New Forest Gypsy Traveller Information
During the past year, First Steps New Forest has continued to work with the local settled Gypsy Traveller community at locations within the New Forest, particularly Thorney Hill and Bransgore, in order to collect significant information regarding family history and valued family photos. This project aims to preserve and pass on this important heritage of the New Forest Gypsy Traveller. We also intend to collate numerous family trees so that they can be shared with future generations.
This project has only been made possible by the support of members of the Gypsy Traveller community who have kindly shared their precious photos, stories, recipes, family histories and anecdotal information with us and by the Heritage Lottery Fund for all their support and funding. First Steps New Forest would like to thank everyone involved for their support and encouragement with this project which otherwise would not have been possible.
You can also use the domain url http://nfrgt.uk to reach this website.
Foreword
This is an outstanding piece of work, recording as it does the exceptionally significant New Forest Romani/Traveller community of the past. The site deserves commendation and, above all, a greater public knowledge. So many people know so little about the Romani and other Travellers and the prejudice against them nationwide has been colossal over many years. The New Forest community had more than its undeserving share. This website helps redress that imbalance. Unlike so many others, it gives oodles of accurate information from the families themselves so that it is authentically ‘from the horse’s mouth.
The photo collection is particularly impressive. To be able to present such a fine and detailed range, considering how few of the families were able to keep photos because of the impracticalities, is unusual. They illustrate the life admirably for, as the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Huge congratulations to all involved – now enjoy it!
Robert Dawson2018