Here he is, the old vagrant. Sitting on the steps of an Irish 'Open Lot' wagon. On my knee is young Kimbo, and trying to climb up to join us is Tenpin. I only had two children at the time. The picture was taken behind our huge stone barn in France.
The wagon belonged to Wedgie-Benn's niece and her boyfriend. They had taken a year off from teaching, and were travelling the back roads of France, heading south. They stayed with us for a couple of months. Their horse was called Joe, their dog was Mumper, and their two hens were Henny Penny and Penny Henny.
Joe was a Welsh Cob, an ex London Rag-n-Bone man's horse. We had a very old two-wheeled trap at the farm, and he pulled it as beautifully as he did the wagon. Here I am (below) heading off somewhere, with dog Dart (Dartagnon) in tow. The trap was dumped in the barn when I bought the farm in 1973 (in the background), along with all sorts of other treasures.
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Our guests eventually moved on and headed to the south coast, where they sold the wagon and Joe with it. I'm rather sorry they didn't offer it to me first, I might well have taken to the road, and changed my name to Cro Petulengro.
It looks Idyllic. Good to have the memories to look back on whilst enduring the shithole this country has become.
ReplyDeleteHahaha Adrian, so true!
DeleteI'm afraid that France is in the throws of becoming a shithole too. The difference between when we first moved there, and now, is unbelievable. And we all know why!
DeleteYup, another country living beyond its means, running up huge debts.
DeleteThose were the days. Hope you are starting to feel better.
ReplyDeleteOn the mend, but it takes time.
DeleteYou could have had a red bandana with white spots upon your bonce and a golden earring too, travelling around France selling chestnut clothes pegs.
ReplyDeleteThe idea appeals!!!!
DeleteDo I spy a bottle of champagne on the shelf beside the caravan door? No roughing it on the road then!
ReplyDeleteSome things are sacrosanct; this was Wedgie-Benn's niece after all.
DeleteHappy memories. Would you still be able to amble along in a horse-drawn caravan in France? Doubtful it would be allowed in the UK. This current government are making sure they are banning everything!
ReplyDeleteA 'nomad' turned up last year in a classic Gypsy Wagon, and parked-up nearby. He was a nice guy, and we had long conversations. Nice horse too.
DeleteMemories in black and white.
ReplyDeleteIt all seems a long time ago.
DeleteWhat a life, in the good ole days. I too wondered if you could do that nowadays. Maybe in France. You knew a lot of interesting people
ReplyDeleteThere are still a few traditional Gypsies around. But generally they're a very different lot these days.
DeleteI'm descended from Gypsies, and have old black and white photographs of them with horses and caravans camped at the roadside, cooking over fires. They are a peek into a past I'll never know anything about, as my direct family stopped travelling when my grandma was a little girl.
ReplyDeleteI've had quite a bit of contact with Gypsies, or Gypsy caravans, over the years. My mother owned a wagon as a weekend retreat when she was young, and my very first 'school' was in an old Reading wagon in some woods.
DeleteCountry living is very appealing. That said, I do not think I could have ever lived in a caravan.
ReplyDeleteYou look like a natural with horse drawn caravans.
I tried to look the part. I'm not too good with horses, unless they're very well behaved!
DeleteThe only time I met WB was when he was Minister of Technology somewhere in the mid Sixties. He was preceded by an army of Ministry publicity officers insisting we refer to him as Wedge-Ben of MinTech.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer his MP son. A very different cup of tea!
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