My ancestors are Romany Gypsies. My people may have preconceived ideas about gypsies but many of them are based on prejudice and ignorance. My ancestor was a young English woman who fell in love with a traveller. Her family disowned her and she never saw them again. Marrying a non-gypsy would have been frowned upon in the gypsy community so it was a miracle they didn’t disown their son. She travelled around with her new husband with the fair. They worked on the coconut shy, happy and in love. She never spoke to her parents after she left. The couple had a child she was born in one of the beautiful ornate caravans. There are no pictures of the family as gypsies did not have photographs nor had many possessions. I see that ancestor ,from so many generations, a true model. She ran away with the man she loved even though it meant losing the love and respect of her family. This is a true love story what makes it even more beautiful is that it is real. Love really did conquer all. Whenever I remember the story it is all most as if I am reading it from a Nicolas Sparks novel. It is a very rare story and unique story and one that I will always treasure.
The caravan probably would have looked a lot like this...
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