Real Romany Gypsies

[old tup]

When I was a young Tup in the 50s we would once a year have a visit from the old real Romanys.They camped where Napoleons is now at the roadside on Liversey St,they had horse drawn caravans,brightly painted.They came to our cottage for water,the women asked for my ma saying[Cross my palm with silver lady,ill tell your fortune]mother obliged and she was told she would live until an old age ,have 8 kids,would come into money ect.,I was fascinated by them and sat in their vans talking to em.I watched them cut small tree branches and make clothes pegs and false chrysanthemums which they dyed asstd colours.One year whilst they were there one of them died,straight after they set fire to all his possesions and his caravan which was the custom.Another year I was carrying the shopping back home with my mother past their camp when a romany woman asked my mother for silver but she had none because she,d spent up.She went off her head we would have nowt but bad luck,all our rabbits would die,the house would burn down,she.d have no more kids ect.It rattled our old lass cos she believed all that crap but it gave father a laugh.

[teddie]

I love your stories Oldtup, they are so real, you should write a book.

[PopT]

Old Tup

 

You reminded me of the Romany gypsies that use to come to our area every year.

 

They parked their Vardo's in a meadow below the Five Arches.

 

As kids we used to go to the wagons to see their pet birds which they kept in cages they had made from twigs.

 

During the daytime they placed the cages in amongst the Hawthorn bushes which grew down the edge of the Meadow.

 

I was always interested in birds and they had some rare birds such as Goldfinches.

 

The women made large wooden pegs made from Hazelwood, the pegs were split in such a way that the peg had a natural spring in it which gripped the clothes line.

 

I have still got one or two which I hung onto when my dear old Mom passed over.

 

The women went round the houses selling clothes pegs and buches of home made flowers made from coloured paper in a bunch of Privet twigs which hadbeen dipped in silver paint.

 

They also offered to tell your fortune and if you didn't buy anything they usually put a curse on you.

 

Many's the time they would relieve someone's Privet edge of a few branches as they left.

 

A lot of the old people believed in the Gypsies curses and if anything thing went wrong it was always blamed on their presence in the area.

 

Happy Days! PopT

[Steptoad]

Old Tup

 

 

Many's the time they would relieve someone's Privet edge of a few branches as they left.

T

 

Or a few of the flowers out of their gardens, we didn't begrudge them the flowers or privet branches, but my mum was a bit annoyed when she was cursed for not buying our own greenery back.

And on top of everything else the curse was way off mark, the gypsy woman told my mum she never have any children. She had four (she still feels as though someone cursed her though).

[rubydazzler]

When I was little they used to come to the door selling their pegs,lace and those flowers. I didn't care about the pegs, obviously, but I was always desperate to spend my mother's money on those flowers! She would never buy any because she said they were dreadful, but I loved the bright colours.

 

I once managed to save a few pennies and bought one for myself, took it to pieces and worked out how to make them. We had plenty of privet for the stems! The other sort of flowers they made from wood shavings, like giant chrysantheums, do you remember those?

 

We weren't supposed to talk to them or even go near them because all the adults were convinced they were 'chatty' and would question you about your family and house so that the men could come back and rob you later!

 

Actually, not a lot's changed really, has it? In people's atttitudes to travellers, I mean, not that they still sell pegs or paper flowers.

[pigeon]

Or a few of the flowers out of their gardens, we didn't begrudge them the flowers or privet branches, but my mum was a bit annoyed when she was cursed for not buying our own greenery back.

And on top of everything else the curse was way off mark, the gypsy woman told my mum she never have any children. She had four (she still feels as though someone cursed her though).

 

PROBLEY 4 KIDS HOUNDING HER

[Smack Jack]

I also love your stories Old Tup - I think I may have to become one of your followers. On my travels the other day I noticed a Romany Family are living in a house on Heavygate Road. Not very Romany but they are all the same. They are fascinating but also a little frightening I think.

[melthebell]

We weren't supposed to talk to them or even go near them because all the adults were convinced they were 'chatty' and would question you about your family and house so that the men could come back and rob you later!

 

Actually, not a lot's changed really, has it? In people's atttitudes to travellers, I mean, not that they still sell pegs or paper flowers.

lol some were stopping last week in a field below our work last week, on friday i thought ooh theyve gone........until i turned the corner onto the road to our work and there they were actually right next to our factory

in fact theyre that close they have the tv ariel strapped to our fence

 

the bosses prolly dint leave friday thinking theyd be robbed lol, they took all the expensive stuff out of the maintenence shed which is closest to the fence where the travellers are...................thing is its prolly safer than the main building as its an old railway container with a padlock that doesnt have a thin bit showing that you can cut

2 of the kids almost rode straight into the building on their bikes as we had the door open cos it was too hot, the maintenence guy had to go out and shoo em off, i told him off for picking on kids.........his level, he said but i picked on the biggest....lol

[dunsel]

We used to be scared of the gypsies camping on the Redhills, behind Richmond Park. Used to chuck stones at them, one of them caught my mate and held him front of the fire till his trousers caught fire. Rough justice then.

[cuttsie]

When I was a young Tup in the 50s we would once a year have a visit from the old real Romanys.They camped where Napoleons is now at the roadside on Liversey St,they had horse drawn caravans,brightly painted.They came to our cottage for water,the women asked for my ma saying[Cross my palm with silver lady,ill tell your fortune]mother obliged and she was told she would live until an old age ,have 8 kids,would come into money ect.,I was fascinated by them and sat in their vans talking to em.I watched them cut small tree branches and make clothes pegs and false chrysanthemums which they dyed asstd colours.One year whilst they were there one of them died,straight after they set fire to all his possesions and his caravan which was the custom.Another year I was carrying the shopping back home with my mother past their camp when a romany woman asked my mother for silver but she had none because she,d spent up.She went off her head we would have nowt but bad luck,all our rabbits would die,the house would burn down,she.d have no more kids ect.It rattled our old lass cos she believed all that crap but it gave father a laugh.

Getting to the more recent travellers Tup about 20 years ago we were moveing to a smaller place and we had to get rid off lots of gear the usual crap ,ornimants, clothes, odds and sods and my mrs in her wisdom? said i know we will give it to the poor gypsies who are camped behind Banners down Attercliffe.

So i loaded up the Bedford Van and of i set to the Cliffe,I knocked on the door of this big chrome plated caravan and the smartest looking lass you ever saw came to the door ,i explained to her that i had brought this stuff for them and hoped it would help them out, she invited me in to her van i nearly died inside was just like a palace with Wedgwood Plate and Sheffield Silver every where ,She gave me a cuppa in a bone china cup and saucer and told me how her family had lived around Sheffield for over 80 years ,as i was going her husband and son drew up in the biggest Mercedies Benz you have ever seen and she helped me transfer my crap from my old Bedford into there Merc and said she would drop it of at Bearnardows homes for me on Monday, ive never felt so daft in my life!