Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

[her_welshness]

I heard good reviews about this on Radio 4 so tuned in this evening.

Utterly fascinating. Its a truly bizarre mixture of strictness and bling! And the grabbing of the girls by the boys reminds me of 'Kiss Chase' from schooldays. And the dresses, oh my 

[LEE]

Slightly bizarre that their "code" only allows girls to go out in the company of other traveller girls, no drink, no mixing with boys...but when they do go out, they look like Hollywood Hookers.

[Rhys W]

The girls also seemed to want to do pornstar poses on any car bonnet, pool table, street corner etc whenever somebody pulled out a camera. No sex before marriage... but then, most of them seem to get married at 16 or 17 anyway.

But yeah, quite fascinating. The narration mentioned that there are two separate groups of travellers - Irish and Romany. Do they have much in common culturally then, or are they just lumped together lazily by the media?

[Cunobelin]

I felt really sorry for the kid at Holy Communion

That pink dress that she wasn't even able to walk in is simply child cruelty, as all the other kids were simply laughing at her

As for the "Limo company" - should be prosecuted for the way they allowed the children to behave.

[Jaded]

With reference to the wedding dresses, and their weight...

"girls get scars. They say the more bleeds, the better the dress."

[toekneep]

I hadn't planned on watching it as I had it down as about wedding dresses from the half glimpsed trailers but it was interesting. I was surprised at how ignorant of their culture I was.

[rogerzilla]

The girls also seemed to want to do pornstar poses on any car bonnet, pool table, street corner etc whenever somebody pulled out a camera. No sex before marriage... but then, most of them seem to get married at 16 or 17 anyway.

But yeah, quite fascinating. The narration mentioned that there are two separate groups of travellers - Irish and Romany. Do they have much in common culturally then, or are they just lumped together lazily by the media?

The usual nomenclature is:

Gypsy = Romany
Pikey = Irish (often offends)

However, "pikey" has the meaning of what my mother would call "common", in these parts, as in "that old Beemer is so pikey" or "white trainers and jeans?  How pikey."

[Rig of Jarkness]

I felt really sorry for the kid at Holy Communion

That pink dress that she wasn't even able to walk in is simply child cruelty, as all the other kids were simply laughing at her

As for the "Limo company" - should be prosecuted for the way they allowed the children to behave.

+1, on both points

[Regulator]

The girls also seemed to want to do pornstar poses on any car bonnet, pool table, street corner etc whenever somebody pulled out a camera. No sex before marriage... but then, most of them seem to get married at 16 or 17 anyway.

But yeah, quite fascinating. The narration mentioned that there are two separate groups of travellers - Irish and Romany. Do they have much in common culturally then, or are they just lumped together lazily by the media?

Romany are very different from Irish travellers - and would not appreciate being described as 'travellers'...

[liam_whippet]

The usual nomenclature is:

Gypsy = Romany
Pikey = Irish (often offends)

However, "pikey" has the meaning of what my mother would call "common", in these parts, as in "that old Beemer is so pikey" or "white trainers and jeans?  How pikey."

I spotted 'P1 KEE' as a car reg last year. 


Onna old blue Beemer 3-series...

.. in Swindon. 

[Mr Larrington]

But yeah, quite fascinating. The narration mentioned that there are two separate groups of travellers - Irish and Romany. Do they have much in common culturally then, or are they just lumped together lazily by the media?

The latter.  According to my grate frend Uncle Marvo:

On the Irthlingborough camp site there are two tribes. On one side, Romany Gypsies, on the other, Pikeys.

Romany Gypsies are low life time-wasting THE CABINET [The Invigilator] who don't educate their kids, and who are mainly Xenophobic. They are mostly criminally stupid. They are a net drain on the economy. If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone, and if you don't, they'll moan a lot.

Pikeys are mainly GUINNESS™ BEFUDDLED [The Invigilator] immigrants who choose to "work" by stealing cars and bikes, mostly to order. They are violent and insane, but mostly have IQs in high double figures. If you leave them alone they'll steal from you, if you don't they'll kick you half to death, if you're lucky.

I drink with both sorts. Best to keep "in" with them so you can be easily identified as one who wishes to keep their property and balls intact.

Gippos and pikeys must not be confused.

[Rhys W]

Romany are very different from Irish travellers - and would not appreciate being described as 'travellers'...

The programme stated they were different, but didn't explain which group they were showing. Although most of the people featured had watered-down Irish accents.

[her_welshness]

Romany are very different from Irish travellers - and would not appreciate being described as 'travellers'...

The programme stated they were different, but didn't explain which group they were showing. Although most of the people featured had watered-down Irish accents.

Some had indeed faint Irish accents and others has real guttural accents.

Mr Larrington's Uncle Marvo's account reminds me of the Booth Poverty Map of 1888, where the streets of London were colour coded as to the types living there: from gold (rich mucky mucks) down to black: vicious; semi-criminal

[Jaded]

The captions on some bits said

"Stroud"


 

[Riggers]

You sure it didn't say Swindon?

[Regulator]

You sure it didn't say Swindon?

Don't worry, Swindon made several appearances...

[her_welshness]

And that market at Epsom was immense. Some of the stuff that she was buying I would not even be seen dead having in my flat 

[eck]

But yeah, quite fascinating. The narration mentioned that there are two separate groups of travellers - Irish and Romany. Do they have much in common culturally then, or are they just lumped together lazily by the media?

The latter.  According to my grate frend Uncle Marvo:

On the Irthlingborough camp site there are two tribes. On one side, Romany Gypsies, on the other, Pikeys.

Romany Gypsies are low life time-wasting THE CABINET [The Invigilator] who don't educate their kids, and who are mainly Xenophobic. They are mostly criminally stupid. They are a net drain on the economy. If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone, and if you don't, they'll moan a lot.

Pikeys are mainly GUINNESS™ BEFUDDLED [The Invigilator] immigrants who choose to "work" by stealing cars and bikes, mostly to order. They are violent and insane, but mostly have IQs in high double figures. If you leave them alone they'll steal from you, if you don't they'll kick you half to death, if you're lucky.

I drink with both sorts. Best to keep "in" with them so you can be easily identified as one who wishes to keep their property and balls intact.

Gippos and pikeys must not be confused.

Is that the same Uncle Marvo who had a glittering career in the Diplomatic Corps?

When my mum wanted to slag off my dad for his habit of returning home from long walks with all manner of junk found by the roadside, she would declare to anyone within earshot, "See him, he's aff the tinkies." (Translation: Yon gentleman there, he is descended from the tinkers.)

[rogerzilla]

We have a new data centre near a West Berkshire market town.  One of the more marginal risks to operations is that the area is precisely where British gypsies hold their annual bare-knuckle fighting tournament.

[Adam]

Didn't they have pony trap racing along the A4 near Newbury at some point in the summer?

[rogerzilla]

Possibly part of the same festival.

[her_welshness]

Wow, that dress! Wow, the mother of the bride!

[Charlotte]

OMG.  Now they're spray-tanning a six year old.

[Clandy]

Have they had the poor, hard done by, innocent, law-abiding souls of Dale Farm on yet?

[Rig of Jarkness]

Have they had the poor, hard done by, innocent, law-abiding souls of Dale Farm on yet?

Oh yes, and a very balanced piece of reporting it was too.  Not.