Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Duberley/Gypsy Connection

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

Nick Dub — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:13:03 +0000

Hi,
I can say that the Duberley relatives/ancestors I have looked at all link to Ruardean. I haven't been able to work out where the name first came to there from. Unless you are from a noble family, records are virtually non-existent pre about 1650ish in the area I was interested in. If I was forced to guess, I'd put my money on the name originally being French.

There are other Duberleys out there. The nearest geographically live in the Ross area, and there was a family in Monmouth, some of whom made clocks. A Lady Fanny Duberley wrote a famous book, but I'd say her husband was no relation to the Duberleys I looked at.

All the best

Nick

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

Drewson — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:37:32 +0000

Hi,

Yea I’m not seeing much evidence of the gypsy connection currently, I think it was just something that was passed down orally. I would say that Duberley is not native to England though.

I did some research on the family tree that I think I got from you, and it mentioned William Doberle of Redbrook. Ancestry.com said that he died in Newland, Gloucestershire, and that his son James Doberle showed up with different names like Jacob Heinrich Doberle, I thought it sounded foreign and I tried to search the last name and it seemed to be only found in South Germany/Upper Austria, I also searched up around that time how some immigrations happened with German Workers travelling to England as the Crown was trying to hire skilled miners and metalworkers, with the river Wye traditionally being used for people immigrating i thought it made sense and definitely believed that they were immigrants but this is just a theory and it would help explain the oral message I was told about French Gypsies=German/foreign skilled workers.

A separate point but I noticed that Austin’s Wife Cicely Wilks Grandmother was Irish, Berr, kings county, Ireland. This is all going off what Ancestry has suggested to me so there may be assumptions but I would love to hear what you know about the family tree and anything that could support or break down what I’ve just mentioned as I’m still trying to figure out where the Duberleys are from because the name is very rare and I’ve only heard it in the Forest.

I did a DNA test a few years back and the results Said a few things, I then used the data from it and put it into this other type of testing which gave more detailed estimations of specific areas, I did another thing with these things called Ethnicity calculators which put your dna data from the test into a calculator and it gives detailed readings as how your dna splits into each category and they were very interesting, i felt the results supported the theory of gypsy/romani but the genealogist on the site said this was not true but he did put the results onto a plotting map which shows you which populations you match closest to and mine drifted closer to Belgian and Swiss then British, I’m taking a new test with a better company that has the most reference populations and regions to get more accurate readings and this can either support things further or cancel out the theory.

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

Nick Dub — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:48:28 +0000

Hi,
I'm the son of Percy and Gladys Duberley. Glad to see I got a mention in a previous answer :-).

I have done some research on the Duberley family, mostly concentrated around Ruardean.

I'm not aware of any gypsy heritage, though it would be cool to find out there was some. I do have a few scans of photos and articles relating tot the family which I can send out if you'd like to contact me.

Cheers

Nick

PS I remember visiting uncle Austin with my mother in his house at the top of Walker's lane.

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

JaneyH — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:24:59 +0000

You may already have come across it, but there's a book about life in the Forest of Dean during WW1 written by Gladys Duberley. It's called 'Heaven lies about us' - you should be able to pick up a copy on the main secondhand book websites such as World of Books or AbeBooks.

Her son is a keen family historian and has a website: https://www.nickduberley.com/

By strange coincidence I have a family connection to the cottage in Soudley myself, so it was lovely to read about the place. Looking some more at the website I think the book can be downloaded for free, in different sections.

Duberley/Smith/Fletcher Gypsy Connection (reply)

slowhands — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:22:40 +0000

and example which may be "your" Annie Dubberley living in Cinderford 1939 appears to also be descended from John Duberley

First name(s) Wisdom
County Gloucestershire
Last name Smith
Country England
Marriage quarter 1
Volume 6A
Marriage year 1931
Volume as transcribed 6A
Registration month -
Page number 385
Marriage Wisdom Smith marries Annie Duberley
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
Spouse's last name Duberley
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Westbury on Severn
Subcategory Civil Marriage & Divorce

1939 37 Station Street, Cinderford
Wisdom Smith 15 Nov 1893 Male Hawker (General) Married 368 1
Annie Smith 21 Jun 1905 Female Hawker (General) Married 368 2
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.
Stanley Dubbesley 02 Sep 1922 Male General Hawker Single 368 6

Births Dec 1912 (>99%)
Dubberley Alfred Fletcher Westbury S. 6a 485
Births Mar 1915 (>99%)
Duberley Albert A Fletcher Westbury S. 6a 499
Births Mar 1917 (>99%)
Dubberly Stanley Fletcher Monmouth 11a 28
Births Sep 1921 (>99%)
Dubberley Maud M Fletcher Westbury S. 6a 526
Births Sep 1923 (>99%)
Dubberley Christopher Fletcher Monmouth 11a 36
Births Jun 1925 (>99%)
Dubberley Dennis Fletcher Monmouth 11a 32

Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
DUBBERLEY Christopher FLETCHER 1923 Forest of Dean Monmouth, West Dean 7 190
DUBBERLEY Maud May FLETCHER 1921 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 28 36

probable family for Annie
1911 living in Yorkley Woods
William Dubberley Head Married Male 34 1877 Labourer Road Contractor Gloucestershire E Dean
Sarah Dubberley Wife Married Female 30 1881 - Glo Shire E Dean
Tom Dubberley Son Single Male 7 1904 - Glo Shire E Dean
Willie Dubberley Son Single Male 4 1907 - Glo Shire E Dean
Annie Dubberley Daughter - Female 3 1908 - Glo Shire E Dean
Charles Dubberley Son - Male 0 1911 - Glo Shire E Dean

Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
DUBBERLEY Annie FLETCHER 1908 Forest of Dean Monmouth, West Dean 1 404
Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
DUBBERLEY Thomas James FLETCHER 1904 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 12 230
DUBERLEY William FLETCHER 1906 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 14 160

1891 Bilson Green
James Dubberley Head Married Male 46 1845 Coal miner East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Sarah A Dubberley Wife Married Female 40 1851 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Rose Dubberley Daughter Single Female 20 1871 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
William Dubberley Son - Male 14 1877 Coal minder East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Clara Dubberley Daughter - Female 12 1879 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Nellie Dubberley Daughter - Female 10 1881 Scholar East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Albert Dubberley Son - Male 8 1883 Scholar East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Emily Dubberley Daughter - Female 6 1885 Scholar East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Kate Dubberley Daughter - Female 5 1886 Scholar East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Benjamin Dubberley Son - Male 3 1888 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England

1851
DUBBERLEY John 42 Coal Miner East Dean
Mary 39 East Dean
Fanny 12 East Dean
William 10 East Dean
John 8 East Dean
James 6 East Dean
Joseph 3 East Dean
Jane Mother 76 Ruardean DEAF

Austin Tom DUBERLEY Ruardean - children (reply)

MPGriffiths — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:46:36 +0000

Under Resources on this site (and Inquests)

An inquition held this 2 Day of November 1869 at the Nags Head Inn Ruardean Hill East Dean on view of Diana DUBBERLEY aged 58 years wife of James Dubberley, Collier

The following jury were sworn in

Foreman: Richard Vaughan

George Mathews
Samuel Williams
Amos Williams
Thomas Parson
Fred Williams
John Voyce
Thomas Marfell
James Roberts
James Williams
Fred Townsend
Elijah Sleeman

WitnessL

Thomas TIPPINGS, Ruardean Hill Stone Cutter
Herbert Fitzherbert Jones, Mitcheldean, Surgeon

Verdict (Cause of death)

'Aneurism and Laceration of the heart'

Payments

Jurors 8
Witnesses 6
Surgeon 1 1
Post Mortem 1 1
Use of room 3 6

£2 19 6

----

There is also a laterr one 2 day June 1929 body of Albert DUBERLEY aged 52 years, Coal Hower

four DUBERLEY witnesses (as well as others)

Stanley DUBERLEY of Newnham Bottom Ruardean
George Marfell DUBERLEY of the Pludds Ruardean
Thomas Alfred DUBERLEY of Ruardean
Joseph DUBERLEY of The Pludds Ruardean

Feloniously killed himself.

Austin Tom DUBERLEY Ruardean - children (reply)

slowhands — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 09:58:21 +0000

First name(s) Dorothy M
Country England
Last name Duberly
Volume 6A
Birth registration year 1922
Page 838
Registration quarter 1
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006
Mother's maiden name Wilks
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Ross
Subcategory Civil Births
County Herefordshire
Collections from Great Britain, England

First name(s) Dorothy M
County Gloucestershire
Last name Duberley
Country England
Marriage quarter 4
Volume 7B
Marriage year 1949
Volume as transcribed 7B
Registration month -
Page number 745
Marriage Dorothy M Duberley marries Wilfred E Marfell
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
Spouse's last name Marfell
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Forest of Dean
Subcategory Civil Marriage & Divorce

First name(s) Dorothy Megan
Register number 987
Last name Marfell
County Gloucestershire
Sex Female
Volume 22
Birth day 21
Page 1810
Birth month 2
Country England
Birth year 1922
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
Death quarter 3
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Registration month 9
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials
Death year 1987
Collections from Great Britain, England
District Gloucester

,.,.,.,.,.,

First name(s) Donald A
County Gloucestershire
Last name Duberley
Country England
Marriage quarter 3
Volume 7B
Marriage year 1949
Volume as transcribed 7B
Registration month -
Page number 1075
Marriage Donald A Duberley marries Mabel D Hodges
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
Spouse's last name Hodges
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Gloucester City
Subcategory Civil Marriage & Divorce

First name(s) Donald Austin
Register number G1D
Last name Duberley
Entry number 291
Sex Male
Date of registration mm/yy 1206
Birth day 5
County Gloucestershire
Birth month 9
Country England
Birth year 1923
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
Death quarter 4
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Death year 2006
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials
District Gloucester
Collections from Great Britain, England

,.,.,.,.,.,.,

First name(s) Terence G
County Herefordshire
Last name Duberley
Country England
Marriage quarter 4
Volume 9A
Marriage year 1964
Volume as transcribed 9A
Registration month -
Page number 178
Marriage Terence G Duberley marriesGillian Y Powles
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
Spouse's last name Powles
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Ross
Subcategory Civil Marriage & Divorce

Austin Tom DUBERLEY 1899 -1973 Cinderhill, Ruardean (reply)

Drewson — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:46:55 +0000

Yea, I usually see things like metal dealers, Hawkers for Romani and Travellers, so I don't think they have any links so far, but I appreciate you uncovering another family member. i couldn't find any of Donald's siblings as they're names had been covered on the ancestry documents, i'm assuming Megan was Donald's sister?

Austin Tom DUBERLEY 1899 -1973 Cinderhill, Ruardean (reply)

slowhands — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:00:06 +0000

almost twenty years ago in the early days of this site

I added some notes on Tom /Ada and Austin Duberley
1851
DUBBERLEY John 42 Coal Miner East Dean
Mary 39 East Dean
Fanny 12 East Dean
William 10 East Dean
John 8 East Dean
James 6 East Dean
Joseph 3 East Dean
Jane Mother 76 Ruardean DEAF

1861 Newnham
John Dubley abt 1809 East Dean Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Fanez Dubley abt 1838 East Dean Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
John Dubley abt 1845 East Dean Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Joseph Dubley abt 1847 East Dean Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Milles Dubley abt 1853 East Dean Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Wm Dubley abt 1840 East Dean Son East Dean Gloucestershire

1871
William Duberley abt 1838 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Hellen Duberley abt 1835 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
John Duberley abt 1868 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Joseph Duberley abt 1866 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Miles Duberley abt 1845 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Brother East Dean Gloucestershire
William Duberley abt 1864 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire

1881 Newham Bottom, Westbury On Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
William Duberley abt 1843 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head
Ellen Duberley abt 1844 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife
Albert Duberley abt 1875 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Frank Duberley abt 1880 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
John Duberley abt 1868 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Joseph Duberley abt 1865 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Thomas Duberley abt 1872 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
William Duberley abt 1863 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son

1891
Duberley, William abt 1842 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Duberley, Helen abt 1838 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Duberley, Albert abt 1875 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Duberley, Frank abt 1880 Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Duberley, Thomas abt 1873 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire

Marriages Dec 1897 (>99%)
BALDWIN Ada Lilian Ross 6a 1001
Duberley Tom Ross 6a 1001

1901 Warfield House Ruardean
Tom Duberly Head Married Male 28 1873 Coal miner East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Ada Duberly Wife Married Female 27 1874 Dress maker Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England
George Duberly Son - Male 2 1899 - Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England
Austin Duberly Son - Male 1 1900 - Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England
Lester Duberly Son - Male 0 1901 - Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England
Gertrude Duberly Sister Single Female 14 1887 Nurse East Dean, Gloucestershire, England

Marriages Dec 1921 (>99%)
Duberley Austin T Wilks Ross 6a 1113
Wilks Cecily A Duberley Ross 6a 1113

1911 Ruardean
Alfred Tom Duberley Head Married Male 38 1873 Collier hewer Ruardean Gloshire
Ada Lilian Duberley Wife Married Female 37 1874 - Ruardean Gloshire
Eric Duberley Son - Male 12 1899 School Ruardean Gloshire
Austin Duberley Son - Male 11 1900 School Ruardean Gloshire
Lester Duberley Son - Male 10 1901 School Ruardean Gloshire
Percy Duberley Son - Male 8 1903 - Ruardean Gloshire
Carl Duberley Son - Male 7 1904 - Ruardean Gloshire
Virgo Duberley Son - Male 5 1906 - Ruardean Gloshire
Geoffrey Duberley Son - Male 3 1908 - Ruardean Gloshire
Rex Duberley Son - Male 2 1909 - Ruardean Gloshire

1939 Walkers Lane Ruardean
Austin (Tom) Duberley 30 Oct 1899 Male Assistant Foreman Limestone Quarryman Married 68 1
Cecily Duberley 29 Jun 1902 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 68 2
Megan Duberley 21 Feb 1922 Female Student Teaching Single 68 3
Donald Duberley 05 Sep 1923 Male At School Single 68 4
The record for this person is officially closed.( believed to be Terrence G 1934)

First name(s) Austin Tom
Residence town Ruardean
Last name Duberley
County Gloucestershire
Death year 1973
Country England
Death date 14 Mar 1973
Record set England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019
Probate year 1973
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Probate date 17 May 1973
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

Drewson — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:43:49 +0000

Yea i saw this on Ancestry, they got taken to court for apparently messing with the milk bottles, adding water and other components to maximise their total bottles. They ended up going to Gloucester and paying a £2 fine.

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

Drewson — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:41:52 +0000

Interesting thank you, the Clearwell one might be something as i know some Romani ended up there, a Wisdom Smith married an Annie Duberley and had a few kids, couldn't connect her to my family tree though.

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

MPGriffiths — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:24:09 +0000

Out of interest - do you subscribe to BRITISH NEWSPAPERS ON LINE ?

I don't subscribe (although if you register - allowed 3 free goes to read the whole article). However, just by searching Austin DUBERLEY - I can briefly read part of any article.

For example

Saturday 10 November 1928

MILK SELLERS.....AT LITTLEDEAN

At Littledean Petty Sessions, on Friday, Austin Tom DUBERLEY (28) - Ruardean and Lester DUBERLEY (30) Guardian, brothers were etc etc.

By searching DUBERLEY RUARDEAN - there are quite a few articles.

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

MPGriffiths — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:05:40 +0000

Men in Armour b (1608)

also has

NEWLAND (Dean)

James DOBERLOWE - shoemaker A60 - Lower stature

WESTBURY ON SEVERN (Elton part of the manor of Rodley)

William DOBBERLAW - labourer A40 meneast stature
Richard DOBBERLOWE - servant to Thomas NORTH, yeoman A20 lower stature

(The West Country accent must have been very different to understand).

Duberley/Gypsy Connection (reply)

MPGriffiths — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:59:55 +0000

Not sure if you looked at the website.....

Website:

Coaley.net

has a complete list of : Men & Armour for Gloucestershire in 1608

----

Just by putting the first three letters of the surname: i.e. DUB (there are 6 matches)

which show average age, occupation and stature - (the help page on the above website - explains the abbreviations.

LITTLEDEAN (Forest of Dean) ***

Symon DUBBERLEY, tailor. A20 - lower stature (A20 - means age about twenty, Lower stature - shows that man to be of the lower stature fit to serve with a caliver)

CLEARWELL (Forest of Dean)

William DUBBERLEE, labourer, A40 - meanest stature

CIRENCESTER (Dyer Street)

Michael DUBBER - victualler, A40 - lower stature

MEYSEY HAMPTON (Cirencester

John DUBY - labourer, A40 - middle stature

FAIRFORD

Edmund DUBBER - Smith, A40 - lower stature

***

Simon DUBBERLEY baptism on FOD records - baptised 18th Mar 1582 at Westbury on Severn - father William

Duberley/Gypsy Connection

Drewson — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 22:00:33 +0000

Hi, my names Will Duberley, was told my Dads side of family were French gypsies/travellers, i've already done research on ancestry.com and already have a Duberley Link going back to 1564 William Doberle most likely from other Duberley's efforts however i've not found any linkage to French heritage, my theory is that we were French Huguenots who settled here. i'm more just surprised how rare the name is and how its solely focused around Ruardean, if someone knows more about any French Romani migrations to the area or any French Romani or any Romani heritage would be appreciated. Im confident there is Romani linkage maybe not French but my family are overwhelmingly coal miners, masonry, loggers which doesn't seem typical work for gypsies. I had a theory it might be from another part of my family, my great great great grandmother Ada Baldwin as i heard the Baldwin surname had links to gypsies, also the Surnames Meek, Knight, Wilks, Davis all appear in my family tree. Out of Tom and Ada's nine kids im directly related to Austin Duberley if that helps. The only possible connection so far is my great great grandmother Cecily Ann Wilks married to Austin Duberley, whose family seems to show up in another tree the Lewis-Whitehead families. Thats all i currently have, im taking a DNA test to help support other theories because my DNA has shown up before with elevated levels that are usually found in Romani e.g. South/South Central Asian. Just want to know where this oral tradition came from that we're French gypsies.