Life story retold by Yota Dimitriadi
Selina Smith, known as ‘the Queen of the Berkshire Gypsies*’, was 100 years old when she died on 11th May 1912. Over 110 relatives attended her funeral at Reading Old on Saturday 18th May. Most of them were her children, grand children and great grand children. They came over from all over the country to give her a good send off. Selina was the mother of a large family with 40 grandchildren and over 70 great grandchildren. Among the mourners were her daughters Selina Smith, Mrs Copper of Maidenhead, Mrs Hutchins of Hounslow, Mrs Bunce of Caversham, Mrs Bunce of Hungerford, Mrs Samson James (son-in-law and daughter). She was the wife of Charles Smith, licensed hawker who predeceased her. One of her sons was Owen Smith and moved to Uxbridge. Other sons may have included Alexander or Edmund, who had lived with their families in caravan at Reading fairground near Great Knolly’s Street. She was a member of another well-known gipsy family, the Bucklands.
‘The funeral was quite on orthodox lines. The coffin was borne from the caravan to the cemetery in an open hearse, drawn by a pair of horses. Three coaches containing the mourners followed and in addition to the relatives who were in the funeral procession, large number awaited the arrival of the cortege at the pave of the burial…The passing of the cortege through the main thoroughfare of the town aroused the greatest curiosity an interest. Hundreds followed the procession and hundreds lined the streets as it went by. In Oxford Street and Broad Steer the traffic was stopped owning to the greatness of the crush. The crowd at the cemetery numbered over a thousand’ (Berkshire Chronicle, Monday 20 May 1912). It was considered the largest funeral after Scout Robert Claude Utley who was buried there in September 1911.
For over 50 years she lived in her caravan which stood in Mr Fulker’s yard in George Street. ‘It was her proud boast that throughout her long life she had never slept in a house and so keen was her revulsion to permanent dwellings that she often declared, “I would rather lie under a hedge anywhere if I could not sleep in my van.” ‘ Reading Standard, Saturday 18 May 1912).
‘She was a true type of gipsy, and most of her children and grand children follow the same mode of life. She was well-known for miles around, and she had the reputation of being a kindly person, despite her eccentricities. Moreover she was remarkably active considering her great age’ (Berkshire Chronicle, Monday 20 May 1912).
‘She was a true Romany and preserved to the last the characteristics of the great roving race, a familiar figure in the district and there was hardly anyone who did not now by sight the active, dark-skinned old dame with a basket of wares of her arm and an air of unvarying cheerfulness and good nature… ‘ (Reading Standard, Saturday 18 May 1912).
‘She travelled to pleasure fares and race meetings in the South of England as a fortune teller [Until her 98th year she regularly attended the Ascot and Epsom Race meetings]. With a strict regard for the customs of her race, she was an inveterate smoker, prizing a clay pipe with child-like affection and indulged in her favourite habit till a few days before her death. She did not begin to ail until October 1910 and had kept to her bed for 5 months. Her memory was noticeably alert and her mental faculties clear to the last ard, Saturday 18 May 1912).
Selina had met the late King (Edward VII) when he was Prince of Wales at the Household Brigade steeplechases, held at Hawthorn Hill near Epsom. ‘He was so pleased with the ready wit of the woman that he gave instructions that she should receive a gift of five pounds.’ (Weekly Dispatch (London) – Sunday 26 May 1912)
A large cortege left her caravan and went through Great Knolly’s Street, Oxford Road, Broad Street to the cemetery. The body was taken into the cemetery church and a short service was conducted by the Rev R.P. Newhouse. At the graveside the rev gentleman addressed a few words to the crowd, requesting them to show all the reverence that was due to the dead and to join him in saying the Lord’s Prayer at the conclusion of the committal service. The funeral arrangements were organised by Messrs. Lovegrove, of Friar Street. The grave was covered with expensive flowers and wreaths showing respect to this matriarch. One of the wreaths was from The Showmen’s Guild and another from her nurse Ellen Wilkins who attended to Selina during the last 5 months of her life. The coffin was very elaborate of oak with heavy brass fittings and on the plate was inscribed:
Selina Smith
Died May 11, 1912
Aged 100 years
A yellow shawl and a blue and white scarf were laid with the remains, two personal longings that the deceased had desired to be buried with her.
In accordance with the gypsy tradition her belongings were destroyed by fire. The Gipsy Queen’s ‘ caravan and all her belongings were publicly burnt on the Reading Fair Ground the afternoon after her funeral.
“The last of the caravan.
The burning of the caravan on Saturday afternoon was watched by many people. Several grandsons of the deceased tenant, moving it from the position it had occupied for many years, pushed the van into the street to the accompaniment of squeaks and groans that bespoke its long service, and the old house on wheels rumbled along Great Knollys Street. to the Fair Ground. The grandsons who took part in the quaint ceremony were John Bunce, Charles Smith, Sam James. John Smith, “Jumbo” Smith. Donovan Smith and Sefton Smith. A conference among the fraternity was held round the van, and at length everything was ready for the blaze. Armed with a can of oil, Charles Smith stepped into the van, where the furniture and other belonging stood practically as their aged owner had died, and the grate and chimney piece were bright with fresh polish. Having saturated some straw with oil, Smith hastily dropped a match into the van, and hardly had he emerged when a tongue of flame shot from the window. Soon the van was blazing merrily and the windows were filled with a ruddy glare. Aided by a strong breeze, the work of destruction proceeded gradually but surely. First roof, then sides toppled in, and the foundations collapsed with a crash, continuing to burn away to a heap of cinders. Pots and pans were visible in the debris, and there was a good-natured contest for possession of a horse shoe which had hung over the door of the van for fifty years and was said to have been worn by a Derby winner.” (Reading Standard, Wednesday 22 May 1912, page 3).
The funeral was publicised in the local press and it is one of the rare accounts we have of the outfits off mourners attending funerals at Reading Cemetery. ‘The women mourners wore black silk and large hats trimmed with flowing feathers’ (Berkshire Chronicle, Monday 20 May 1912).
Selina was laid to rest in the family grave with her husband and one of her sons.
*Note that the terms ‘Gipsy’ replaced by ‘Gypsy’ that were used in the past to describe the Roma people are now considered racial slur. Historic England notes that ‘While the term Gypsy is viewed by many Roma across the world as an offensive term, in Britain, many Romani communities have reclaimed the word as a source of pride and identity.’
Division 33, Row G, Plot 1