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Romany Nevi-Wesh: An informal history of the New Forest Gypsies by Len Smith This important and eagerly awaited book traces the origins of the New Forest Gypsies, following their routes across continents before arriving on the shores of Britain in the 16th century. Harsh Tudor statutes proved no match for their ability to survive in wild places. The Gypsies who settled in the New Forest found common cause with the commoners (of the New Forest) in holding on to a precarious way of life in the face of officialdom ever keen to move them on. The difficulties that they met and overcame, in the face of great prejudice, forms an important contribution to the general history of the New Forest. That they were eventually forced to adopt a way of life for which they were totally unsuited is one of the great tragedies and injustices of the 20th century. This book unashamedly puts forward a Gypsy view of these last important years whilst there are still those alive who experienced it. 190 pp, over 80 b&w photographs and illustrations, comprehensive index. Hardback £19.95 Paperback £14.95 More below

Len Smith

With hawkers and clairvoyants in his immediate family background, Len Smith came down to the New Forest area from Yorkshire in 1958 for army service. After meeting up with local family contacts, Len never went back north and worked and travelled in the New Forest and Hampshire from the early 1960s. Deeply involved in Romany rights campaigns, he has been an activist ever since having his first letter in the local press in 1960.
Len spent most of his working life as a wheelwright and carriage builder, building and restoring private carriages and many Gypsy waggons. He was the cultural consultant for the very fine Romany Museum at Paultons Park, both at its inception and later re-furbishment. He also built one of the exhibited caravans, and restored others, wrote the scripts for the speaking figures, and even recorded the male voices!
With a colleague, he founded the European Committee on Romani Emancipation, dedicated to achieving equal treatment for Gypsy peoples throughout Europe, particularly in work creation projects and access to services. As chair of the ECRE’s British sub committee, (BCRE), Len was invited onto the Traveller Law Reform Advisory Group at Cardiff University, and subsequently became a founder member of the Traveller Law Reform Coalition, helping to steer a Bill through Parliament, and advising Government bodies on Gypsy and Traveller needs. Len’s talks on the history of the New Forest Gypsies, illustrated with slides of many unique photographs, are always well subscribed.

Romany Nevi-Wesh

The Gypsies who settled in the New Forest found common cause with the indigenous foresters and commoners in holding on to a precarious way of life in the face of officialdom ever keen to move them on. The difficulties that they met and overcame, in the face of great prejudice, forms an important contribution to the general history of the New Forest.

That they were eventually forced to adopt a way of life for which they were totally unsuited is one of the great tragedies and injustices of the 20th century. This book unashamedly puts forward a Gypsy view of these last important years whilst there are still those alive who experienced it. The author carefully links oral tradition to research, quoting reports, to show how contemporary attitudes developed and officialdom dealt with the ‘Gypsy Problem’.

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