George Bramwell Evens


The Rev. George Bramwell Evens was, under the pseudonym Romany, a British radio broadcaster and writer on countryside and natural history matters – quite possibly the first to broadcast on such issues. He was also a Minister of the Methodist Church.

Biography

Evens' mother was Romani, born in a vardo. His father was Salvation Army Lieutenant George Evens, a native of Plymouth. He was born at 3 Argyll Street, Anlaby Road, Hull, England and educated at Epworth College, Rhyl, as boarder, then at Queens College, Taunton. He married Eunice, the daughter of The Reverend Owen Thomas on 1 August 1911.
He is most famous for his Out with the Romany radio programmes, which commenced in 1933 on the BBC's Children's Hour, describing travels in his own vardo, with Comma the horse, his English Cocker Spaniel Raq, and his young friends Muriel and Doris. Although the programmes were all pre-scripted and performed entirely in the studio, the impression given was of Romany and his friends going for a walk in the countryside and spontaneously discussing the plants and animals they came across. Raphael Samuel saw the programme as instrumental in making the countryside desirable for a generation of listeners. Simon Barnes has paid tribute to how his father and himself were drawn to natural history by Romany: "I longed to walk through the country with the all-knowing, all-seeing Romany".
As a Methodist minister, Evens' ministries included Goole; the Methodist Central Hall, Carlisle ; Huddersfield ; and the King Cross Methodist Chapel, Halifax, after which ill health forced him to give up the ministry. He retired to Wilmslow, where he died, leaving his wife, son Glyn and daughter, Romany June.He lived at Number 1, Parkway, Wilmslow and he died in the house following feeling unwell building a Cumbrian stone rockery in the garden.
His ashes were scattered, at his request, at Old Parks Farm, Glassonby, Cumbria, which he had enjoyed visiting over a 22-year period: in 2001, a memorial to him was erected there by The Romany Society.
The vardo was donated, unconditionally, by his widow, to the forerunners of Cheshire East Borough Council. For many years it was displayed by CEBC, outdoors, in Wilmslow. In late 2012, having deteriorated badly, it was restored and moved to Bradford Industrial Museum, to be displayed indoors.
The Romany Society, originally formed in 1943, disbanded in 1965, and re-founded in 1996, celebrates his life and work, with regular newsletters and an annual magazine. Its patron is Terry Waite.
The BBC radio programmes were all broadcast live, and only one recording survives – dated October 1943, just a month before his death. It was released on CD in 2006.

Original Romany Books

A Romany in the Fields A Romany and Raq A Romany in the Country A Romany on the Trail Out with Romany Out with Romany Again Out with Romany Once More Out with Romany by the Sea Out with Romany by Meadow and Stream Out With Romany by Moor and Dale
  • ''Walks with Romany''

The Romany Readers

Published by the University of London Press in 1951.
  1. Hotchi the Hedgehog
  2. Smut the Hare
  3. Flash the Fox
  4. Spook the Barn-owl
  5. Pete and Prue the Partridges
  6. Nick the Weasel
  7. Billy the Squirrel
  8. ''Sleek the Otter''

By Romany's son

Written by Romany's son, Glyn K. Evens.Romany, Muriel & Doris Romany Turns DetectiveRomany on the Farm
  • ''Romany's Caravan Returns''

By Romany's wife

Written by Romany's wife, Eunice Evens.
  • ''Through the Years with Romany''

By Romany's friend

Written by Romany's friend, H.L. Gee.
  • ''The Spirit of Romany''

A new Romany Book

Written by Phil Shelley, Publications Officer for the Romany Society, and illustrated by Ray Hollands.
  • ''Romany in the Lanes''

Biography

  • Romany Returns, Guy Loveridge