GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
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Transcript GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS
IN DORSET
A CUTURAL HISTORY
2007/08
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
PROJECT BACK GROUND
• This seminar and presentation is the
result of a research and oral history
project carried out by Dorset
Community Action staff over the
past 9 months.
The project is being funded by way
of a grant from the Equality and
Human Right Commission.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
RESEARCH
One of the earliest references to
Gypsies ‘ Egiptian’ is shown as a
child being baptised in Lyme Regis
church in 1558.
Census information for 1861, 1871,
1881, 1891 and 1901 show Gypsies
living and carrying out trades in
Dorset.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
The 1881 census shows that around
120 - 130 people likely to be Gypsies
were living in Dorset
The census also shows many
Gypsies as being born in Dorset and
still living or returning to the area.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• In 1881 occupations were mainly
listed as - hawker, chimney sweep,
peddler, peg maker.
• Also shown were - flower gatherer,
broommaker, tinman/tinker,
agricultural labourer.
Photo courtesy of Jack Loveland
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
Families included :- James, Barney,
Lee, Benham, Cooper.
All well known names in Dorset
today.
Photo courtesy of Jack Loveland
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
There are further references to
Gypsies & Travellers shown in
documents, parish records and
articles written during the late
1700’s 1800’s and early 1900’s.
In Corfe Castle parish records it
shows a Peter Stanley - razor grinder
& tinker - as having been issued with
a removal order on 10th May 1792.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• In 1847 a Gypsy School opened in
Farnham, North Dorset.
• An article in the Christchurch Times
March 5th 1927. Leads with the
headline - Chief Traveller Death - and
tells of the funeral of Noah Hughes.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• An article by G.E.C. Webb about his
1920’s childhood in Poole. Makes
reference to ‘ dark- visaged people sat
in groups among numerous tents &
caravans’.
Went again in 1950’s houses bungalows
& recreation ground
on land.
Photo courtesy of Jack Loveland
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• There continue to be references to
Gypsies throughout the 1900’s.
• In 1938 a ministry of health worker
writes about having an encampment
on her beat near Ferndown.
Dominic Reeve author of ‘Smoke in
the Lanes’. Tells a story of parking
up in a lane near Dorchester in 1958.
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
ORAL HISTORY
Both the settled community ‘ gorgio’
and Gypsies & Travellers
were interviewed as
part of this project.
Photo courtesy of
Jack Loveland
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
Memories from older members of the
settled community : “Gypsies always came to
Martinstown Fair to deal horses.
I remember roast badger
sandwiches were always sold at the
fair.”
“When we lived in Came Rectory
Gypsies came around selling pegs
and knife grinding.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
“In the 1950’s Gypsy children were
‘bussed’ to Christchurch School
from the Thorneyhill site.”
“In September the classrooms
would be very empty as families
would go hop picking in Kent.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “I remember a Gypsy funeral, the
body was lain out in a tent.”
• “My father couldn’t have managed
the farm with out them. Digging
ditches, laying hedges, labouring.”
• “When my daughter was born, a
Gypsy family gave me a woven
cradle.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “I have childhood memories of Gypsies
arriving in Autumn early Winter and
camping in Higher Frome Vauchurch,
Compton Valence and Tollerford.”
• “On the farm in Higher Burton, Gypsies
used to help with harvesting.”
• “The Gypsies asked my aunt to read
their letters for them.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “The Benham family worked on the
farm in Slyers Lane, Dorchester they lived in trailers on the farm, in
an area allocated to them.”
• “They had 8 or 9 children, all born at
home.”
• “The women would go off selling
paper flowers, mistletoe, holly and
daffodils.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “Before World War Two, Gypsies
used to come to Winterborne Valley
farm to work at peak times like
harvesting & hay making. There
would be up to 20 adults plus
children, living in traditional Vardos.”
• “During World War Two, they were
particularly useful to the farm, when
the young men had gone off to war.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “During the 1920’s Gypsies used to
appear regularly on the hill behind
Halstock. There would be two or
three Vardos with 7 horses.”
“One of the Gypsies used to
repair horse harnesses.”
Photo courtesy of Jack Loveland
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
Memories from Gypsies : “I spent much of my younger life
travelling around the Blandford area.
I was married at Corfe Mullen and
most of my family are buried in
Blandford churchyard.”
“My mother was Caroline Hughes
who was very well known for her
singing.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
“I was born in Sherborne in 1920 and
have stayed in Dorset much of my life.”
“My husband worked on farm in Dorset.
During World War Two he was in the
Royal Engineers and fought in Belgium
and Dunkirk. He also spent some time in
India.”
“My father fought in The Great War as
did his brother and brother-in-law who
were killed.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “I have lived around the Dorset
Wiltshire area nearly all my life and
have been settled on the
Thornicombe site for a number of
years now.”
• “I am married to a ‘gorgi’, Although
my family found it difficult at first,
the marriage has been accepted
now.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “I have memories of picking and
selling heather, primroses and
daffodils. This is now illegal and no
longer a trade for Gypsies.”
• “Hawking has also died out because
you need a license and people are
always suspicious. One or two bad
Gypsy families give all of us a bad
name.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “My parents settled in the area so
that us children could go to school.”
• “I have bad memories of school being called dirty gypos - other
children would spit in my hair.”
• “On a few occasions, I am ashamed
to say, I would pretend I wasn’t a
Gypsy to avoid the bullying.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “Travelling is in the blood and we
still go away for six weeks in the
summer.”
• “It is not like it was in my
grandparents’ day. There aren’t the
stopping places there used to be.”
• “Granddad used to live in a bender,
then a vardo. He would sit out by the
fire and people would stop to talk.”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
• “My family history goes back
through a long generation of
Gypsies. Many have lived and
worked in Dorset over the years.”
• “We have to stand up and be proud.”
• “I AM PROUD TO BE A GYPSY ”
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
GYPSIES & TRAVELLERS IN DORSET
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
DCA are very grateful for the input to this
project from all those involved.
*Jack Loveland
*Sue Day - Romany Genes Website
*Priest House Museum - Wimborne
*Romany Roots Society
*Sherborne Museum *Philpot Museum - Lyme Regis
*Equality & Human Rights Commision for the Funding
***And especially to all those individuals who
kindly agreed to be interviewed.
THANK YOU