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