Timeline of British Romany Gypsy History
1514 England – First mention of a Gypsy in the country
1530 England and Wales – Expulsion of Gypsies ordered. Henry VIII forbids the transportation of Gypsies into England
1540 Scotland – Gypsies allowed to live under their own laws
1544 England – Gypsies deported to Norway
1554 England – The death penalty is imposed for any Gypsy not leaving the country within a month
1562 England – Provision of previous Acts widened to include people who live and travel like Gypsies
1573 Scotland – Gypsies either to settle down or leave country
1579 Wales – First record of Gypsies
1611 Scotland – Three Gypsies hanged (under 1554 law)
1660 – 1800 The identity of the English Gypsy Romanichal group is formed.
1714 Scotland – British planters and merchants apply to the Privy Council for Gypsies to be shipped to the Caribbean
1715 Scotland – Ten Gypsies deported to Virginia in the Americas
1822 United Kingdom – Turnpike Act introduced: Gypsies camping on the roadside to be fined
1835 United Kingdom – Highways Act strengthens the provisions of the 1822 Turnpike Act
1885 – 95 England – Unsuccessful attempts to introduce the Moveable Dwellings Bills in Parliament to regulate Gypsy life
1889 England – The Showmen’s Guild formed to oppose the Moveable Dwellings Bills. Showmen begin to become a distinct group from other Travellers or Gypsies.
1908 England – The Children’s Act makes education compulsory for travelling Gypsy children, but only for half a year.
1927 Britain – RL Turner proves that the phonetics of the Romani language had earlier been linked with the central group of Hindi languages in India
1944 England – Education Act Gypsy children need only attend half a year. Many Gypsy children have no schooling
1945 – 60 England – Gypsies begin to use motor drawn trailers, and buy land for their own stopping places
1960 England and Wales – Caravan Sites Act reduces provision of caravan sites
1966 Britain – Gypsy Council set up
1967 England – First Gypsy Council summer school, in Essex
1968 England and Wales – Caravan Sites Act. Councils to build sites
1970 England – National Gypsy Education Council established
1971 England – First World Romani Congress held near London
1972 England – Romani Guild founded
1977 England and Wales – Cripps report on Gypsies published
1985 England – Bradford ’s attempts to make it illegal for nomadic Gypsies to come within city limits overthrown by the Courts
1985 England – Swann Report published – first major report on ‘The Educational Needs of Travellers’ Children – Chapter 16
1993 Scotland – Scottish Gypsy Traveller Association set up
1994 Britain – Criminal Justice Act. Nomadism criminalised
1997 England – Romani Refugees from the Slovack Republic arrive in Dover seeking asylum and receive mainly negative reactions and scepticism from local residents and the national news media.
1998 Human Rights Act
2000 England – Irish Travellers recognised as an Ethnic Minority under Race Relations Act
2001 England June – First Gypsy, Roma Traveller History Month in London
2007 England October – Ministarial approval of Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month
2008 England June – First National Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month
Adapted from the Cardiff Council website