those unusual occurances, - a gipsey funeral. One of the deceased was John Stanley, aged 27, a fine young man and a member of the celebrated gipsey family of that name; the other was a girl aged 11 years.
"The remains were followed to their final resting-place in Broadclist church-yard, by the whole tribe of gipsies in the neighbourhood, in their characteristic costume; and a concourse of several hundred persons assembled from the surrounding country to witness the singular festival. The funeral service of the Church was read by the Rev. P. L. Acland, incumbent of the parish."
1846 was the year George Borrow finished writing Lavengro. It was published in 1848.
I think there must be several quiet country churches in Devon where the gipsies buried their dead. Salcombe Regis churchyard, I happen to know, had gipsy funerals. Where else?
It is perhaps curious that the Romany found their way to Anglican churches for a funeral service. I think they mostly managed to marry &c. without bothering 'the Church'. They perhaps knew which were the best parsons to approach for a good funeral. The incumbent of Broadclyst, being an Acland, was probably liberal in all things. It is warming to think so.
....and several hundred persons turned out to see the funeral of this fine young man and the little girl and to wonder at the tribe of gipsies in their 'romantic' attire and the Gazette thought it worth recording.
Maybe I am being romantic but this report seems to me to bear witness to a spacious, gentle and tolerant English countryside which, alas, as have the gipsies, has changed beyond recognition.
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