Experience of New Age travellers in 1990s
Discussion
I’ve been watching this morning a documentary on YouTube about some New Age travellers who camped on stoney cross airfield in the new forest Hampshire in the early 90’s. It caught my eye as it’s right near where I lived as a kid, but was only 5 or so, so probably never saw it on the news etc.
The press at the time made them out to be bad people, were they? A lot of em seem jolly posh, some look a bit mental aNd the rest somewhere in between.
The news articles I can find around the time suggest they are bad eggs, would be interesting to hear people on here views.
These are not normal gypsies etc, but hippy types living in mad old coaches etc
Thanks
The press at the time made them out to be bad people, were they? A lot of em seem jolly posh, some look a bit mental aNd the rest somewhere in between.
The news articles I can find around the time suggest they are bad eggs, would be interesting to hear people on here views.
These are not normal gypsies etc, but hippy types living in mad old coaches etc
Thanks
Edited by Spare tyre on Saturday 10th October 19:27
The place you remember is called Stoney Cross. It was an airfield during WW2 and despite it now being within the New Forest NPA, many locals remember it being more akin to an abandoned airfield with the concrete taxiways and main airstrip. Many of us learnt to drive there.
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
Illegally occupying land was, and is, their 'right' apparently including leaving all manner of rubbish behind for the landowner to deal with.
Cost a friend of mine several thousands over the years in court costs to remove them from his farmland and clearing the site after they were evicted.
Charming!!
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
Illegally occupying land was, and is, their 'right' apparently including leaving all manner of rubbish behind for the landowner to deal with.
Cost a friend of mine several thousands over the years in court costs to remove them from his farmland and clearing the site after they were evicted.
Charming!!
pequod said:
The place you remember is called Stoney Cross. It was an airfield during WW2 and despite it now being within the New Forest NPA, many locals remember it being more akin to an abandoned airfield with the concrete taxiways and main airstrip. Many of us learnt to drive there.
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
Illegally occupying land was, and is, their 'right' apparently including leaving all manner of rubbish behind for the landowner to deal with.
Cost a friend of mine several thousands over the years in court costs to remove them from his farmland and clearing the site after they were evicted.
Charming!!
Cheers, just noted my typo.As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
Illegally occupying land was, and is, their 'right' apparently including leaving all manner of rubbish behind for the landowner to deal with.
Cost a friend of mine several thousands over the years in court costs to remove them from his farmland and clearing the site after they were evicted.
Charming!!
Interesting views, cheers
pequod said:
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
They were most certainly not the forerunners of travellers, who have been the subject of local and national laws and decrees since at least the 12th century. pequod said:
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
Really? Today's travellers evolved from lefty Greenham, CND, anti-nuclear, Greenpeace, anti capitalist, anti-globalist, extinction rebellion, anti-new bypass Swampy protester types?
I never knew?
warch said:
pequod said:
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
They were most certainly not the forerunners of travellers, who have been the subject of local and national laws and decrees since at least the 12th century. I was at Nostell Priory Festival in 1984 when the peace convoy was present. They were nothing like current 'travellers'.
pequod said:
As for the NAT's, they were a bunch of hippies who took to life on the road in old coaches and other assorted vehicles and were the fore-runners of today's so-called travellers, not to be confused with the genuine gypsy community.
No, they really weren’t.I grew up in Bath with a lot of “Crusties” living nearby (some still do in the woods near Bathampton) and all the ones I ever met didn’t care about money at all, just the environment and having fun.
Plenty of documentaries on youtube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kwkX7D6PmcQ
Is one of many. Also good to spot the old cars, busses etc
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kwkX7D6PmcQ
Is one of many. Also good to spot the old cars, busses etc
dudleybloke said:
Most I met in the rave scene back then were posh hippies sticking one finger up to expectations and taking a lot of LSD in the process.
They certainly didn't act like "travellers" (Esox Lucius) at all and more like a travelling kibbutz.
Went to a few parties here in East London when they had the M11 link-road protests and yeah it was just like that. Especially a lot of LSD. They certainly didn't act like "travellers" (Esox Lucius) at all and more like a travelling kibbutz.

Remember the day they were all 'evicted', never seen such a huge police presence backed up a mile or so away.

KAgantua said:
Fascinating subject, I am very into Acid and techno/ trance music from the 90s, so am aware of this subculture. Stories welcome.
Hearing the sort of 'London Acid Techno' for the first time was a mind-blower. I just thought rave music was that kind of piano-riff M25 stuff. Wow! Hearing Routemaster and SUF stuff was insane.

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