Romani People in Glasgow/Scotland

[Doorstop]

Of Irish background I would always use the the terms - tinker or tink, where this use of the word pikey comes from I don't know.

Egipcions be swarte and doth go disgsy'd in theyr apparel, contrary to other nacyons: they be lyght fyngered, and use pyking.[5]

Gypsies are swarthy and go disguised in their apparel, contrary to other nations: they are light-fingered and use piking.

The term is strongly associated with itinerant life and constant travel: pikey is directly derived from pike which, circa 1520, meant to "go away from, to go on" and related to the words turnpike (toll-road) and pike-man (toll-collector)

[weegie11]

Icecube wrote:'
Most of the Scottish tinker fraternity don't travel much at all these days, preferring to remain in a static base - have a look along the railway line in the Carntyne area .

Can i point out to the group - along the railway line is Carntyne/Shettleston stations - these sites are full with showmen's families ie travelling & retired showmen- to the best of my knowledge none of these are tinkers, as there is a cultural difference in how these ethnic people live ... just saying!

taken from)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funfair
... yards used as winter quarters. Hosting an estimated 80% of all Scottish showfamilies, Glasgow is believed to have the largest concentration of Showmen in winter quarters in Europe, centered mostly in Whiteinch, Shettleston and Carntyne.

[Bridie]

Good reference and history here
http://www.crystalinks.com/romapeople.html

[Bridie]

Icecube wrote:'
Most of the Scottish tinker fraternity don't travel much at all these days, preferring to remain in a static base - have a look along the railway line in the Carntyne area .

Can i point out to the group - along the railway line is Carntyne/Shettleston stations - these sites are full with showmen's families ie travelling & retired showmen- to the best of my knowledge none of these are tinkers, as there is a cultural difference in how these ethnic people live ... just saying!

taken from)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funfair
... yards used as winter quarters. Hosting an estimated 80% of all Scottish showfamilies, Glasgow is believed to have the largest concentration of Showmen in winter quarters in Europe, centered mostly in Whiteinch, Shettleston and Carntyne.

Thanks for that - interesting read.
I didn't know about the Showmen/Romany distinctions

[DickyHart]

Theres a fella called Melvin Thomas who is one of the showmen who lives in Dalmarnock. He keeps all the stuff that the other showmen have no further use of, like old and outdated rides as well broken down rides, old signs etc. He has over twenty containers full of the stuff. Some of it dates over 100 years old. It like an unofficial archive of Glasgows travelling fairgrounds. His hobby is restoring these things, he has never found anywhere to display them properly. I understand GCC refused his offer top put some of them in one of the museums. Shame really. I had an appointement with him a while ago to take some piccys, a journalist friend of mine introduced me to him. But unfortunalty i couldnt go, as long term illness took over. I may try and contact him again.

[BrigitDoon]

I used to know a guy who kept all the garage stuff and mechanics tools from his dad's pre-war road-side garage. He also had a lot of fairground stuff in his back yard. It was all in good condition and when he died about twenty years ago, the National Motor Museum had the garage stuff. What happened to the fairground stuff, I don't know, but if it was sold as a job lot, then the NMM may well know where it was disposed of.

[scotsjock]

fairground showpeople are not romany/gypsy travellers call them what you like but please do not call them gypsies.

[scotsjock]

the carntyne area consits of 3 winter yards at rigby street one at carntynehall road one at gartocher road one at old shettleston road there are showmens winter yards all over glasgow theres no tinkers on these yards just travelling showpeople.the yard at rigby street is split into 3 sections with each bit owned by a different travelling showman.theres maybe 3 famillies on one yard and the next yard could have as much as 20 famillies on it maybe more.this is nothing like the dale farm site in england.each travelling showman is responsible for their own plots of land within a winter yard.in that yards each show familly pays rent for their plot and rent for the space their lorries,rides etc are parked on.

[scotsjock]

dalmarnock and rutherglen house most of scotlands travelling showpeople with swanston street being a comunity in itself with around 10 or 12 winter yards used to store fairground equipment and its also where the show famillies live during the winter.nestled among scrap yards and industrial units theres life of a different kind.theres other yards on shore street and duror street,strathclyde street and on the cunningar estate (downiebrae road) in rutherglen.

[scotsjock]

anybody got pics of these winter yards,showmans areas etc to show

[SomeRandomBint]

anybody got pics of these winter yards,showmans areas etc to show

Eh, no. They're all set back from the main road, and I don't think people would take to kindly to someone wandering in with a camera!

Look on Google maps. One is at the bottom of Carntynehall Road, along from a big shed marked "R&C Leisure" on the maps view, the other is just at the junction of Old Shettleston Road and Duror Street, just before the railway bridge. They are, to be honest, just static caravan parks, with cars parked outside and the usual accoutrements of families (like those ubiquitous bloody trampolines). There's nothing really which sets them apart from the other houses in that part of Carntyne really.

I thought "itinerant people" was the new name for jakeys? Anyway, there was a Romany family lived at the end of my street, and they were always very particular in pointing out that they were very different to "Tinkers" or "Gypsies". I think if you're not sure of someone's actual heritage, it's best not to call them anything.

[scotsjock]

well ive grown up with the fairgrounds and always found them and their people great to be around.it amazes me why there isnt more info on the net about how the show famillies live etc.i have been in several places where these people stay and nobodys had a problem with me being there.ive been on google maps but it constantly needs updated.

[SomeRandomBint]

The ones I've mentioned are fairly static, so I don't think they'd have changed that much!

I agree - I went to school with a few of the kids from those sites. I think I just feel that if someone came into my back garden to take pictures of my house, I'd be a bit about it. Realistically, nowadays there's very little difference in their way of life compared to us brick and mortar dwellers!

[Doorstop]

I see from the previous postings that there are showpeople winter areas .. it's not clear (to myself at least) if these are Romany people or not.

Does anyone have any further information on the location of Romany campsites in, or around, the Glasgow area?

I have a reason for asking, my friend Claire, has asked me to source any instances as she is making a wee study of the subject. No dodgy reasons for doing so btw, she's very 'new age' herself and I think it's just out of common interest.

Thanks very much in advance for any help.

[Fossil]

Does anyone have any further information on the location of Romany campsites in, or around, the Glasgow area?

Govanhill