| Description | Charles Parker interviews Mr Chappell, a public heath inspector at Hemel Hempstead, about his experiences with the travelling community.
Track 1: Mr Chappell talks about the available waste ground in the local area for travellers to camp on, as a traditional transit area, and the difficulties in getting them to move on once they have established themselves there 1.37 mins
Track 2: he talks about the lack of work for an itinerant population at present, comparing this with the period when the M1 motorway was being built, when people were given limited licences. This was before the passing of the Caravans Act, which does not cover the travelling community, as it only refers to residential sites. He talks about the number of 'green roads' in Hertfordshire, the problems when travellers camp there and work in scrap metal, and attempts by the council to stop caravans from parking there 2.42 mins
Track 3: he talks about the historical origins of the 'green lanes' which have never been metalled and makes distinctions between 'gypsies' and 'diddicoys' who he thinks are dirty and try to court attention 2.53 mins
Track 4: he talks about his ability to identify 'gypsies' by their physical appearance and dress, and gives his opinion that many of the people coming into the area are attracted by the proximity of London and the opportunities for work there. He gives an account of groups of travellers from all over the country being turned off some waste ground by the local council, and thinks that the 'true gypsy' is being supplanted by 'diddicoys'. He discusses the danger that travellers constitute to public health. He says that the main complaints of the settled community relate to the rubbish they produce and their lack of sanitation. 2.59 mins
Track 5: he thinks that travellers should pay for public services such as rubbish collection, and that many travellers have become immune to the kinds of illnesses and health conditions that would affect the settled community 1.26 mins
Track 6: he thinks that there should be compulsory fines for people who camp on roadside verges and highways and talks about the re-housing of travellers in settled accommodation. He thinks that there is a danger that more people on the 'edge of our civilisation' will be attracted to the travelling way of life, particularly people from depressed areas who will seek work in London 2.27 mins
Track 7: he wishes that the local councils would do more to stop people from camping on grass verges, and thinks that eventually councils will have to allocate land for travellers, despite the opposition of local residents 1.37 mins
Track 8: he talks about a recent trip to Spain where he observed the different way of life that Spanish travellers have. He says he has seen 'gypsies' in this country begging for money, but that 'diddicoys' usually deal in scrap metal. He talks about Scottish 'tinkers' being different and living a nomadic lifestyle 2.35 mins
Total: 18.18 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA 7L448C0466474 |