Contents [ printable ]
GLS & GB 141 SMGC - The Gypsy Collections-
GLS - Gypsy Lore Society Archive
- GLS A1-35, GLS I-XLIII - Correspondence
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GLS XLIV-LII - Administrative materials
- GLS XLIV - Letters from Edward Harvey.
- GLS XLV - Letters from T. & A. Constable.
- GLS XLVI-XLVII - Orders for Gypsy Lore Society Journal.
- GLS XLVIII - Society addresses.
- GLS XLIX-L - Membership lists.
- GLS LI - Prospectuses, notices and 1938 Jubilee arrangements.
- GLS LII - JGLS Pre-Publication Material.
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GLS B - G - Gypsiologist papers.
- GLS B1 - Papers of Frederick George Ackerley.
- GLS B2 - Papers of D M M Bartlett.
- GLS B3-B4 - Papers of William Ferguson.
- GLS B5-B8A - Papers of George Hall.
- GLS B9 - Papers of Fred Shaw
- GLS B10-B18 - Papers of Eric Otto Winstedt.
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GLS C - Papers of John Sampson.
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GLS C/1 - Correspondence
- GLS C/1/1 - Letters from Bernard Gilliat Smith.
- GLS C/1/2 - Letters from Francis Hindes Groome.
- GLS C/1/3 - Letters from Tom Oakes Hirst.
- GLS C/1/4 - Correspondence with David MacRitchie.
- GLS C/1/5 - Letters from Mildred Morgan.
- GLS C/1/6 - Letters from T.W. Thompson
- GLS C/1/7 - Letters from E.O. Winstedt
- GLS C/1/8 - Letters from Gypsies
- GLS C/1/9 - Letters from various correspondents A-B
- GLS C/1/10 - Letters from various correspondents C-G
- GLS C/1/11 - Letters from various correspondents H-M
- GLS C/1/12 - Letters from various correspondents N-S
- GLS C/1/13 - Letters from various correspondents S-Y
- GLS C/1/14 - Letters from R.A. Scott Macfie
- GLS C/1/15 - Letters to Robert Andrew Scott Macfie
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GLS C/2 - Pre-publication material
- GLS C/2/1 - Dialect of the Gypsies of Wales
- GLS C/2/2 - Wind on the Heath
- GLS C/2/3 - Romane Gilia
- GLS C/2/4-4A - In Lighter Moments
- GLS C/2/5 - Shelta
- GLS C/2/6-6A - Articles on Welsh Gypsies.
- GLS C/2/7 - Copy and notes for JGLS articles
- GLS C/2/8 - Tim Gray's story: a tale of early Pennsylvania
- GLS C/2/9 - Welsh Gypsy Folk Tales
- GLS C/2/10 - East Anglian vocabulary
- GLS C/2/11 - Origin of the Gypsies
- GLS C/2/12 - Lectures
- GLS C/3 - Notebooks
- GLS C/4 - Pocket diaries
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GLS C/1 - Correspondence
- GLS D - Papers of Dora Yates
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GLS E - Papers of Robert Andrew Scott Macfie
- GLS E/1 - Correspondence
- GLS E/2 - Pre-publication material, lectures, etc.
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GLS E/3 - Notebooks
- GLS E/3/1 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/2 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/3 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/4 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/5 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/6 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/7 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/8 - Notebooks
- GLS E/3/9 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/10 - Notebooks
- GLS E/3/11 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/12 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/13 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/14 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/15 - Notebook
- GLS E/3/16 - Orders for Gypsy books
- GLS F - Papers of Henry Thomas Crofton
- GLS G - Papers of Thomas Wilkinson Norwood
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SMGC - Scott Macfie Gypsy Collections
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SMGC 1 - Photographs
- SMGC 1/1 - Original negatives and slides
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SMGC 1/2 - Photographs
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SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist - Gypsiologist Photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist Bartlett - Canon D.M. Bartlett
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Colocci - Adriano Colocci
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Csenki - Imre Csenki
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Daniel - Antonin Daniel
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/De Goeje - Micheal-Jan De Goeje
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Ehrenborg - Harald Ehrenborg
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Evans - Ivor H. Evans
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Ferguson - William Ferguson
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Ficowski - Jerzy Ficowski
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Francis - H.J. Francis
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Gilliat-Smith - Bernard Gilliat-Smith
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Groome.1 - Francis Hindes Groome
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Groome.2 - Esmeralda Groome
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Hall - Rev. George Hall
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Harvey - Denis Harvey
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Hutchinson - Dr. Hutchinson
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/James - Alfred James (alias Jim Webb)
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Lovell - Fenella Lovell
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Macfie - Robert Andrew Scott Macfie
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/McCormick - Andrew McCormick
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Paspati - Alexandre Paspati
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Perkins - S.W. and E. Perkins
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Pischel - Richard Pischel
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Ratcliffe - Dorothy Una Ratcliffe
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Russell - Alexander Russell
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Sampson - John Sampson
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Shaw - Fred Shaw
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Smith - David Smith and others
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Spur - Magda and Endre Spur
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Thesleff - Arthur Thesleff
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Tipler - Derek Tipler
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Traverso - Jill and Edmund Traverso
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Wade - Richard Wade
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Winstedt - Eric Otto Winstedt
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Woolner - Alfred Cooper Woolner
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Yates - Dora Yates
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Yoors - Jan Yoors
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist/Unidentified - Unknown Gypsologists
- SMGC 1/2 PX Press - Press and Public Institution photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Alland - Alexander Alland photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Arnold - Harold Arnold photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Baïracli Levy - Juliette de Baïracli Levy photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Balogh and Huszár - Dr. K. Balogh photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Barnsby - Joseph Barnsby photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Barnhill - William A. Barnhill photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Bond - Revd L. Bond photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX AHT Boswell - A.H.T. Boswell photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gordon Boswell - Gordon Boswell photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lawrence Boswell - Lawrence Boswell photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Branco Ramalhete - H. Branco Ramalhete photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX E.Brown - Eric Brown photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX I.Brown - Irving Brown photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX O. Brown - O. Brown photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Burr - Malcolm Burr photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Chambré Hardman - E. Chambré Hardman photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Chatard - Jean Chatard photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Clarke - T. A. Clarke photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Cohn - Werner Cohn photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Croft-Cooke - Rupert Croft-Cooke
- SMGC 1/2 PX Crofton - Henry Thomas Crofton photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Cusden - V. V. Cusden photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Davidova - Eva Davidova photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Davies - John Glyn Davies photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Denley - Gerald Denley photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX De Wendler-Funaro - Carlos de Wendler-Funaro
- SMGC 1/2 PX Douglas - Robert S. Douglas photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Drukker - Richard Drukker photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Duff - Charles Duff photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Durham - Edith Durham photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Erdös - Erdös photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Ferguson - William Ferguson photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Ficowski - Jerzy Ficowski photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Fry - Rosalie Fry photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Garratt - Mabel Garratt photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Garnett Jones - Garnett Jones photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gilbert - Margaret Gilbert photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gilliat-Smith - Bernard Gilliat-Smith photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Gilsenbach - Reimar Gilsenbach photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Goode - Frank Mason Goode photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Hall - George Hall photographs
- SMGC 1/2 PX Harvey.1 - Denis E. Harvey photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Harvey.2 - Edward Harvey photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Hasluck - Margaret Hasluck photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Hicks - Zoe Hicks photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Hodgson - Robert Hodgson photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Huth - F.G. Huth photographs
- SMGC 1/2 PX Ingram - Peter Ingram photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Innes - Andrew Innes photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX John - Augustus John postcard
- SMGC 1/2 PX James - Alfred James photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Jones - Mervyn Jones photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX R.W. Jones - R.W. Jones photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Koch - Felix J. Koch photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Le Cheminant - Piers Le Cheminant photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lee.1 - Nathan Lee photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lee.2 - Ronald Lee photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lee.3 - Sidney Lee photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX L'Huillier - G. L'Huillier photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lloyd.1 - D. Lloyd photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Lloyd.2 - H.B. Lloyd photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX McFarlane - Andrew McFarlane photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Marouani - Alain Marouani photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Mather - Gilbert Mather photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Max - Frédéric and Anne Max photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Mayo - Mayo photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX McGrigor-Phillips - Noel McGrigor-Phillips photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX McClure - Lady McClure photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Meszaros - George Meszaros photographs
- SMGC 1/2 PX Milnes - J.P. Milnes photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Miskow - Johann Miskow photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Müller - Edmund Müller photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Mulvihill - Max Mulvihill photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Myers - John Myers photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Nagy - István Nagy photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Parelius - Margit Parelius photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Partington - Ruth Partington photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Payne - Robert Payne photographs
- SMGC 1/2 PX Petrovic - Alexander Petrovic photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Phillips - Alfred C. Phillips photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Pickett - David Pickett photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Prior - Verity Prior photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Pritchard - Owen Pritchard photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Purcell - Gwen Purcell photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Racz - Aladar Racz photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Rajput - A B Rajput photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Ratcliffe - Dorothy Una Ratcliffe photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Rees - Harold Rees photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Reeve - Dominic Reeve photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Renshaw -
- SMGC 1/2 PX Robins - F.M. Robins photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Sanarov - V. J. Sanarov photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Shoemaker - Henry W. Shoemaker photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Sladin - Eileen Sladin photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Smith - David Smith photographs
- SMGC 1/2 PX Starkie - Walter Starkie photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Stephens - Doris Stephens photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Stewart-Liberty - Jane Stewart-Liberty photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Towers - Tom Towers photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Uhlik - Rade Uhlik photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Uretz - Sharon Uretz photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Vale - Edmund Vale photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Vandercook - Frances Vandercook photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Vesey-Fitzgerald - Vesey-Fitzgerald photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Vilfroy - D. Vilfroy photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Vukanovic - T.P. Vukanovic photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Wade - R.A.R. Wade photo
- SMGC 1/2 PX Walker - Virginia Walker photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Webb.1 - G.E.C. Webb photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Webb.2 - Mrs Willie Webb photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Weltzel - Hanns Weltzel photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Woodward - William Woodward photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Yates - Dora Yates photos
- SMGC 1/2 PX Yoors - Jan Yoors photos
- SMGC 1/2 PY - Photographs by unidentified photographers: by subject
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SMGC 1/2 PX Gypsiologist - Gypsiologist Photos
- SMGC 1/3 - Photograph albums
- SMGC 2 - Illustrations
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SMGC 3 - Manuscripts
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SMGC 3/1 - Transcripts from historical sources, 1447-1963
- SMGC 3/1/1 - 15c-16c refs to European Gypsies from the JGLS
- SMGC 3/1/2 - Skipton Parish Registers
- SMGC 3/1/3 - Constables' Accounts
- SMGC 3/1/4 - Sketch
- SMGC 3/1/5 - Royal decree
- SMGC 3/1/6 - Inscription on the grave of Thomas Lee
- SMGC 3/1/7 - Hungarian MS
- SMGC 3/1/8 - Records of Gypsy births, burials and baptisms
- SMGC 3/1/9 - The Sherwood Gipsy
- SMGC 3/1/10 - Dufour, Extracts
- SMGC 3/1/11 - Transcripts from Baily's Magazine
- SMGC 3/1/12 - Inscription on the grave of Thomas Lee
- SMGC 3/1/13 - Transcription of Herbert Lock's headstone
- SMGC 3/1/14 - Extracts from Wright's English Dialect Dictionary
- SMGC 3/1/15 - Copy of Austrian edicts
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SMGC 3/2 - Folklore
- SMGC 3/2/1 - Reinhold Urban, Ramaji paramici
- SMGC 3/2/2 - Fenella Lovell, Romano Kamoben Gilia
- SMGC 3/23/ - Augustus John, Vocabularies
- SMGC 3/2/4 - Folktale, O Trin Lavya
- SMGC 3/2/5 - Rade Uhlik material
- SMGC 3/2/6 - Jean Chatard, Cercle Ecclesia
- SMGC 3/2/7 - Maximoff, Folktale
- SMGC 3/2/8 - Wittich, Gypsy Tricks
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SMGC 3/3 - Vocabularies
- SMGC 3/3/1 - Vocabulary, Les Bohemiens de Berenthal
- SMGC 3/3/2 - Goddard Johnson's Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/3 - Paspati, Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/4 - Wlislocki, Text
- 3/3/5 - Reinhold Urban, Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/6 - Harald Ehrenborg, Translation
- SMGC 3/3/7 - Sidney W. Perkins, Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/8 - Alexander Russell, vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/9 - Spitznamen der Pferdenhandler (Rom) zigeuner
- SMGC 3/3/10 - Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/11 - Antun Medven, Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/12 - Wordlists in Romani, English and Fulani
- SMGC 3/3/13 - Notebooks
- SMGC 3/3/14 - Supplement to Rumanian Gypsy Vocabulary
- SMGC 3/3/15 - Fragments and Phrases
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SMGC 3/4 - Literature
- SMGC 3/4/1 - Anglo-Romani notebook
- SMGC 3/4/2 - Amelia Goddard, Article
- SMGC 3/4/3 - Memoir of Stanleys
- SMGC 3/4/4 - Moriarty, A Gypsy Prayer
- SMGC 3/4/5 - Thesleff Memoir
- SMGC 3/4/6 - Macfie Obituary
- SMGC 3/4/7 - Notebook
- SMGC 3/4/8 - Poem
- SMGC 3/4/9 - Allan Prior, Broadcast script
- SMGC 3/4/10 - Harold Rogers, Broadcast script
- SMGC 3/4/11 - Notebook
- SMGC 3/4/12 - Karl Marschall, Memoir
- SMGC 3/4/13 - Douglas Beck, Dresden Nights
- SMGC 3/4/14 - Romani Gospel
- SMGC 3/4/15 - Baraicli Levy, The Owl: lore and truth
- SMGC 3/4/16 - Djuric, Poems
- SMGC 3/4/17 - H. Greene, Romani Songs
- SMGC 3/4/18 - Pater Noster
- SMGC 3/4/19 - Nansi Lovell
- SMGC 3/4/20 - Mutability
- SMGC 3/4/21 - The Three Gypsies
- SMGC 3/4/22 - Gypsy John
- SMGC 3/4/23 - Miro tiro//Help yourself
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SMGC 3/5 - Lectures, Articles, etc
- SMGC 3/5/1 - Weybright, Articles
- SMGC 3/5/2 - P.N. Panaitesco, Les Tziganes
- SMGC 3/5/3 - Alan F. Schofield, Dissertation
- SMGC 3/5/4 - Erdös, Article
- SMGC 3/5/5 - Georg Althaus, Articles
- SMGC 3/5/6 - Lajos Szekely, Article
- SMGC 3/5/7 - Jerzy Ficowski, Article
- SMGC 3/5/8 - D.G. Freeston, Dissertation
- SMGC 3/5/9 - Reports
- SMGC 3/5/10 - Kiril Kostov, Article
- SMGC 3/5/11 - Werner Cohn, Memoir
- SMGC 3/5/12 - Jaroslav Suchy, Article
- SMGC 3/5/13 - Berberski, Article
- SMGC 3/5/14 - Salo, Bibliography
- SMGC 3/5/15 - Arnold, Article
- SMGC 3/5/16 - R.M. Hewitt, Article
-
SMGC 3/1 - Transcripts from historical sources, 1447-1963
- SMGC 4 - Music
- SMGC 5 - Press cuttings
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SMGC 1 - Photographs
The Gypsy Collections
| This material is held at | University of Liverpool, Special Collections and Archives |
| Reference Number(s) | GB 141 GLS & GB 141 SMGC |
| Dates of Creation | c.1860-1998 |
| Name of Creator | Gypsy Lore Society (1888-1973); Robert Andrew Scott Macfie (1868-1935) |
| Language of Material | The material in the collection is written in English, various Romani dialects and some French and German |
| Physical Description | 226 archive boxes and 35 bound volumes |
Scope and Content
The collection consists of two separately-catalogued but interlinked parts, the Gypsy Lore Society Archive (GLS) and the Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection (SMGC)
The Gypsy Lore Society Archive held in the Special Collections and Archives of the Sydney Jones Library includes over 10 000 letters relating to Gypsy matters and the Gypsy Lore Society, administrative material and the papers of individual gypsiologists, dating from c.1888-1973.
The Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection contains items collected by Robert Andrew Scott Macfie 1868-1935 and other members of the Society. At the time of its presentation in 1935, the Collection contained more than 450 books and 280 articles (not including reprints from the Journal), and broadsheet edicts, pamphlets in Russian, German and Hungarian, plays, press cuttings, theses and dissertations, sheet music plus manuscripts, drawings, sound recordings, photographs, slides and glass negatives. The published books and pamphlets, sheet music and sound recordings are separately catalogued. See Gypsy Collections webpages
Biographical and Administrative Histories
Gypsy Lore Society
In May 1888 David MacRitchie, a qualified accountant from Edinburgh who had given up his profession in favour of his intellectual pursuits, sent out a circular announcing the newly formed Gypsy Lore Society. The circular gave the aim of the society as "...investigating the Gypsy question in as many-sided a manner as possible". The first period of the society had lasted only four years when, in 1892, having published only three volumes of the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, lack of funds paralysed its activities. MacRitchie was determined to revive the Society; despite the fact that many of the original contributors had died, he began in 1906 to discuss with John Sampson the feasibility of this proposition.
Robert Andrew Scott Macfie, a Liverpool man, was their choice to take on the unenviable task of rousing the Society. Copies of the circulars, notices and letters he sent out form a major part of the archive. In 1907 the first volume of the JGLS New Series was issued with a prefatory note by David MacRitchie describing the Society as "More vigorous than ever" and "devoting itself with renewed energy to Gypsy study in all its various phases" (JGLS New series 1907). Within a few years Macfie increased the Society's membership from below 100 to over 200 and even made the Society financially viable for a short time. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the Society languished, and Macfie, on his return from four years' service, was exhausted and unable to provide the impetus for a fresh start.
The hiatus ended in 1922. With the initial backing of the brothers James and William Ferguson, the next chapter of the Society was a success, continuing for the next fifty-two years with the input of such noted Gypsy scholars as Eric Otto Winstedt, T.W. Thompson, F.G. Ackerley, Macfie, who resumed his post as Secretary and Editor in 1932 until his death in 1935, H.J. Francis and Dora Yates. Dora Yates had assisted Macfie with the editing and production of the JGLSfrom 1907 and on his death in 1935 became Honorary Secretary. Although she had had editorial control since Macfie's death, it wasn't until 1955 that Yates officially became the editor of the JGLS. It was Yates who brought the Gypsy Lore Society to Liverpool University Library, continuing her work for the Society from her office in the University even after her retirement in 1945. After her death in 1974, the Society, with Liverpool no longer as its base, produced a sporadic fourth series of the JGLS. In 1977 the Gypsy Lore Society, North American Chapter was formed.
Biographical Note
Robert Andrew Scott Macfie
Robert Andrew Scott Macfie (1868-1935) was Honorary Secretary of the Gypsy Lore Society 1907-1914, and editor of the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society 1907-1914 and 1933-1935. He was educated at Cambridge, Edinburgh and Göttingen Universities before joining Messrs. Macfie and Sons sugar refining business, which his family had owned and operated in Liverpool since 1838. Macfie spent a short while abroad when serving in the Army but returned to Liverpool to become one of the first members of the distinguished University Club. Macfie's association with the Club brought him into contact with the group of brilliant scholars who were at the time building up the University College, a number of whom were also keen Gypsiologists.
In 1907 John Sampson and David MacRitchie persuaded Macfie to revive the Gypsy Lore Society. For the next 30 years Macfie was the inspiration for the Society and acted as Secretary and editor for many years. He became one of England's leading authorities on Gypsies and their language, recording vast quantities of dialect, folk tales and songs from various bands of Gypsies in Britain, including the Lovari (or 'German') Gypsies who visited England in 1906 and the 'Coppersmith Gypsies' who came into the country in 1912. In the summer of 1913 Macfie travelled through Bulgaria in the company of a band of gypsy horse-dealers and subsequently wrote a lively account of this adventure for the Gypsy Lore Society entitled "With Gypsies in Bulgaria".
During the First World War, Scott Macfie joined the Liverpool Scottish Regiment as Quartermaster-Sergeant, serving in the trenches as a member of the British Expeditionary Force, and was awarded the Military Medal. After his return from the war, ill-health forced Macfie to retire to the Yorkshire Dales and in June 1935 he died. On his death Macfie's library was bequeathed to the Gypsy Lore Society and was presented to the University of Liverpool.
Arrangement
The Gypsy Lore Society Archive (Gypsy Lore Society) and the Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection (SMGC) are catalogued as separate archives but are interlinked and complementary: for example, many photographs now included in the Scott Macfie Collection were originally sent with letters in the Gypsy Lore Society Archive.
The Gypsy Lore Society Archive is arranged into groups of:
- Correspondence: GLS A1-35, GLS I-XLIII
- Administrative materials: GLS XLIV-LII
- Gypsiologist Papers: GLS B-G
The Scott Macfie Gypsy collection is arranged into groups of:
- SMGC 1: Photographs
- SMGC 2: Illustrations
- SMGC 3: Manuscripts
- SMGC 4: Music
- SMGC 5: Newspaper cuttings
There are also collections of printed items (including the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society) and audio-visual material kept separately, and catalogued with the classmark SPEC Scott Macfie in the online library catalogue.
Access Conditions
Access is open to bona fide researchers, unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright / Reproduction Conditions
Reproduction and licensing rules are available on request.
In the Gypsy Lore Society Archive the copyright in the Lee Family Correspondence is the property of the Lee family. Researchers must apply in writing to the Head of Special Collections and Archives to request permission to quote material from these papers. All correspondence will be passed to the Lee family representative who will be responsible for granting permission to publish material from these papers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Gypsy Lore Society Archive was bequeathed to the University of Liverpool Library by Dora Yates's will after her death in January 1974. Duplicate copies of material were sent to the University of Leeds Library.
The Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection was donated to the Honorary Secretary of the Gypsy Lore Society, Dr Dora Yates, on the death of Scott Macfie in 1935, by his sister and executrix Marion Sheila Scott Macfie. Dora Yates in turn presented the Collection to the University of Liverpool Library on the 4th November 1935 "to be kept intact for all time as a reference library for gypsy students throughout the world". The collection also contains much material collected by other members of the Gypsy Lore Society.
Custodial History
The Gypsy Lore Society Archive was maintained by Dora Yates; after her death it remained with the University of Liverpool. The Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection was initially bequeathed to Dora Yates who then donated the collection to the University of Liverpool.
Accruals
There are occasional accruals of material relating to former Gypsy Lore Society members.
Finding Aids
Finding aids are available in the reading room for both the Gypsy Lore Society Archive and the Scott Macfie Gypsy Collection.
Copies in Other Formats
Microfilm copies of the Gypsy Lore Society letter books (Ref. GLS A.26-A.30) and Scott Macfie press cuttings bound volumes (Ref. SMGC 5) are available.
Related Material
The Dora Yates Archive contains papers relating to the non-Gypsy activities of Dora Yates.
The John Sampson Archive contains papers relating to the non-Gypsy activities of John Sampson.
The Georg Althaus Collections include photographs and papers of Hanns Weltzel, a member of the Gypsy Lore Society.
Associated Material
Records for the Scott Macfie book collection, incorporating the libraries of several Gypsy Lore Society members, may be found in the catalogue of Liverpool University Library and the records can be searched as a group under the local call number SPEC Scott Macfie.
The Brotherton Collection, University of Leeds Library
Further details of other relevant collections are available on the Special Collections & Archives website.
Control Access headings
Cataloguing Info
| Title | The Gypsy Collections c.1860-1998 |
| Author | Julie Allinson, Gary Clarke, Johnston, Pete, and Míchéal OhAodha; revised by Katy Hooper |
| Publication | University of Liverpool Library, Special Collections and Archives 2013 |
| Creation | Created using Emacs open text editor October 2003 |
| Language Usage | The Finding Aid is written in English |
| Revisions |
Gypsy Lore Society Archive
| Reference Number(s) | GLS |
| Dates of Creation | 1888-1973 |
| Physical Description | 170 boxes; 38 bound volumes (35 linear metres) |
Arrangement
- Correspondence: GLS A1-35, GLS I-XLIII
- Administrative materials: GLS XLIV-LII
- Gypsiologist Papers: GLS B-G
Conditions Governing Use
Letterbooks GLS A26-30 have been microfilmed to preserve the fragile originals, and readers requesting this material will be routinely asked to use the microfilms.
Correspondence
| Reference Number(s) | GLS A1-35, GLS I-XLIII |
| Dates of Creation | 1907-1973 |
| Physical Description | 25 bound volumes, 42 boxes |
Scope and Content
The group Correspondence contains letterbooks of incoming correspondence to Scott Macfie and the Gypsy Lore Society, 1907-1912 and outgoing correspondence of Scott Macfie, 1907-1921. Also includes loose incoming correspondence to Dora Yates and the Gypsy Lore Society, 1926-1973.
Letterbooks: Incoming
| Reference Number(s) | GLS A1-25 |
| Dates of Creation | 1907-1912 |
| Physical Description | 25 bound volumes |
Scope and Content
21 bound letterbooks of incoming correspondence to Scott Macfie and the Gypsy Lore Society, all self-indexed; with 4 bound volumes of miscellaneous lists.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by correspondent within years
- GLS A/1: 1907 Jan-July
- GLS A/2: 1907 preliminary advertising
- GLS A/3: 1907 Aug-Dec
- GLS A/4: 1908 Jan-July
- GLS A/5: 1908 July-Dec, correspondents A-M
- GLS A/6: 1908 correspondents M-Y
- GLS A/7: to July 1908 miscellaneous lists
- GLS A/8: 1909 Jan-June, correspondents A-L
- GLS A/9: 1909 Jan-June, correspondents P-Y
- GLS A/10: 1909 July-Dec, correspondents A-O
- GLS A/11: 1909 July-Dec, correspondents P-Y
- GLS A/12: 1910 Jan-June, correspondents A-O
- GLS A/13: 1910 Jan-June, correspondents P-Y
- GLS A/14: 1910 July-Dec, correspondents A-J
- GLS A/15: 1910 July-Dec, correspondents K-W
- GLS A/16: to July 1910, miscelllaneous lists
- GLS A/17: 1911 Jan-June, correspondents A-L
- GLS A/18: 1911 Jan-June, correspondents M-Z
- GLS A/19: 1911 July-Dec, correspondents A-M
- GLS A/20: 1911 July-Dec, correspondents O-W
- GLS A/21: 1912 Jan-June, correspondents A-O
- GLS A/22: 1912 Jan-June, correspondents P-W
- GLS A/23: 1912 July-Dec, correspondents A-L
- GLS A/24: 1912 July-Dec, correspondents M-W
- GLS A/25: miscellaneous lists
Letterbooks: Outgoing
| Reference Number(s) | GLS A26-A35 |
| Dates of Creation | 1907-1921 |
| Physical Description | 10 bound volumes |
Scope and Content
10 letterbooks of MS flimsy copies of outgoing letters written by Scott Macfie on Gypsy and Gypsy Lore Society matters. Macfie has indexed each volume.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically
- A26: 1907 (Feb-Sept)
- A27: 1907 (Sept-Dec); 1908 (Jan-June)
- A28: 1908 (June-Dec); 1909 (Jan-Mar)
- A29: 1909 (Mar-Nov)
- A30: 1909 (Nov-Dec); 1910 (Jan-Aug)
- A31: 1910 (Sept-Dec); 1911 (Jan-July)
- A32: 1911 (July-Dec); 1912 (Jan-April)
- A33: 1912 (April-Dec); 1913 (Jan-April)
- A34: 1913 (April-Dec); 1914 (Jan-Feb)
- A35: 1914 (Feb-Aug); 1919 (July-Sept); 1921 (July-Oct)
Loose correspondence
| Reference Number(s) | GLS I-XLII |
| Dates of Creation | 1926-1973 |
| Physical Description | 31 boxes |
Scope and Content
Letters and allied documents sent to the Gypsy Lore Society and to Dora Yates up to the death of Dora Yates, 12 Jan 1974.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by correspondent within years
- GLS I-IX (1926-1939), including F.G. Ackerley, Jules Bloch, H.J. Francis, W.W. Gill, B.J. Gilliat-Smith, F.G. Huth, F.S. Krauss, John Myers, Alexander Petrovic, Henry W. Shoemaker, Gordon Brands von Stöckler, J.A. Twemlow, Max L. Wagner, Hanns Weltzel, E.O. Winstedt
- GLS X-XII (1940-1946), including Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald, Rade Uhlik, Bernard M. Williams
- GLS XIII (1947), including Helge Refsum, Reinhold Regensburger, C.H. Tillhagen
- GLS XIV (1948), including BBC
- GLS XV (1949), including Juliette de Baïracli-Levy, Charles F. Payne
- GLS XVI (1950), including Andrew McCormick, Andrew McFarlane
- GLS XVII (1951), including Helge Refsum
- GLS XVIII (1952), including H.J. Francis, Otto Pankok, Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald
- GLS XIX (1953), including C.H. Tillhagen
- GLS XX (1954), including Dora M. German, University of Leeds
- GLS XXII (1955), including B.J. Gilliat-Smith
- GLS XXIII (1956), including Ruth Partington
- GLS XXIV (1957), including Kamill Erdös, F.G. Huth
- GLS XXV (1958), including B.J. Gilliat-Smith, George S. Warburg
- GLS XXVI (1959), including David W. Pickett
- GLS XXVII (1960), including Basil Rakoczi, Brian Raywid
- GLS XXVIII (1961), including Kamill Erdös, Daphne R. Maurice
- GLS XXIX (1962), including O. van Kappen, Reinhold Regenburger, Endre Spur
- GLS XXX (1963), including H. Arnold, Charles Duff, H.J. Francis, B. Gilliat-Smith, Walter Starkie, Derek Tipler, R.A.R. Wade
- GLS XXXI (1964), including Mary Boyer, Walter Starkie, Sharon Uretz
- GLS XXXII (1965), including H. Arnold, Charles Duff, R.A.R. Wade
- GLS XXXIII-XXXIIIA (1966), including Juliette de Baïracli-Levy, B. Gilliat-Smith, C-H. Tillhagen
- GLS XXXIV (1967), including Werner Cohn, Robert Dawson, Donald Kenrick, Bruce Rodgers
- GLS XXXV (1968), including Imre Csenki, Robert Dawson, Ian Hancock, Lech Mroz
- GLS XXXVI (1969), including H. Arnold, Werner Cohn, Sir Angus Fraser, Donald Kenrick, Frederic Max
- GLS XXXVII (1970), including Juliette de Baïracli-Levy, Werner Cohn, Sir Angus Fraser, Ian Hancock, Arthur R. Ivatts, Basil Rakoczi
- GLS XXXVIII (1971), including Werner Cohn, H.J. Francis, Donald Kenrick, Jeremy SandfordFrancois de Vaux de Foletier
- GLS XXXIX (1972), including Thomas Acton, P.J. Barsby, Anna Duirchova, H.J. Francis, Sir Angus Fraser
- GLS XL (1973), including Anna Duirchova
- GLS XLI (letters from H.J. Francis and R.A.R. Wade to Dora Yates, 1973)
- GLS XLII (letters to Dora Yates, 1970-1973), including Helen Murray
Separated Material
Photographs sent with correspondence were mostly removed and filed separately. See SMGC 1/2
Correspondence
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLIII |
| Dates of Creation | 1870s-1968 |
| Physical Description | 1 box |
Scope and Content
Letters and postcards removed from SMGC manuscripts sequence (SMGC 3), and SMGC Photographs (SMGC 1) arranged by date and recipient:
- 1. F.G. Ackerley (from R.A. Scott Macfie, c.1912; J.R. Moriarty, 1920: 1 item, 2 pieces)
- 2. Canon Bartlett (from Dora Yates, 1933: 1 item)
- 2a.Duncan Brissenchen (unidentified correspondent, 1905: 1 item)
- 3. Rupert Croft-Cooke: notes on letters from Dora Yates held at the University of Texas (n.d.: 1 item, 5 pieces)
- 3a.H.T. Crofton (from Marion and Hugh Baikie, n.d.)
- 4. William Ferguson (from Fred Shaw, 1908 and James Smith, 1912: 2 items, 5 pieces)
- 5. H.J. Francis (from Andrew McFarlane, 1952; F.G. Ackerley and Eric Partridge, 1954; F.G. Huth, 1956; Helen Card, 1966: 5 items, 8 pieces)
- 6. Francis Hindes Groome, with his letters to C.G. Leland, Dr Bath Smart, H.T. Crofton (60 items, 109 pieces, 1870s-1890s);
- 7. George Hall (from Scott Macfie: 5 items, 6 pieces 1907-1908)
- 8. Kamm (from Janaki Majumdar: 1 item, 1959)
- 9. C.G. Leland (from David MacRitchie: 1 item, 1899)
- 10. Andrew McCormick (from George Meredith, 1906: 1 item)
- 11. RASM (from Esmeralda Groome, c.1892; Taw Wood, c.1901; A. von Cluwer, 1910; F.W. Brepohl, 1910-1911; Alexander Russell, 1911, 1914; unidentified, 1911; Cassandra, 1912; R. Urban, 1913; Capt Jepson, 1913; unidentified, 1917; Arthur Stratton, 1922; Ehrenborg, 1923; W.J. Caparue, 1931; E.O. Winstedt, 1933; Alexander Petrovic, 1935: 30 pieces)
- 12. John Sampson (from Kuno Meyer, 1903; A.I. Marshall, 1904; unidentified, 1905; Edward Nicholas, 1907; George Hall, 1909; R.C. Bosanquet, c.1910; Augustus John, 1910; J. Glyn Davies, 1911; unidentified, 1912; R.A. Scott Macfie, 1913; Frederic Max, 1919; A. watts, 1922; M. Praz, 1926; Bernard Gilliat-Smith, n.d.; Townley Searle, n.d.; unidentified, n.d.: 4 items, 4 pieces)
- 13. Doris Stephens (from Nancy Thomas, c.1939: 1 item, 1 piece)
- 14. T. W. Thompson (from Leite de Vasinscelly; Bernadzikowski, 1927; R.M. Hewitt, 1931; Biana, 1931; Amy G. Black, 1931; with his correspondence with H.J. Francis, 1923-24 and Woodfine Smith pedigree: 17 items, 30 pieces)
- 15. Dora Yates (from R.M. Dawkins, n.d.; Esmeralda Groome, n.d.; RASM, n.d.; Mrs Green, 1920s; Fred Shaw, 1926; T.W. Thompson, 1931; Arthur H.T. Boswell, 1932; Jean Perigault, 1932; Edmund Muller, 1933; unidentified, 1933; F.S. Atkinson, 1934; Alfred James, 1934; Easton Esnault, 1935; Walter Starkie, 1935; unidentified, 1936; Doris Stephens, c.1936; 16 letters acknowledging receipt of the Scott Macfie catalogue, 1936; unidentified, photos of Nottingham Goose Fair, 1938; Endre Spur, Budapest, 1938-1939; Malcolm Burr, 1939, 1950-52; F. Cowles, 1939; F.G. Huth, 1940; Kenneth Povey, 1940; J.A. Twemlow, 1940; Helge Refsum, 1946, 1951-1952; Ethel Tauszky, 1947; P.J.W. Kilpatrick, 1948, 1957; Juliette de Baïracli-Levy, 1949-1962; Tom Clarke, 1951; Angus Fraser, 1953; M.A. Murray, 1953; F.W. Robins, 1953; Gilbert Mather, 1954; Gwen Purcell, 1955; Matéo Maximoff, 1956; Ernest Marwick, 1956; A.C. Phillips, 1956, 1960; 'Lungr' (Kamill Erdös), 1957; Charles A. Francis, 1958; Georgina Traverso, 1958, 1967; Norman Dodds, 1962; C.A. Cooper, 1963; Peter Davies, 1964-1968; Joanna Halpin, 1965; Jeremy Woolfe, 1967; Eva Davidova, 1970, n.d.; Eileen, 1970-71; and her letters to 'Primrose', 1950 and Walter Starkie, 1968: 113 pieces)
- 16. unidentified recipients: (11 items, 16 pieces 1886-1962)
Administrative materials
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLIV-LII |
| Dates of Creation | c.1888-1973 |
| Physical Description | 18 boxes |
Scope and Content
Material relating to the administrative history of the Gypsy Lore Society.
Letters from Edward Harvey.
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLIV |
| Dates of Creation | 1942-1947 |
| Physical Description | 1 box |
Scope and Content
Correspondence from Edward Harvey and from others relating to him; with MS and typescripts by Harvey.
Biographical Note
Edward Harvey, a Liverpool man and member of the Gypsy Lore Society considered his material had been published in the JGLS without due acknowledgement. He was strongly opposed to the Gypsy Lore Society's approval of Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald's Gypsies of Britain (1944). With Counsel's Opinion on the Gypsy Lore Society's right to the name, which Harvey claimed was his.
Letters from T. & A. Constable.
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLV |
| Dates of Creation | 1957-1966, 1970-1973 |
| Physical Description | 1 box |
Scope and Content
Correspondence with T & A Constable, printers, concerning the printing of the JGLS (1970-1973), with JGLS stock sheets (1957-1966).
Arrangement
- GLS XLV 1-80: Oct 1970-June 1972.
- GLS XLV 81-159: June 1972-Nov 1973
Orders for Gypsy Lore Society Journal.
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLVI-XLVII |
| Dates of Creation | 1940-1979 |
| Physical Description | 2 boxes |
Scope and Content
Correspondence relating mainly to orders for back numbers of the journal, largely from Constables
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically
- GLS XLVII 1-24: Subscription Requests, Jan 1958 - Sept 1970
- GLS XLVII 25-272: Orders for the JGLS, Sept 1945-April 1971
- GLS XLVII 273-372: Subscription Requests, 1940-1979
Society addresses.
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLVIII |
| Dates of Creation | c.1889 |
| Physical Description | 3 items |
Scope and Content
Society addresses plus members and subscribers lists. Gypsy Lore Society Addresses cover label is inscribed "MacRitchie's original list" in R.A. Scott Macfie's hand, n.d.; Members of the Gypsy Lore Society, 4p David MacRitchie's hand, n.d.; Subscribers' list for the year ending 30 June 1889, 3p, n.d. (unknown hand).
Arrangement
Chronological
- GLS XLVIII 1: Gypsy Lore Society Addresses
- GLS XLVIII 2: Members of the Gypsy Lore Society
- GLS XLVIII 3: List of subscribers to the Gypsy Lore Society
Membership lists.
| Reference Number(s) | GLS XLIX-L |
| Dates of Creation | c.1906-1973 |
| Physical Description | 1 box, 98 items |
Scope and Content
Typescript membership lists with corrections and additions by Dora Yates; printed list of members, with MS additions (incomplete series).
Arrangement
Chronological
- GLS XLIX 1-39: typescript c.1956-1973
- GLS L 1-59: printed 1906-1966


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