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    Gypsies of Britain
    Gypsies of Britain
    Gypsies of Britain
    Ebook99 pages56 minutes

    Gypsies of Britain

    By Janet Keet-Black

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    About this ebook

    Gypsies have been a part of the British and European social fabric for centuries – and have faced prejudice and oppression for nearly as long, since at least the time of Henry VIII. Theirs is a peripatetic existence, dwelling in tents and in caravans and living often precariously at the edges of towns and villages, moving on in search of opportunities or as mainstream society drives them away. Gypsies of Britain explores the history of this unique lifestyle, looking at how Gypsies have maintained their distinctive culture and how they have adapted to the twenty-first century, and shedding light on a range of traditional Gypsy occupations including harvesting, horse-dealing, fortune-telling and rat-catching. Archive illustrations and modern photographs depict their lives, work and ornately carved and painted caravans.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateJun 10, 2013
    ISBN9780747813859
    Gypsies of Britain

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      Book preview

      Gypsies of Britain - Janet Keet-Black

      INTRODUCTION

      THE IMAGE OF A GYPSY as a carefree, swarthy, dark-haired nomad wandering aimlessly round the country in a brightly painted caravan has been perpetuated by generations of artists and writers who have chosen to portray romantic fiction rather than the often stark reality. Unfortunately, this colourful image has become a yardstick by which the authenticity of the ‘true’ Gypsy continues to be measured. It is commonly believed that the real Gypsy disappeared along with the horse-drawn living wagon, a belief partly based on the occurrence of fair skin and blue eyes amongst the Travellers of modern times. But ‘out’ marriages with the settled population account for the eye colour and, as they did for milkmen and other tradesmen, motor vehicles displaced horse-drawn wagons as the preferred mode of travel: the wagon had served its purpose for the time, as had the donkey and cart before that. Gypsies have been part of British history for over five hundred years and have remained apart from other travelling groups that have appeared over the years. The similarities in lifestyle and occupations of the different groups have blurred the distinction for the casual observer, resulting in a misconception that all Travellers are Gypsies. They are not, and similarly not all Gypsies are Travellers.

      In Britain Gypsies and Scottish Travellers are recognised ethnic minorities, each of them having their own traditions and culture, the origins of which stretch back for centuries. Their relationship with the settled community has not always been an easy one. From the outset, Gypsies have been regarded with suspicion. A propensity for fortune-telling created an air of mystery and, when not engaged in work or trade, they also kept their distance, travelling light in order to make a swift departure.

      The apparent ease with which they disappeared – here today, gone tomorrow – perhaps explains why they were sometimes described as ‘the secret people’, and yet they have contributed to all areas of British life: as service providers, bringers of news, entertainers, preachers, and in military and war service.

      TRAVELLING GROUPS IN BRITAIN

      IT COULD EASILY be supposed that, before the invention of the bicycle, our ancestors barely moved outside their own parish boundaries, unless they were fortunate enough to own a horse and cart on which to travel into the nearest town or to an adjacent village. It may be true that generations of some families remained within a 10-mile radius of their birthplace but, out of necessity, others were forced to travel much further afield to seek employment. Many travelled as a way of life, following the traditions of their forefathers and remaining separate from, but to some degree dependent upon, the settled communities through which they passed.

      For a variety of reasons, Britain has always had an itinerant population. In Tudor times poverty was widespread and, driven by the need to survive, labourers travelled in search of work, particularly when harvests were poor. Soldiers, on their return from fighting overseas, were left at the coast to find their own way back to their homes, begging on their way for food to survive, and pedlars and petty chapmen criss-crossed the country with their wares. Swelling their numbers were the dispossessed, domestic servants who had been dismissed, the militia, and artisans following essential trades such as thatching and masonry.

      Before the advent of living wagons – or caravans – travel was by horse and cart or on foot. An original print published by Pyne & Nattes in 1807.

      By the fourteenth century a large network of fairs had been established across the country by royal charter. These drew people from far and wide and, although initially for trading, they later attracted those who provided entertainment, including travelling musicians, strolling players, clowns and acrobats, all of whom saw an opportunity to part the visitors from their

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