Cathay & Joe Birch's Travelling Romany Exhibition

Joe & Cathay Birch

Latcho Divvus

We are Joe and Cathay Birch from the West Country.

We have a travelling Romany exhibition with items dating from 1800 to the present day,the aim of our exhibition is too build connections between ourselves and gaujos,so we are very willing to take the exhibition to fetes and garden parties around villages we have also shown it in Somerset county council offices, and are using it at Portishead police headquarters in the new year in the training of police officers.

We have a number of venues booked and if you have an interest in booking us please contact me through site holder.we also have a workshop open to all where Joe trys to teach other Romanies our crafts and culture,again people are welcome to visit by appointment and see the making of pegs,wooden flowers,and minature wagons.Joes brother Bill makes full size wagons and there are also pictures of them.we also have a keen interest in Gypsy Genealogy and will advise anyone with Romany roots how to go about finding their family.we are members of the romany task force in somerset and supply folders of relevant information and advise to members of the travelling community as too their rights and accesss to organizations that may be able to help them with any problems relating to travellers.

We can be contacted through Andy Merryfied at South West Racial Command Equalities.

We still live in a trailor,well a chalet now and have touring trailers to travel in,we continue with the Romany way of life and keep the old customs and ways alive . We live on a Romany Gypsy site and would love to be in contact with anyone who has an interest in our life style.there are over 300,000 roms in Great Britain. and a couple of thousand break the law and give us a bad name in the press,the rest of us are quiet law abiding citizens whom build relations and communities around us with Roms and gaujos alike bok to all our friends and relations Joe and Cathay Birch.

Can you help Cathay and Joe they are looking for a old vardo or a haywain we have the room to build or renovate here but it will probably take a year to do if we can find something suitable if any one can help just email the site .Thankyou.

JOE BIRCH

Roma History Month Fair in Worlebury Woods

“Dik tute down the drom and dik for the pukkering stick worlebury” said Cathay in her email. As usual my Romany drom involved a few unintentional detours around roundabouts and down country lanes but it was a lovely sunny day when we set out so it didn’t seem to matter.

Rain was spitting when we arrived but soon changed its mind. Simon and I were surprised at the large number of cars parked up the road on the way to the woods but carried on in the hope of parking nearer and we soon set off for the short walk down the path through the very lovely woods to the exhibition.

Of course I also forgot to remind myself of what Cathay looked like and Joe hadn’t got his pegs out so after a short while of wandering about we decided to ask a Marshall to show us where they were. It was lovely to meet Cathay in person at last and Joe also. Bev from RTFHS also arrived with her son and a few photographs were taken after we had all stood about for a while chatting like old friends. Cathay and Joe were pretty busy under their marquee telling visitors about Romany family history tracing and Joe also demonstrated peg making. In fact the whole fair was pretty busy – I wasn’t expecting to see quite so many people there and the atmosphere was lovely and friendly with smiling faces all round.

A little ditty in celebration - the first and last verses just may have been adapted from Teddy Bear’s Picnic!

If you went down to the woods today

You wouldn’t believe your eyes

Cart horses walk in Worlebury Woods today

Plus dogs of every size

And ...

A mobile saw mill,

Pole lathing,

Charcoal burner,

Peg making,

Spinning wheel,

Stick making,

Family tales,

Face painting,

Bird boxes,

Traditional bows,

Corn dollies,

Chain saw shows,

For …

Every Romany skill that ever there was

Is being demonstrated today because

Today’s the day Romanies

Celebrate their history

June Kent

Cathay & Joe Birch's Travelling Romany Exhibition