Gypsies and Travellers have been journeying around and through London for 500 years. They have come under huge pressure in recent times to abandon their nomadic lifestyle and settle in houses. Some have previously chosen to do so, and many areas in south east England are home to people from these communities.
Those who continue to lead a life that differs from the sedentary norm are subject to almost universal discrimination and disadvantage.
Gypsies and Travellers have begun to join together with their counterparts throughout Europe to campaign for the right to live in accordance with their heritage.
This is a future that is rarely spoken of: not one that simply respects ethnic diversity but one that respects the right of nomadic people to travel, live in caravans, seek employment and raise their children in a way that previous generations of Gypsies and Travellers have.C. Clark and M. Greenfields ‘Here To Stay: The Gypsies and Travellers of Britain’.
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There have been Gypsies and Travellers in Britain and the London area for the past 500 years. The name ‘gypsy’ comes from the word ‘Egyptian’, as people once believed this was where Gypsies originated.
In fact, historians and linguists now agree that Gypsies were groups of nomadic people who left India around a thousand years ago. They gradually travelled across the Middle East and Europe in family groups before arriving in Britain.
English, Scottish and Welsh Gypsies are ethnic descendants of these migrants. Romani groups continued to arrive from central and eastern Europe during the 20th century. Some were refugees, while others came after the Fall of Communism.
Irish and Scottish Travellers are people originally from Ireland and Scotland who travel from place to place.
Showpeople are a community which runs the fairs that travel on a seasonal basis from town to town.
‘New Travellers’ is a label applied largely to those who have opted for a nomadic life since the 1960s.
Due to the difficulties of leading an itinerant existence, many Gypsies and Travellers now live in houses, especially around Kent and the South East, where they have historically travelled in large numbers.
Ever since they arrived in Britain, Gypsies and Travellers have suffered severe penalties for pursuing a lifestyle that is perceived to be very different to that of the settled population.
However, these communities have their own unique culture, language and traditions, with very close-knit family groups. Members often earn their living by trading, or outdoor activities such as gardening and horse breeding.
Since the postwar period, Gypsies and Travellers have experienced a large cut in the number of sites where they are legally allowed to stay.
Although Travellers by definition have no permanent address, they have often followed the same routes for generations, undertaking seasonal work such as harvesting crops. Churches on their circuit will be places where they have been baptised and married and where their relatives lie buried.
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (CJPOA) of 1994 is considered to have led to a situation where many Gypsies and Travellers experience constant eviction from place after place.
Yet it is estimated that around one-third of them currently have no choice but to live in unauthorised encampments. Many Gypsies and Travellers do not wish to live in houses and find it traumatic to adjust to such a change.
The provision of services such as accommodation, health and education are areas where Gypsies and Travellers are particularly disadvantaged.
These communities have a high rate of illiteracy. They often put an emphasis on educating their children in practical skills, and may be reluctant to send them to school for fear of discrimination.
Gypsies and Travellers are not counted in the national census. However, the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) estimates there are 200,000 to 300,000 resident in Britain.
English Gypsies and Irish Travellers are ethnic minority groups according to race relations legislation. This status acts as some protection against the bad media image and widespread racism of which Gypsies and Travellers are the victim.
In recent times, Gypsies and Travellers resident in Britain have been working together with eachother and with similar groups in Europe. They want to raise awareness of their communities and to fight for fairer treatment by the media, the authorities and the settled population.
Notting Dale was among the areas of London frequented by Gypsies and Travellers from the 18th century. The nearby Westway Traveller’s site is currently home to Irish Travellers.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Battersea and Finsbury Park in north London, Bethnal Green to the east and Wandsworth to the south of the river were all locations where people of Gypsy descent chose to settle.
St Mary Cray in Bromley is currently home to the largest community of Gypsies and Irish travellers in Greater London.
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