Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request gypsy camp tranmere

hello can anyone point me in the right direction for the thread on tranmere gipsy camp plz if not has anyone got any info on it thanks
jen x

Hi Jfoxy found this tidbit of info on a rootschat site
In the period we're talking about, there weren't any authority-designated camping sites: the Gypsies would pull onto any spare wasteland they could find - usually the land that no-one else wanted to live on or do anything with.

If they found a likely spot, they would often return to it regularly year after year. More elderly family members might even stay at that place all year round, while their children were on the road. One such place in and around Birkenhead was at Green Lane, Tranmere. I understand it was an abandoned brickworks.
Here is a link for you...
Romany/Gypsy Camp in Birkenhead http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,357786.0.html

There have been reports of Gypsy Camps in Lower Tranmere district for the past
150 years . The Tranmere Wakes Weeks were famous in the 1840s . There were
extensive Funfairs held on the beaches at exactly this time of year ( end of May
or Whitsuntide ) It is recorded that in 1847 , 40,000 people came across by
the various ferries from the Lancashire side-that is not counting the " Locals" !!
There were all the usual fairground attractions such as Boxing Booths, Hurdy
Gurdy Rides, Coconut Shies etc with trading of Horses and other livesstock
going on . Drunkenness and riots ensued with Militia from Chester having to be called out. Kay is a very old Tranmere surname -they were based in Hinderton
and Fisherfolk -selling fish by handcart around streets in the 1930s.

My father & grandfather were born & lived in Lower Tranmere; Clare St. & Brougham St. (between St.Paul's Rd. & Union St). Before that, the family was from Nantwich & Prescot.

I remember my gran buying fish from the handcarts in the 1940's.

DONKEY TOWN
Do you remember Donkey Town or was it just Tranmere to you
Old Chester Road from St Pauls to Green Lane was once a bustling scene
Warringtons sold sticks with their donkeys. Butterworths made great Ice Cream
Scullions the sweet shop opposite St Lukes did a roaring trade after school
A Tom Cat stretched out on the counter, Mrs Scullion flopped on a stool
But Oh what a place to spend a half pence for that was our limited spends
Bon bons and Locusts and Tiger Nuts and Licorice Pipes with red ends.
Bentleys the Pawn Shop was much in demand- open each day exept Sunday
Its bundles came out for the weekend but went straight back in on Monday!
ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH- DO YOU WANT THE REST OF THIS ?

clicky

can a mod merge these please

Yes, please; anything you've got. I have to confess I never knew Lower Tranmere well, we lived in Upper Tranmere. I did go to Well Lane school though.

omg this brings back some great memories for me as a child cos i lived in 22 chamberlain street my nan also came over from ireland and she lived in stewarts place which was down the quarry before she moved to chamberlain st has anybody got any photos of the area i would love to see chamberlain st again thanks again

omg this brings back some great memories for me as a child cos i lived in 22 chamberlain street my nan also came over from ireland and she lived in stewarts place which was down the quarry before she moved to chamberlain st has anybody got any photos of the area i would love to see chamberlain st again thanks again

the gypsy camp was down stewarts place near the delph quarry

There are some photos of that end of Old Chester Road here. I don't think I have any of Chamberlain Street itself, but the various aerial views of the area in the 50s and 60s that I have may contain something. I'll check.

The fish cart was still active in the mid 70s. The fish seller used to shout "Skate. Fluke" as he wheeled the cart around. This was in the Peel Street/Wye Street area of Lower Tranmere/Rock Ferry.

I remember my gran buying flukes from a cart in Windsor St. They were delicious.