What is Xavier Petulengro best remembered for?

Xavier Petulengro (25 December 1859 - 16 June 1957), more often known as Gipsy Petulengro (or Gypsy Petulengro), was a British Romanichal (British Gypsy ethnic minority group) horse trader, violinist, businessman, writer and broadcaster, known as the "King of the Gypsies". He frequently broadcast on BBC radio in the 1930s and 1940s, and later wrote regular astrology columns in magazines as well as publishing his autobiography and several books on Romani (Gypsy) lore.

Details of his birth and childhood are uncertain. Sources suggest that he was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, to a Romani family, and probably lived for part of his childhood near Galaţi in Romania, where his father traded Welsh ponies. He also used the family names Walter Lloyd and Walter Smith. According to his own autobiography, he was the grandson of Ambrose Smith (c.1804-1878), known as Jasper Petulengro, the semi-fictionalised subject of the books Lavengro and Romany Rye by George Borrow. To date this has not been verified. The name 'Petulengro', comes from the Sanskrit 'Petul' meaning horseshoe and 'Engro' from the Romani meaning man or thing, hence 'Blacksmith'.

After his death, Xavier Petulengro's business interests were continued by his son, Leon Petulengro, who also became well known as a writer of popular astrology columns.