What do you think Charlie Chaplin, Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins have in common? Well, they’re all film stars. That’s one thing. And they’re all British. That’s another thing. But did you know that they’re also all of Romani origin?
The Romani (otherwise known as “gypsies”) were originally from India. In the 9th century, they set off on a journey that took them through Afghanistan, Persia and Greece before arriving in Europe. Gypsies are thought to have come to England in about the 15th century. People originally thought they came from Egypt – hence the name, gypsies.
The Romani found work where they could. Many became seasonal workers. During the summer, they often worked on farms. And during the winter, they did casual work in towns, or sold goods or services door to door. Traditional Romani occupations included basket making, dealing in scrap metal, chimney sweeping and horse trading. Most of the Romani were travellers. They would move around the country on foot or in light, horse-drawn carts. Around the mid-19th century, they started using wagons called Vardos. They were often brightly coloured and decorated on the inside and outside. These days, the Romani mostly live in modern caravans, but you can still see Vardos at popular horse fairs such as Stow Fair*.