| Description | Charles Parker and Ewan MacColl interview a property owner at Creek Moor, Poole, Dorset, possibly Mr Stacey, about the implications of the establishment of a permanent site for travellers in the area.
Tracks 1-2: the man talks about preconceptions of his neighbours about members of the travelling community and recounts anecdotes about the apparent views of some travellers about their accommodation. He talks about changes to council plans for a permanent travellers' site and negotiations with local schools for the education of some of the travellers children, the residents' suspicion of the council's plans for a travellers' site in the Creek Moor area, and their resentment that local opinion was not canvassed before the council took their decision. He talks about the occupations of the local residents who are largely young professional tradespeople and retired people, and the concerns of some of the older residents about the implications of the establishment of a permanent site for travellers. He feels that the travellers are 'not true Romany gypsies' but have chosen to adopt the travellers way of life to 'shirk their responsibilities as citizens', and attempts to explain his distinction between these groups
Track 3: he discusses the attitude of Poole Council towards Creek Moor, the provision of facilities there in recent years and the concerns that the establishment of a permanent site for travellers would bring the standard of living down. He gives details about the poor state of the roads in the area and his belief that the council were trying to get their revenge on the activism of the residents in trying to get improvements to their area by proposing to establish the travellers site 3.03 mins
Track 4: he talks about the overwhelmingly supportive reaction of local residents to the petition protesting against the establishment of a permanent site for travellers 1.25 mins
Track 5: he discusses local opinion about disputes and fights amongst the travelling community and suggestions that travellers have been responsible for people being beaten up. He acknowledges that rumours may have been started by people wanting to stir up trouble for the travellers, but that such stories have added to tensions 2.27 mins
Track 6: he talks about the concerns of local people that the travellers would look for fuel from the woods in the surrounding area and the nervousness of older people in the area because of the proximity of the proposed site, in particular an older woman living on her own who had been harrassed by 'teddy boys'. This discussion is followed by silence 5.23 mins
Total: 18.40 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA 7L448C0358074 |