Culture and Lifestyle

For a great many Romani people, especially those in France and Spain and to a lesser extent elsewhere, St Sara is not simply the patron saint but a mother figure to whom they can pray and explain problems and receive help. The fact that history does not necessarily coincide with legend is not important. Her description as ‘Egyptian’ is geographic rather than ethnic, giving rise to the old word for Gypsies.
Thus the figure of St Sara is known, in Romani culture, for her support for them. It is enough that she was said to be the servant of the Holy Marys and loved them so, therefore, by implication, loved Jesus. She is a kind of icon of love and welcome. She has become a symbol and a focus for their Christian faith. This booklet explains it.
Breaking new ground, the booklet covers the myths and the facts, traditions, the Indian link, the geography, life at Ratiss, Joseph of Arimathea and the England link, Sara herself, the ceremony, the Romanies at Les St Maries de la Mer, Faith, ceremonial actions for ritual cleanliness, acknowledgements, bibliography.
A4 size, 58pp, 60 b&w illustr. £8.99 + £2.99 p&p.

A classic of Romani and genealogical research for several reasons. It is actually an account of his hunt for the author's 5X great grandmother Ann Gregg.
From a host of records, it gives an account of Ann (with 14 aliases) as a person, what she was doing (warts and all), who she associated with and why, often the hardest question of all.
Even that isn’t it. Finding evidence of what close relatives and associates were doing at the same time is an achievement. Thereby it goes beyond most genealogical writings and takes us into history in an engaging way, at the same time showing how it impacted on people in general.
The Greggs were a North of England/Scottish Borders family who intermarried with all the familiar Northern Romani families including members of the several notorious ‘Faa gangs’.
Numerous families appear to help other researchers. It is a tutorial in how to research thoroughly and a tribute to David’s hard work.
If you like historical and genealogical detective stories of intrigue and amazement, this is for you.
Pb, 216 pp, numerous illustr. Price £14.99 post free.

Romani and UK Traveller Peoples' Folk Tales: Types, purposes, themes and outcomes. Some very surprising finds. This book is on CD as an Ebook to read from the CD. £8.50, POST FREE UK.

Favourite Romany recipes. By Keziah Cooper. Lovely little book of recipes with 48 pages and some old Romani favourites plus many old pictures. This little book was once very common - not any more. Advertised elsewhere at anythting up to £20 but here, £4.95.

BRAND NEW 75 page A4 stapled BOOKLET of 180 colour photos of wagons/vardos and related. Different pictures from the black and white booklet except one or two where I had both colour and b&w photos. . Pictures are in several sections, Pre 1900, About 1900, To about 1950s/60s, Renovated wagons and Overseas. Lovely booklet to browse through and spot wagons - and people - who are old friends. Several never before seen. £12.50

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BRAND NEW 80 page A4 stapled booklet showing black and white photos and artists' sketches etc of 180 wagons/vardos and related, dating from 1830 to about 1960. Pictures are in several sections, Pre 1900, About 1900, To about 1950s/60s, Renovated wagons and Overseas. Several never before seen. Different pictures from the colour version. £7.95

Edited by Robert Dawson, published by Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group. About three years ago, a series of documents were found which are unique in terms of Gypsy culture, in that they constituted almost the only known writings of an English Gypsy, Henry Sherriff, from the Midlands. They comprised masses of folk tales, traditions, family history and reminiscences. The Romani is probably the best Anglo Romani ever to appear in print - although in some respects it is flawed because of its unreliable source. The book is an essential, its uniqueness lying in the fact that it was written by a Gypsy. The Countryside Agency and His Grace, the Duke of Devonshire, together with Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group, funded the book, and profits are being ploughed back into reading material for Traveller children. 16 b&w photos, 210 pp, detailed Romani-English and Shelta-English vocabularies. Was £24.95, reduced to £19.95.

Pinnies and Pegs. First part of Ryalla Duffy's autobiography. Discounted by 55%
Ryalla Duffy describes her life on the toad in the 1950s/60s when Mam and Dad earned a living doing farm work or hawking. The book bursts with laughter, drama and wonderful characters and not just Gypsies. Meet Pow Pow, Mangle Tit, Nos Nos, Off and On and his runaway dray - and Jan Jan the hen amongst others. Christmas then was basic but traditional and times were hard. One or two Gypsies did better for themselves - one had a handbag filled with astonishing things, another owned a car. Ry's Mam aspired to and eventually got an oven made from a biscuit tin.
This is a book for lovers of Gypsy life and lore and literature, as well as the countryside, nostalgia and the unusual.
This price is less than cost to produce. 37 photos, 125 pages.Normally £15.95, now £7..

The very rare Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society containing the much sought after article on wagons by Fred Huth, an expert of his time. Over 20 photos, article is 32 pages long. Also contains article by Sylvester G Boswell about his time as a soldier on the Western Front in WW1. Slight knocks, F. £30

Reduced from £16. Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society Vol 36, 1957, including the article by Marjorie Blount about the building of caravans for Romanies and Showmen. Also articles Jerome Bosch's 'Haywain' Gypsy painting, problems for Romanies in Sweden, Romani superstitions, folk tale, Hungarian Romanies in Pershore refugee camp, and the Vampire, plus usual notes and queries and reviews. £10

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Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society Vol 24 1945 with article on English Gypsy tents plus with 4 photos, articles on Irving Brown, nomad coppersmith in New York, the Lovara, Romanies in RAF, fairy tales, Young and Gibson families, usual notes and queries and reviews. Spine damaged, a little shaken, knocks, G. £9. (Was £15)

Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society Vol 37 1958 with article on a decorated wagon in New York, plus articles on Romanies at London airport, justice amongst Swedish Roma, terror tale, Romani occupations in America, the vampire, Transylvanian Romanies, Boston USA Romanies, usual notes and queries and reviews. Slight fading to binding, generally G copy. £8. Was £15.

Reduced from £12.95. Autobiography of two Gypsies - vol 1
Tom and Julie McCready's much acclaimed wonderful book telling of their lives from birth to their marriage. This is Volume 1 and contains many a laugh and many a sad moment, but a very revealing book about the lives of Gypsies in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Several photo illustrations. Volume 2 is Wandering Together.
The special price is less than production cost! £7.50

Wandering Together. Part 2 of the autobiography. Tom and Julie continue the story of their life, starting just after their marriage and the difficult days of the 1950s and 1960s right through to modern times and life on a site. Tom and Julie are two of the most respected Travellers in the country and their children have all continued with the tradition their parents gave them. A5 size, 104pp, 5 pages of photos. Matching volume with the first part, A Wandering of Gypsies.
The special price is less than production cost! £7.50

Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, Jubilee number, 1938, containing a variety of articles including English Gypsy Caravan Decorations (Edward Harvey) with 12 examples of varying sizes. Other articles about the foundation of the society, the Society in America, Albanian Roma, Central German Romani life, Hungarian Romani orchestra a Rumanian Romani folk tale, celebration of Christmas amongst Serbian Roma, George Borrow and usual notes and queries and reviews. £14 (Was £25)

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Amaletta's Scottish Gypsy Traveller Drawings. Stapled booklet of drawings by Romany artist Amaletta of Scottish Travellers, mainly of the past. Amaletta is one of the best self-taught Romany artists of the country and these sketches are typical of her style, showing scenes from old and more recent history and including illustrating making a living and typical stopping grounds and implements. £5.50

Gypsy Codes and Taboos. 2002. Don’t inadvertently offend your traveller acquaintances. This account of the customs and taboos found amongst Northern Gypsies resident in or passing through Derbyshire takes you through uncleanliness, marriage, death and burial, status and superstition. Of relevance for Gypsy studies nationwide. Size A4. 31pp. Reduced from £5.50 to £3.

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An account of the different dogs, especially lurchers, owned by Travellers, the uses of each dog and their strengths and weaknesses. Do you know which dog was originally called The Gypsy Dog, and which was developed by Travellers in hiding from persecution, and is now a recognised breed? Marvellous illustrations by Amaletta. 21pp, A4 size, card covers, 8 wonderful drawings. £5.50

Medicines, Meals and Music. Romany cures, recipes and song
Range of traditional herbal and and other cures dating back half a centurytfor a variety of human, horse, dog and poultry ailments. Also many songs including the lesser known ones like Rhona my Rhona, the Peg maker's Wife, My Mother Sent me for Water, Wester Lock and Tienni etc, as well as old favourites like The Berryfields of Blair and Romany Rye. Recipes are from numerous Romany and Irish Traveller families and the soucres of the recipes are given. Extensive bibliography. Stapled, A4, 93 pp. £8 (was £9.95).

On the Move in a Gypsy Wagon. Ryalla Duffy's book on waggons and how they are got ready to travel in and the procedures when they do travel. 28pp, numerous colour photos.
£7.50

PRICE REDUCED BY 37%. The Way of the Romany. Hundreds of Gypsy photos
Lots of information about British Romany Gypsies plus 200 photos, mainly with the people identified and covering many English and Welsh counties and families. Written by Fred Price with added information from Robert Dawson and Siobhan Spencer. Published for Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group. Hardback. Was £31.95. Reduced to £20.

Folk tale narration. The Sinti and Roma art of narratio0n in the context of European folk tale. Booklet in German. 1992. £4

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Gipsy Petulengro's 'Romany Remedies and Recipes', 5th edition, 1936. Gives remedies, ointments, recipes, children's, dog hints. fishing/poaching etc and fakes. Slight foxing inside, knocks on outside but remarkably, still has original dw (torn in places). £10.