Proper Gypsies

[theironduke]

We have had some near our house for a week or so now. They seem to be a family of four and have 3 hoopbacked wagons and 9 ponies. One thing i've noticed is how the ponies have "mowed" the verges, a lot tidier now

Driving past them just makes me curious... How do they scratch a living? they must need some cash. Also with the kids, both mid teenage i guess, how do they get educated? do the parents teach them basic literacy and numeracy?

This isn't a Gypsy bashing thread btw, a rarity to see the real thing.

[Soovy]

Don't leave your house unattended.

[Mazda Baiter]

Genuine Gypsies you will be ok. It's the ones with the 60 plate L200s and the 40 foot caravans that you will have to look out for.

[theironduke]

Soovy said:

Don't leave your house unattended.

Haha, i am within 20 minutes (as the crow flies...or the gypo runs across the fields) walk of a residential gypsy campsite (council funded of course) so am not new to them We've numerous run ins over the years. However, never had any trouble with "proper" qypsies...only the Transit van variety.

[theironduke]

Mazda Baiter said:

Genuine Gypsies you will be ok. It's the ones with the 60 plate L200s and the 40 foot caravans that you will have to look out for.

Yep, this ... well versed with the shed dragging variety.

[OllieC]

Soovy said:

Don't leave your househorse unattended.

EFA

[davethebunny]

so how do they make money then apart from selling lucky heather, old fashioned clothes pegs and putting a hex on you if you don't make a purchase?

[TEKNOPUG]

davethebunny said:

so how do they make money then apart from selling lucky heather, old fashioned clothes pegs and putting a hex on you if you don't make a purchase?

crime?

[balders118]

TEKNOPUG said:

davethebunny said:

so how do they make money then apart from selling lucky heather, old fashioned clothes pegs and putting a hex on you if you don't make a purchase?

crime?

Tarmacing?

[SJobson]

There were some gypsies with plenty of ponies who 'mowed' the verges between Sambourne and New End over the last couple of months; when the grass ran out I saw they'd moved down to Inkberrow. Might even be the same ones.

They did seem to keep shifting a few yards up the road each time the ponies had completely eaten the grass, so I guess that's why they need to keep travelling.

[Neil H]

Where do they get those wagons from?

Is there a 'gypsy wagon' dealership somewhere?

[williamp]

The horses dont cost much to feed either:

"Horses trample across graves and eat floral tributes at Leicestershire cemetery"


http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Anguish...

[neilski]

Neil H said:

Where do they get those wagons from?

Is there a 'gypsy wagon' dealership somewhere?

Yes.

http://www.gypsycaravancompany.co.uk/

[Original Poster]

Neil H said:

Where do they get those wagons from?

Is there a 'gypsy wagon' dealership somewhere?

Judging by the look of most of them, handmade about 50 years ago!

[theironduke]

balders118 said:

TEKNOPUG said:

davethebunny said:

so how do they make money then apart from selling lucky heather, old fashioned clothes pegs and putting a hex on you if you don't make a purchase?

crime?

Tarmacing?

These arn't the tarmacing kind though, not an untaxed tranny between them...i suppose they may "sub" themselves out to the local settled Pikeys.

Maybe i'll pop down and ask later...

It just seems very odd, the contrast between old fasioned gypsy caravans being pulled by ponies and to look at a "normal" family... If anything i wonder if the kids feel they are missing out? at a guess i'd say they were both mid teens (one girl, one lad) and the parents can't be much more than mid 30's.

[lazyitus]

They might just be on holiday. Don't worry.

[lawrence567]

I drove past some proper gypos tother day & they were selling wooden sculpted things.
It's near Portwrinkile in Cornwall.

[Original Poster]

lawrence567 said:

I drove past some proper gypos tother day & they were selling wooden sculpted things.
It's near Portwrinkile in Cornwall.

They must make a killing.

[bullitinhead]

Original Poster said:

They must make a killing.

only if you dont buy

[anonymous-user]

I'm sure there was a thread not so long ago about this and it was agreed proper Gypsies are quite a likeable lot

I think if you popped and had a chat again people have found them most welcoming and open, wooden sculptures are one way they do make some money, I don't know about many others, I think there is still a 'boxing' circuit though and some of them are quite handy