It’s rumoured that Bill Clinton is one of their descendents, but the gypsies of Yetholm on the Scottish and Northumberland border have more than an American president to their name. We look back on the lineage of one of Britain’s less known royal families.
You may be an American searching for your roots, or just a local, enjoying the country air, but if, like many ramblers walking the Cheviots you stop off to have a pint at Town Yetholm’s only watering hole, you will notice a photo gallery of some of the Border town’s more colourful historic residents. These are the Gypsies of Yetholm.
Picture courtesy of Yetholm Historical Society
The Clinton Connection
The Travellers, or Gypsies as they used to be called, have a long association with this region and once had a ‘royal family’ enthroned at Kirk Yetholm, just over the border from Wooler. There is some evidence to suggest that the former American President Bill Clinton is a descendent of the royal family of Yetholm.
Clinton was born William Blyth IV and only adopted his stepfather’s name ‘Clinton’ when he was at college. Genealogists have traced the president’s lineage back to an uncle of Queen Esther Faa Blyth, one Andrew Blyth, who moved to America in 1801– whether forced or not is unclear. But whatever the case, he chose to remain, unlike his fellow gypsy Jemmy Allan (b1802), famous as a Piper to the Duke of Northumberland, who was transported to America numerous times but always returned within a few months.
Persecution
The first written record of gypsies in Kirk Yetholm dates back to 1695. It seems that many of them fled there to escape persecution, and, in some cases, to hide from the constabulary on both sides of the Border, It is believed that in that year a gypsy saved the life of a local laird who, as a thank you, built some houses in the village. They were to be leased to the gypsies in perpetuity. The main families were the Youngs, the Taits, the Gordons, the Fleckies, the Douglas’, the Blyths and the Faas (or Faws).
For the next 200 years or so, they wintered in Yetholm and every summer packed up their wagons to sell wares in the surrounding towns. They criss-crossed Northumberland and Cumbria, regularly stopping in at Wooler, Boulmer, Berwick, Appleby and Carlisle. At Boulmer they were renowned for their trade in smuggled whisky and gin from Holland, which one estimate in 1885 valued at £20,000 per annum!
The Royal Line
The first recorded ‘King’ in Yetholm, was one Patrick Faa in the 1730s and ‘40s. His queen was a formidable six-foot-tall woman called Jean Gordon, whom, it was believed, was the inspiration for the character of Meg Merrilees in Sir Walter Scott’s novel Guy Mannering. But royal blood was no protection for this family: Patrick was deported to the Americas for theft, three of his sons were hanged for sheep stealing and Jean was drowned by an angry mob in Carlisle for voicing her sympathy for Bonnie Prince Charlie.
The Faas were unashamed supporters of the Scottish Royal House, as it was thanks to the Stewarts that they owed their own royal status. It was widely believed that James V had granted their ancestor, John or George Faa, the right to call himself the King of the Gypsies in 1539. Historical records show that there was indeed a writ of the Privy Council recognising the right of a John Faw, the ‘Lord of Litill Egypt’ to rule and enforce laws over his ‘people’. It seems that James was hoping to encourage a degree of self-regulation to a group who were increasingly troublesome. He apparently revoked it a year later, but the gypsy royals conveniently ignored this.
The Egyptian Connection
‘Litill Egypt’ referred to the fact that it was believed that the gypsies, who first came to the British Isles in the 1500s, hailed from an island off the coast of Egypt – hence the nickname ‘gypties’ or ‘gypsies’. More recent research, particularly into linguistic links, has revealed that while some gypsies may have sojourned in Egypt, their most likely ethnic origin is North West India. In the 1540s and 50s there were a number of ‘documents’ floating around gypsy circles claiming royal approval – each of them referring to a king, earl, knight or rajah of ‘Litill Egypt’.
In Durham in 1549, Amy and George Fawe laid a charge against a John Rowland, for counterfeiting the king’s Great Seal and falsely claiming to be ‘King of the Gypsies’. The Faas claimed this right exclusively as their own. The royal lineage continued through the Faa family and later, by marriage, the Blyths, until 1898, when the last king, Charles Faa Blyth, was crowned. The most famous of the royals was Esther Faa Blyth, or Ettie, as she was known to family and friends. Ettie claimed the crown in 1861 by literally fighting off rival claims from her sisters after the death of her father Charles.
Queen Esther’s Coronation
Picture courtesy of Yetholm Historical SocietyKirk Yetholm’s village green was the site of this catfight and also the victorious queen’s coronation. This eyewitness account appeared in the Kelso Chronicle in 1861:
The Queen, mounted on her palfrey, proceeded to the Cross, where the ceremony of coronation was to be performed – the crown-bearer and the crowner following behind … he now placed the crown – a tinsel one, alas! – upon the head of Esther … and proclaimed her Queen Esther Faa Blyth, challenge who dare.
And no one dared – not even on her royal demise in 1883, and it seemed for a while that she would be the last gypsy monarch. Queen Esther became something of a celebrity with Victorian gentry who travelled from all over the country to visit her in her ‘palace’ – which is now a B&B called the Gypsy Palace. Despite receiving gifts from many of her admirers, Esther died in poverty, and with her the lively tourist trade that made Kirk Yetholm a ‘must-stop’ on the route to Scotland.
The Last of the Line
In an attempt to revive the flagging economy, a relative of Esther’s was crowned Charles II in 1898 in a farcical ‘coronation’ that brought a great crowd but was considered demeaning by the locals. On Charles’ death a few years later, none of his descendents were prepared to take up the crown. By the turn of the 20th century, the gypsies of Yetholm had either moved away or become assimilated into the local population, and no longer saw themselves as a separate race.
Now all that is left are a few photos on a pub wall, a small cottage called the Gypsy Palace and some fabulous stories.
Picture courtesy of Yetholm Historical Society
For more on Yetholm and its colourful heritage, including original photos of the Gypsy Royals, visit
This article first appeared in the Northumbrian in August 2003 as ‘King’s, Queens and Presidents’
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Welcome to my site - I'm Fiona Veitch Smith, a freelance journalist, author, playwright and writing teacher. This site contains thoughts and articles I've written on a range of topics. I hope you find them useful.
I am a decendant of the Yetholm Gypsies, and I would just like to say that we have not died out, we are still here. Alexander kennedy..
Hi Alexander, thanks for stopping by! Someone who now lives in America also contacted me a while ago - it was good to hear from you. Perhaps you should write an article on what happened to the descendents after the ‘royal line’ became defunct.
Hi
I came across your site by chance. It’s St Boswells Fair and I had been exchanging family history information with a friend. This got me thinking and I luckily found your site. I knew Bill Clinton was a Blythe (with or without the ‘e’) but didnt know the full story. Thanks for enlightening me.
I can trace my ancestors back to the Blythes also: through Douglas, Young, Kennedy, Gordon, Taits and then Jane Blythe whose father was Williamson Blythe.
I really like your site and would love tohear from you.
Regards Margo
Hi Margo! It’s amazing how many people have contacted me saying they are related to these intriguing people. I should start charging for family reunion services! I’ve never traced my own family history - don’t have time - but I doubt it’s as interesting as yours.
Thanks for stopping by
Fiona
I was doing some research on my family history just for fun, when I found your site! I am happy to have found additional documentation of my family’s history, and am excited to have read some responses of other readers. I myself am related to the royal gypsy line through my father. My aunt by marriage is also scottish royalty. Coincidentially, we also have ties to Bill Clinton. My family has, of course, know this for many years; we have our own documentation. I am just glad to have someone else validate our history as well. Thankyou so much!
I feel like I’m hosting a family reunion! You crew should get in touch with one another.
I’ve actually contacted the gggg grandchild of Esther Faa Blyth through ancestry.com, and I highly reccomend the use of that site to everyone else.
Hi, should anyone care to contact me to discuss the Border Gypsies I would be interested to hear from them. Alexander Kennedy..
Thank you for your reply Fiona, the article if I wrote one I think would be very short indeed, as nothing much has changed regarding most of the Gypsy families of the Borders, other than moving with the times,much the same as any other race would do. We Romanies, as we prefer to be called have strong family ties, not only for our own Border Gypsies, but for Gypsies all over the world,whether they be settled in houses or still traveling, For any one who may be interested, my Grandmothers name was Mary Faa Blyth. A. Kennedy..
Hi Fiona, Blyth/Blythe was my Grandmother’s maiden name. She lived in Workington, which is not that far from Kirk Yetholm, and was called Florence May. Whether there is any direct connection with the king of the gypsies, I have no idea, and it would take some research. For now, I just tell people that I have a fanciful notion I am related to ‘The King of the Gypsies’ in Scotland! and thence to Bill Clinton. Florence May married Jim Chapman. A ‘Chapman’, I believe, was a travelling salesman, possibly a corruption of the word ‘cheap man’, ‘chap’ being a Cumbrian pronunciation of the word. He actually worked in the steelworks in Workington, and his job I believe was cleaning out the steam engine smoke boxes, through which he contracted emphysema.
In 2004, we stayed at Little Asby near Kirkby Steven. There I saw a TV programme about the border reevers, with presenter Eric Robson and his Scottish counterpart. I was fascinated, as part of the programme mentioned the gypsies at Kirk Yetholm and Blyth, King of the gypsies.
I do a bit of writing myself, you can see some of it on my web site. I don’t have them published and gave any money I made to Francis House Children’s Hospice. The first book I did was from a collection of funny stories my dad used to tell, and stories from other people who lived in a place called ‘Newtown’ It is called ‘Reddish Newtown-Life below the Steps’ - Memories from a lost community. The community was lost when the area was bulldozed in the slum clearances. When the community was broken up, people were displaced all over the town, but some went to Australia and New Zealand, and the book has gone out to both of those places. I am extremely proud of that. Have a look at the web site and you can see that and the other two books I have had dealings with. - Best regards - Mike Kiernan
Hi Michael and Alexander. I’m amazed at how many there are of you out there! I cycled through Workington a few weeks ago - lovely part of the world.
my g.father john young married to elizabeth davidson had six children the oldest boy called francis (frankie) then i’m not quite sure who followed next but there was esther charlotte betty john and annie. they had connections to kirk yetholm gypsys i’m not sure how or when but would be really pleased if anyone could give me any info on them my grandfather john settled in newcastle and was well known as darkie jack as he was very dark skinned.if anyone out there has any info at all, i would be really pleased to hear from them. thank you
Hi Dorothy. Thanks for stopping by. I suggest you make contact with the Yetholm Historical Society http://www.yetholm.bordernet.co.uk to see if they have any leads for you. Good luck with it.
Fiona
Hi Dorothy, the only information I could give you about the Young’s is that the Gypsy Young’s of the Borders were of the true Romany Race, most had a very dark complexion, and were very well respected by not only there own race, but also with the Gorjha {non Gypsy} people. Yorkshire and Lancashire was an other area they travelled in, Young was a name they took the original name was Heron,if you are of the Romany Young’s, then I could guarantee that we will be related somewhere along the line and my wife as well. Alexander Kennedy….
I had the privillage of travelling to the area where our ancestors had lived in Kirk Yetholm. And visit the Gypsy Palce. I snuck into the garden and sat for awhile imagining what life was like for them. I took photos and walked down ‘Tinkes Lane’ and called into the local pub to see the photo’s on the wall and hear some of the famous stories of the Faa/Blyth’sand Gordons.
I am from the Gordon line. The last Gordon Gypsy’s son David who came to New Zealand with his young bride. I love discovering more information about how they lived. What an interesting life and family we have all come from.
Thankyou for your great article.
Well Folks, it looks like we have finally won a case in the law courts which has recognised The Scottish Gypsies and Travellers as an Ethnic Minority in Scotland, maybe now we will have some clout when people and authorities discriminate against us. Alexander Kennedy… Free at Last…
Hey, Alex, what’s this about? Tell me more …
Hi Fiona, in short it means we now have the same legal rights as any other Ethnic Minority in Scotland. Alex.
Hello Fiona and also Alexander. As a matter of history, there has always been prejudice against itinerate peoples, whether they be gypsies or nomadic people. It is good news that such peoples are finally being given basic human rights. But with such rights come responsibilities.
It may be true that so-called ‘gypsies’ are by their very nature, travellers, but not all travellers are gypsies. However, in some people’s mind they are one and the same thing. In the travelling society, as in the non-travelling, there is good and bad. In certain areas of towns, for example, where there are social problems, it is the minority who give those areas a bad name. In effect, people become ‘tarred with the same brush’. It is a great pity, because the vast majority of people are decent law-abiding citizens and the same can be said of the travelling community.
There are those in the travelling community who cause problems, and when local authorities try and move them on, they cannot, because of ‘human rights’. Yet the rights of ordinary citizens, who have property damaged or stolen, do not seem to count. That is where the resentment comes from, and the prejudice.
Wherever they go, the ones who cause problems leave a trail of discarded waste, which the good citizens have to pay for to have cleaned up, through their council tax. Local authorities are reluctant to provide proper facilities because of the minority of people who spoil it for the good law abiding travellers and genuine gypsies.
My own claim to be from gypsy stock may only be a fanciful notion, but it does mean I have a certain amount of sympathy with those who do not cause problems, but who are discriminated against, because of those who do. Those who discriminate against all regardless, are in my opinion, unenlightened. What is the answer? Perhaps some kind of dialogue. It will take some time before prejudice is eliminated, and ignorance replaced with tolerance and understanding. Best wishes - Mike
Hi Mike. Thanks for those thought-provoking comments. As I am not a Romany myself I’ve never experienced this kind of prejudice, however, as a ‘rooinek’ in an Afrikaans mining town in South Africa in the 1980s I was the victim of some pretty atrocious treatment. It all boils down to an ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude to life and a pack mentality fuelled by, as you so rightly say, ignorance and intolerance.
Hi Fiona, thanks for the reply. It may well be that because of this ruling, on the basis of ‘human rights’ that local authorities will be forced to provide permanent facilities for the travelling society. In the past, the more enlightened authorities have attempted to do this, but in many cases, those facilities have been abused by a certain minority. This gives rise to the ‘nimby’ attitude. Residents are rightly incensed when travellers arrive on their doorstep, because of the mess left behing when they eventually move on.
We have had experiences here in Stockport in certain areas. For example, at our allotment site, we are next to an industrial estate. Before the council erected a fence to deny them access, a group of travellers on several occasions, parked illegally on the estate, knowing that they are not legally allowed to park on industrial premises, and that the police have the power to move them on within 24 hours. On their arrival, we had several break-ins and items stolen. Certain of the industrial premises were also broken into and items stolen.
The problem is there is no proof that these people were responsible.
Respect is a two way street. It is all very well winning your ‘human rights’ and it is only right and proper that decent law abiding travellers should have access to clean water and sanitation for example, but the abuses must stop. As residents, we are subject to local authority regulation, and there have been cases of people being fined just for putting the wrong kind of refuse in their bins. Then there are proposals for microchipping bins and charging people for the waste they don’t recycle. All this is because we are running out of holes in the ground. More enlightened residents do see the necessity for it, others see it as an imposition by over-zealous councils. Travellers have no such concerns, other than the inconvenience of being moved on. Some kind of dialogue is needed to break the deadlock, the problem is that the travelling community do not have a representative to negotiate on their behalf, because of their itinerant nature. Unless they choose someone, it will ever be thus.
The Gypsies of Kirk Yetholm did find a permanent home there. They established good relations with local people and some even intermarried. Changing attitudes is always difficult, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have to try.
Best wishes to all, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, wherever you come from ! - Mike
I am distantly related to Charles Farr Blyth through my grandmother a Blyth from Birtley Co Durham . They were the owners of Blyths Brick works .,Blyth Terrace in Birtley is named after the family.A brother of my grandmother traced back his relatives and got back to the king !!
We bow in the presence of royalty, Paul - thanks for stopping by! Are you still in the Durham area?
Hello everyone, My wife and I currently own the Gypsy Place in Kirk Yetholm. We rent it out as a holiday cottage for short breaks. We knew a little of its history when we bought the place in September’06, but had no idea of just how interested people were in it. I soon found out when I started redecorating and tidying the place up as soon as I had collected the keys: we had a steady stream of visitors wanting to photograph the place or chat to me about its history, including numerous visiting Blythe descendants from all over the world. I have tried to assemble a small collection of books and photographs which are now displayed around the Palace, to try and give our visitors an idea of its history.
I’ve always been surprised by the fact that Queen Esther’s grave has dissappeared from the churchyard; though the approx location is known, there is no headstone which seems a terrible shame.
I just wanted to reassure people that we are trying to do what we can to respect and perpetuate both the gypsy’s and Palace’s history.
Thanks for dropping by Steve. If anyone wants to check out the Palace visit Steve’s site at http://www.gypsypalace.co.uk
Hello to everyone to whom I may, or may not be related, and a Happy New Year, and greetings to Fiona, whose site has brought us together. In a manner of speaking, we are all ‘family’, from whatever background or beliefs we come from. It’s nice when you get respect from people you don’t even know! Lets hope next year will be a better one. Best Wishes - Mike Kiernan
hi.. i am a relative of bill clinton its really hard to explain how… Charles faa blyth kennedy (king of yetholm gipsys)was my great great great grandfather…. thankyou
Thanks Michael, and a happy new year to you too. Even though I’m not a Faa, Blyth, Kennedy or anything else, I do feel part of your family
Actually, the Veitch’s were a border family too, tasked to look after the cattle of Robert the Bruce (apparently!). So my great great great grandaddy might have collared your great great great grandaddy stealing his coos!