We all went on a trip to the Romany Experience at Paulton Park in Hampshire. There is a lovely collection of restored traditional horse drawn wagons as well as set piece displays showing how life was for Gypsy travellers in the old days. Like Kent, Hampshire has a big Traveller population particularly around the New Forest where they would spend winter times and breed ponies.

 

 

In those days Travellers lived outside most of the time. They cooked their food over open fires which also kept them warm. The men would make craft items like clothes pegs and wooden flowers for the women to sell from door to door.

We all completed worksheets about what we found out about the wagons and other aspects of Gypsy history. There are different types of wagon, each builder had their own designs which made their work individual and distinct. The Gypsies always favoured piebald or skewbald horses which looked good against the brighly coloured caravans.

My dad was brought up in wagon before the trailer came along - the tin house as everyone would say. Because there wasn't much room my dad and his brothers had to sleep underneath - Kate

It's good to see how they've done it, it all looks real, whoever did it put loads of hours into making it - Johnny.

They've got a kettle going for the tea, the lady is stirring the pot, they've got some flowers - Lena

It's really good how they've done it all, I really like the wagons, they wear old fashioned Gypsy clothes, it's amazing how they've done it. I've never been to a museum like this has been done. My Nan and my Grandfather used to travel about in those wagons - Lena

As well as the displays with the old wagons and people, there were also information boards which told us about the history of the Romany Gypsies from the time they first left India a thousand years ago up to the present day. There are only three museums of this kind in the country which deal with Romany culture so it can be difficult to find out about the history of our people.

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