Author Description

This book describes the summer of 1909 when a band of Romanies visited Peterborough, Ontario. Newspapers documented their movements from place to place and reported that the men were eventually arrested in Fowler's Corners for loitering and parking violations. Fred Roy took photographs of the band which sold within hours as postcards. As the town sought help to have the group deported from Canada, the men remained in jail while the women and children camped across the street in a park. This book is an interesting study in community culture in Ontario in the early 20th century. It identifies public opinion and expectations about law enforcement, politicians, itinerants, photography, and entertainment.