Hearn Family - Click on photo to enlarge

  Thomas Hearn & Thomas Hearn Richender Hearn Myrenny Hearn 'Johnny' Hearn Joyce Hearn
  Family at (nee Bridges)
  Notting Dale

THE HEARNS', also referred to as "Heron", are a well-known old Romany family who are frequently mentioned in the Journals of the Gypsy Lore Society and in several old books. Probably one of the most notorious was a "Mrs Hearn" who tried to poison George Borrow! The furthest I can positively trace my ancestors back to is my 4 x g.grandfather Mullender Hearn, born 1766, who is in the same time frame as Thomas Hearn, who I strongly suspect is his brother. Thomas features in George Borrow's book "Romano Lavo Lil" (Word Book of the Romany) first published in 1874, where he refers to Thomas also by his Romani name of Thomas Rossar-Mescro and describes meeting him in 1863 at "The Potteries", a district of Notting Hill:--

"Thomas Hearn, an old Gypsy of whom I have heard a great deal, was living not far from The Potteries. When I first saw him, he was sitting on the ground by his door, mending the broken bottom of a chair".  

Borrow goes on to say that Thomas at that time, was 92 years-of-age and six foot high all but an inch. Apparently he was a very well mannered man, as was his son who was seventy-years-old. They both remarked on the evil and bad mannered Gypsies that also lived in that area, stating that Thomas himself was a member of the Tabernacle Church where he was held in high esteem. Borrow describes The Potteries then as "The second great Gypsyry (the first being Wandsworth), on the Middlesex side of the river".

I descend from Mullinder, who married Elizabeth Leatherland. Their son Mark Hearn, born 1796, was the father of Emannual, born 1835, who married Cinnamenti Hearn, a first cousin. My g.grandfather was their son Methuselah (Known as Tooka), his son William John  (Known as Jack) Hearn was my grandfather and finally my father was William John (Known as Johnny) born 1921, who married Joyce Bridges, the daughter of Hereford Gypsies called Jim Bridges and Caroline Vaughan. A fine line of Romany descent. The Hearns' are also connected to many other Romany lines.   Mary Horner

* Richender Hearn (Pictured above) was the sister of Cinnamenti who married Emmanual Hearn. Richender married Samson Hearn - Emmanual's brother. So two sisters married two brothers, all second-cousins. Myrenny (Pictured above) was the daughter of Richender and Samson

Publication can be ordered through the Romany Road shop

    JOHN'S STORY
      By John Hearn - edited by his daughter Mary Horner (A5, 40 pages)

John Hearn was born into a settled Romany community and was brought up in Chiswick, West London. He describes his family's Romany life and the customs they observed, his early years spent with "Aunt Amy", his subsequent marriage to "The most beautiful girl in Chiswick" and his War service in a Bomb Disposal Unit.
 
Price including P&P: UK £3.50: Europe £4.00: Worldwide Airmail £4.50.