Travellers and West Midlands Gypsy Liaison Group (WMGLG)

MS 4000/5/1/18

Travellers and West Midlands Gypsy Liaison Group (WMGLG)

The tapes are arranges as follows:

MS 4000/5/1/18/1 Radio programme on travellers and Jun 1966

permanent residents in Woolerton,

Nottinghamshire

MS 4000/5/1/18/2-3 Brownhills 'Tinkers' singing Oct 1967

MS 4000/5/1/18/4 'Tinker' children singing songs [Jul 1968]

and skipping songs

MS 4000/5/1/18/5 Discussion with residents of Camp [Jul 1968]

Hill [Birmingham] re travellers

MS 4000/5/1/18/6 Mr Ward 'Irish tinker' playing [Jul 1968 or 1969]

accordion at Camp Hill [Bham]

MS 4000/5/1/18/7-8 Interviews of Thomas Acton, Apr 1970

Romany linguist on Romany culture

and Gypsy Liaison Committees

MS 4000/5/1/18/9 Russian 'gypsy' woman singing Apr 1970

MS 4000/5/1/18/10 Radio programme on travellers in Jun 1970

Stoke-on-Trent

MS 4000/5/1/18/11-12 Radio programmes on travellers in Sep 1970

Walsall

English

Throughout the 1960s Charles Parker became increasingly radical in his position on social issues and this was reflected in his support of the travelling communities. Travellers were severely mistreated during this period and subject to fierce criticism and opposition from permanent residents in the West Midlands. The making of the eighth and final radio ballad on the way of life of travellers in England and Wales, 'The Travelling People', first broadcast in April 1964, heightened his awareness of the difficulties faced by the travelling communities. See CD recording of the eighth radio ballad. Accompanying written production documentation on the radio ballad is at MS 4000/2/97. A difficult episode in Birmingham which resulted in the eviction of some travellers in 1969 motivated Charles Parker and others to formally address the problem and the West Midlands Gypsy Liaison Group (WMGLG) was formed as a result. Papers, minutes and news cuttings on the travellers issue and formation of the Group can be seen at MS 4000/1/8/19.