JoEllen Brydon
Lost Histories; The Gypsies of 1909

Coming January 2021
Details coming Dec 12 2020

In the summer of 1909 a “band of Gypsies” were
reported by The Bobcaygeon Times as “causing a
disturbance”. On June 21, Constable Cochrane and a
troop of officers went out and met the group at
Fowlers Corners. They were surprised to discover
that this “terrorizing” group had no revolvers and only
two rifles. They arrested the entire group of close to
60 with about 13 wagons. They caused no trouble
upon arrest.

The men were detained in jail, while the women and
children camped in the courtyard resulting in notable
interactions with the citizens of Peterborough.

This group was in fact known within the Romani
community as Kalderash Roma of the Mineshti clan.
They were part of a larger migration from Southern
and Eastern Europe to the Americas in the late
1800s. They came over from Italy to Brazil in 1893.
From Brazil they worked their way up the continent
through Mexico and the United States reaching
Canada in September 1906.

To view the complete exhibit please visit here