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Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Dawn Hoskins (21st Apr 2008 - 19:33:17) 7:30 pm Have just arrived home to see two beautiful old gypsy caravans complete with pulling horses, camped on Passfield Green. I think they actually enhance the place - and it is the first time I have seen the Green being used for years! I hope they don’t get chucked off – could be a tourist attraction……..

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - liz (22nd Apr 2008 - 08:41:07) They probably ARE tourists. City types tasting the 'rural' life!

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - nikki (22nd Apr 2008 - 08:59:00) at least something is slowing the traffic down

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Sue (22nd Apr 2008 - 19:31:46) They do not look like 'tourists'. Are they the advance party on a mission to check out the possible site for locating their 'equipment'??!! Hope the kids/horses/dogs are not destroying some rare blade of grass or weed - the NT will not be amused!!

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - jon (22nd Apr 2008 - 22:28:33) I am sorry to be such a bore but 'pretty' or not how are they keeping themselves and their animals in food. Are we tax payers subsiding their lifestyle? Um interesting...

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - nikki (23rd Apr 2008 - 09:20:14) I see they have a few items of wooden furniture for sale, so maybe that's how they make money. To receive state benefits im sure you need to have a fixed address. To be honest, I would be more worried about my hard earned tax going to those who claim benefits illegally. They seem peaceful enough and I saw them yesterday going around the green with a shovel and a bag clearing up after the animals. What does worry me a little is watching the children play so close to that road.

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Eneida Nelson (23rd Apr 2008 - 16:40:23) Out of curiosity.... can anyone park their caravan on Passfield Green or only gypsies ?

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - barbara Easton (23rd Apr 2008 - 16:40:26) I do not think you do need a fixed abode for claiming benefits, this rule used to apply, but benefits are now paid directly into bank accounts, and I think many travellers these days have a permanant abode for the winter and then take off in the summer. I do not expect they pay council tax however. The old style caravans, if they are old fetch about 30-40k at auctions. Perhaps the sign advertising the peoples' shop attracted them!

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Sue (23rd Apr 2008 - 18:21:19) Sorry to break the rosey glasses of quaint and 'attraction' but the arrival of white vans and another tourer caravan (however old looking), does worry me. someone commented that this is aparantly an old tradition, that these people frequent the green about every 3-5 years. Can't say I ever recall seeing them before? How many others will there be?

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Fiona (23rd Apr 2008 - 20:22:42) Hello Just for info, I live opposite the green and what we have been told is that they are just resting their horses for a couple of days on route to somewhere else (fruit picking we were told, but not sure what at this time of year) and that they want no trouble. The police came out on the first night (Monday) and had a chat, so they are aware of their prescence, as are the National Trust.

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Eneida Nelson (23rd Apr 2008 - 22:53:46) Fruit picking in April!!! How very interesting...it must all be down to this climate change we keep hearing about ;) Eneida

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Dawn Hoskins (24th Apr 2008 - 13:51:50) Are they causing any trouble? Are they behaving in an anti-social manner? Are they dumping broken cars and rubbish around the green? No they aren’t They are just going about their way of life and keeping themselves to themselves. That is why I originally referred to them as [Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s] and not the modern variant that dress in ‘bling’ and leave a tsunami of waste in their wake…… Why is there such a concern here? Is it just because they don’t conform to the way we have chosen to live our lives? They are a quiet family, they care for their animals well and are causing no harm to us or the environment. If hoards of broken vans start to appear – well that is another issue, but it hasn’t happened yet and until [if ] then… Leave them be

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Eneida Nelson (24th Apr 2008 - 15:22:37) Dawn, Your 'old fashioned Gypsies' may be the salt of the earth...let's hope they are! But why are you so indignant that people feel rather nervous when travellers move into their neighbourhood? Given the numerous incidents over recent years of illegal camps and the trouble they've caused to local communities (not to mention the cost to local tax payers) I would have thought it was understandable. Anyway, surely we are all allowed to express our opinions on this website....you always seem very keen that other people should hear yours ;) Eneida

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - liz (24th Apr 2008 - 15:53:05) Well said Dawn. It could be that the gypsies are about to be followed by hoards of tatty vans but somehow I doubt it (prepared to eat my hat of course). People panic at the first sign of a caravan or 'men with dogs on string' (as seen before in this forum) - but if they are not causing any problems they should be left in peace.

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Dawn Hoskins (24th Apr 2008 - 16:18:15) That is exactly my point. They don’t appear to be regular travellers (with all the paraphernalia, feral children etc) If they were - I would be worried (even indignant as you put it!) Everyone has a right to be concerned when an antisocial group moves in en-masse and leaves a trail of devastation behind them for locals to clear up. We are all here to express our opinions on this website Eneida. Are you feeling aggrieved in some way that I express mine?

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Eneida Nelson (24th Apr 2008 - 17:10:42) I'm not feeling in the slightest bit 'aggrieved' Dawn !! By all means express your opinions...I find them very entertaining :D and I'm a great believer in democracy. However, having once had a cherished and very necessary car stolen by members of the 'travelling' community (albeit not of the Old Fashioned variety, as far as I know) I don't find them quite as picturesque as you do.... Eneida

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - sue woods (25th Apr 2008 - 12:19:31) Dawn You do make me laugh Hold on to those reins, the horse has bolted before anything has been said. No one here has accused these people of stealing, vagrancy, filth, ferral kids, animal crulity or such and nowhere has anyone asked for their removal!! You quite rightly like your 'idle' and use this forum to express your concerns etc to protect it as you see it should be, but on occassions like now, tell others to butt out. I wonder how this thread would read if you however had an issue with them? I am concerned, as are a few others if there are to be more. At first I too went 'ooh are' and nostalgic, but then 2 days later the arrival of 2 white vans and an old blue tourer changed my view to CONCERN and nothing more. As far as I know we can change our minds. I have no problems to them living differently to me in the least. It does suprise me that you are so accommodating to allow 'free resting places', to these highly regarded travellers that if I can come up with Romany blood, can I have my caravan there free of charge for a week. We have proper toilet and shower facilities, pay rates, work, but would like to live 'pitch' free for a while. I would like to book the 1st week in July. You could set up a site office at the village store - it could bring them the customers they need!

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Eneida Nelson (25th Apr 2008 - 14:24:30) Good heavens Mrs Woods....I never thought I'd agree so much with one of your posts :D But, seriously, CONCERN was all I was expressing too, having once lived in an area that was regularly 'invaded' by travellers once a year ....it wasn't very pleasant! Eneida

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - John (25th Apr 2008 - 17:27:42) O well they have gone now and just before they left they tidied the green and left everything as it should be, O and just to clarify they are travelling to Kent and will reach their destination in August in time for Fruit picking, just before they left they commented on how nice the area and people were credit to you all. J&S

Re: Proper ‘Old Fashioned’ Gypsy’s on Passfield Green. - Sue W (25th Apr 2008 - 18:28:06) John, Great news, I noticed everything was back to normal, radar dismantled, troops called off, and bon voyage to the visitors.

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