Gypsy Caravans

Funky Farmer

Guest
I'm watching a proggy on the community channel about a Gypsy caravan museum. They knew all about the best use of space. If it repeats well worth a look.

Chn 539
 
Haven't things changed?

Gypsies and narrow boat people raised hordes of kids in a space which we wouldn't even consider if we were looking for a boat or motorhome, but are things any better, or is it just that we live more cluttered lives. Both gypsies and boat people lived far more closely with nature, getting food where they could find it and not needing to carry more equipment than they needed. The travelling community were far more community oriented than most people are today, and children had jobs to do, in the same way that children have in the third world today.

Children of both communities might not be able to read or write, until education for the travelling community got better, but they knew how to set a snare for rabbits or hares, or knock a pheasant out of a tree, skills that the mainstream society forgot when they started farming in the Neolithic period. Hunting and gathering are both skills which would once have been second nature to everyone, but with a few exceptions have now become trendy, pushed by middle and upper class authors and TV chefs as though hunting and gathering involves new skills that they are suddenly experts at.

If you fancy a good read round the campfire, or on those rainy days when you are stuck in the van, I can recommend 'Kenzie the Wild Goose Man', by Colin Willock and if you are interested, type in Jack Hargreaves on You Tube.
 
Bushtrekker said:
Gypsies and narrow boat people raised hordes of kids in a space which we wouldn't even consider if we were looking for a boat or motorhome, but are things any better, or is it just that we live more cluttered lives. Both gypsies and boat people lived far more closely with nature, getting food where they could find it and not needing to carry more equipment than they needed. The travelling community were far more community oriented than most people are today, and children had jobs to do, in the same way that children have in the third world today.

Children of both communities might not be able to read or write, until education for the travelling community got better, but they knew how to set a snare for rabbits or hares, or knock a pheasant out of a tree, skills that the mainstream society forgot when they started farming in the Neolithic period. Hunting and gathering are both skills which would once have been second nature to everyone, but with a few exceptions have now become trendy, pushed by middle and upper class authors and TV chefs as though hunting and gathering involves new skills that they are suddenly experts at.

If you fancy a good read round the campfire, or on those rainy days when you are stuck in the van, I can recommend 'Kenzie the Wild Goose Man', by Colin Willock and if you are interested, type in Jack Hargreaves on You Tube.
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That brings back memories of Colin Willock writing in the Angling Times, and I used to love Jack Hargreaves on the Out of Town programme on Meridian TV.

Learned a lot from both of them.
 
keithhep said:
That brings back memories of Colin Willock writing in the Angling Times, and I used to love Jack Hargreaves on the Out of Town programme on Meridian TV.

Learned a lot from both of them.
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I used to go sea fishing with Jack on Southern TV Now that is showing my age LOL
 
I only discovered recently the programmes were on You Tube

and Simon King had a lot more hair on Country Boy
 
I knew Jack when he lived at Minstead in the New Forest, just up the road from us, lovely man of the soil, great character.I too was a Southern TV watcher ,when it was transmitted from the old Plaza Cinema where we used to go for our Saturday morning pictures before it became a TV studio, happy days.
 
we have a visit from a hooped Gypsy Caravan a couple of times a year where we live, [ VADAs ] Ithink they are called, lovely old Horse pulls it, they camp up on a grass verge of the road , stay a week or so cook on an open fire , and move on never leave any mess or cause problems, proper Gypsies they are.
 
It looked good being pulled by a Bongo as well. :bow::bow::bow:
 
yes i have a bongo and think i could replicate that quite well.
nothing wrong with a good gypsy caravan or the people . i live very close to several families that used to travel the roads of england . i would sooner trust them than loads of others .
my dad used to say he would love to travel around in a gypsy caravan and horse. as it was we always had campers or tents . i do think he may be travelling around up there in one now though . bet he as a big smile on his face. bet my mum is with him possibly making pegs and may even be playing a wash board . hee hee .
 
I've seen somewhere that one was being towed by an old Massey 135 tractor with a cab, guy said that it had gotten too busy on the roads for a horse, and this was safer and easier to run!
I'd like it, but may get too much unwanted attention!
Read about another guy that was heading to China some years back, don't know how he got on ...
Cheers
 
not quite gypsy but many of us know romeo .that hangs around in portugal he tows with a tractor .been on the road several years now heres a pic. Spain and Portugal 09 - 10 336.jpgSpain and Portugal 09 - 10 331.jpg
great chap .as a lovely dog with him as well. bet his rig is on several photo collections . have known him for about 12 years now .very friendly.
 
Tnx for that, cheap insurance of about 55GBP, zero road tax, eating no hay when parked up, certainly a cheap means of getting on the road ... I'd have a warning light on the back, just incase ...
 
easily made. it was transfered onto different axles at one time to allow easily obtainable tyres etc . i thought it was a great idea .
mind last time i saw him he was having difficulty with a valve problem on the rear tractor wheel . we blew his tyre up for him and took it to a local farm place that by luck had a old one that got him out of the problem for awhile .
 
hi pink .there are several truck conversions out there that would love to have it done . dont think the pay would be high though . i keep thinking of doing some pinlinning or something on mine .i quite like the fairground gypsy look. .think there may be a few teardrops as well that would love it as well. you will have to get out on the road .bet you could exist if you had to. i take it you are into that sort of work?
 
vwalan said:
hi pink .there are several truck conversions out there that would love to have it done . dont think the pay would be high though . i keep thinking of doing some pinlinning or something on mine .i quite like the fairground gypsy look. .think there may be a few teardrops as well that would love it as well. you will have to get out on the road .bet you could exist if you had to. i take it you are into that sort of work?
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hiya, i agree,the pay would be minimal, but the satisfaction of seeing someone pleased with the work would be worth it..i paint for a hobby,although i have done a commission (horse), i,ll put some pics up,..i,ve cut my working hours done now and wouldnt be solely dependent on any income i got from painting...i,ll see...going to get myself sorted in the mh before chasing any more dreams...wont be on the road for more than a few days at a time as i,ll be sited on my working days...
 
hi. you will soon get into it . i have kept the house so summer is here .in winter its off to warmer .drier climates . we do tend to have lots of alternative travellers as friends . mind lots of very expensive trucks owned german couples are getting alsorts done to be different. might start or restart the craze.
 
vwalan said:
hi. you will soon get into it . i have kept the house so summer is here .in winter its off to warmer .drier climates . we do tend to have lots of alternative travellers as friends . mind lots of very expensive trucks owned german couples are getting alsorts done to be different. might start or restart the craze.
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yes, i,ve checked a couple of campervan hire sites out and theres one that has painted the vans all over in different themes..certainly make a statement lol, do you paint?
 
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