Life story retold by Yota Dimitriadi
Sarah BUNCE was a well-known Reading Roma show-woman, the widow of James BUNCE, also a show-man, who lived in her caravan at the Fair Ground in Reading. She was a fortune teller and had told the fortunes of many famous people including king Edwards VII. One newspaper reported that it was her mother who had received a £5 note from King Edward for telling him his fortune at the Ascot racecourse- though a similar account was reported by the Weekly Dispatch (London) –(Sunday 26 May 1912) about Selina Smith, The Queen of the Berkshire Roma, also buried in Reading Old. Mrs Sarah Bunce died at the age of 73 as a result of a fall down the steps of her caravan.
At the inquest on Monday 29th September, her son, James BUNCE, a showman who lived in a caravan at Bedminston, Bristol, gave evidence of identification. He reported that a few days after the accident, which occurred on September 14th, he saw his mother, who told him that she had got out of bed to get a bowl on the top of her caravan steps when she slipped down them in the dark.
Dr. T.G. Moore said he was called to the caravan on September 15th and found Mrs. Bunce suffering from shock and extensive bruising of the back. There was total paralysis of the body below the seat of injury. He suggested her going to the hospital, but she refused to go, and was not really fit to be moved. She died on September 25th. the cause of death being shock, due to concussion of the spinal cord, which could have been caused by falling down steps.
Miss Ellen Burns, a Queen Victoria Nursing Sister, stated that she was called on September 15th and paid a visit to deceased every day and towards the end twice a day. Miss Burns commented that “it appeared to be a hopeless case”, but everything was done for her under the conditions. Mrs Bunce refused to go to the hospital and said that she preferred to stay where she was. She also told Miss Burns that she had fallen down the steps of her caravan. A verdict of ” accidental death” was returned by the Borough coroner (Mr. J. L. Martin).
Mrs Bunce’s funeral of took place on the afternoon of Tuesday 30th September, and large crowds assembled at the fairground and at the Reading Cemetery to pay their last respects. There were about 30 wreaths, and before the funeral they were displayed in front of Mrs Bunce’s caravan. One of the wreaths was in the form of a chair. A short service, held in the Cemetery Church for mourners only, was conducted by the Rev. A.T. Grey, of St Mary’s, Reading who also took the committal service.
“After the mourners had returned to the fairground a remarkable scene was witnessed when Mrs Bunce’s caravan was pulled into an open space and having been saturated with petrol by Mr. James Bunce, son of the diseased, was burnt to ashes, in accordance with gypsy custom. Mrs Bunce was the surviving head of the family, and it is only in such cases that the destruction of “the home on wheels” is decreed by gypsy* law. The Borough Coroner (Mr. J.. Martin), the Police Surgeon (Dr. E.F. Edmunds) and Mr R.V. Burden where among the interested spectators.” (Reading Standard, Saturday 04 October 1924)
Sarah’s husband, James Bunce, is potentially also buried in the cemetery (ongoing research).
*The term “Gypsy” or “Gipsy”, historically used to refer to the Romani people, is increasingly recognised as problematic and potentially offensive due to its association with stereotypes and marginalisation. While it appears in early 21st-century writing, readers are encouraged to approach its use critically and use terms like “Romani” or “Roma” when discussing this community.
unmarked grave, consecrated part of the cemetery