| The Gypsy wagon we know today – or | | | | stove. Later gas and electricity were added. |
| varda, to use the Romany word – evolved | | | | Electricity was run to the wagons by means of |
| from the horse and bullock-drawn wagons used | | | | lengths of electric lead strung on poles or lying on |
| to haul goods. Before the idea of using wagons as | | | | the ground - quite a hazard on the fairgrounds of |
| living quarters, gypsies literally `tramped the roads' | | | | the 20th century! |
| on foot and slept under hedgerows. | | | | Today, the craft of wagon building continues, for |
| But clearly, the times they were able to use | | | | gypsy wagons are popular as Bed & Breakfasts, |
| horse drawn transport led to the notion of a | | | | holiday homes, extra rooms and so on, even if |
| mobile shelter, one that could be parked | | | | the original inhabitants (and their mobile homes) |
| anywhere, with no necessity to sleep outdoors. | | | | are not welcome in most places. Billy Connelly's |
| Around the middle of the 10th century, gypsies | | | | wife, Pamela Stephenson, actually gave a varda |
| started to fashion highly decorated horse drawn | | | | to her husband as a gift so he would have his |
| homes on wheels, using the canvas covered | | | | own retreat on their Scottish estate. |
| `barreltop’ style, where canvas was stretched | | | | I made my first model caravan over a period of |
| over iron hoops fixed to the trailer floor, (much in | | | | three weeks, using materials that came to hand. |
| vogue for crossing the plains in the Americas, | | | | The shape of this simple style combines the |
| where the wagons were known as `prairie | | | | straight sides of a Reading wagon, with the |
| schooners’) or the straight-sided `Reading’ | | | | curved roof called a `bowtop’ by builders, and |
| style, which later evolved into the grand homes | | | | a `barreltop’ by UK and Irish Travelers. |
| on wheels favored by English traveling showmen | | | | It is easy to construct, and once you have the |
| and fairground families in the UK and Europe. | | | | hang of it you can experiment with the design to |
| In the latter half of the 19th century, many well | | | | produce different types of gypsy wagon, or even |
| known carriage builders in the UK produced | | | | a `prairie schooner’ packed for the trek west. |
| magnificent wagons that graced the road, such as | | | | Part of the fun of making a gypsy wagon is |
| Bill Wright and Fred Hill. | | | | decorating it in the traditional manner, and |
| The interiors of these mobile homes were the | | | | furnishing the interior. Here you can let your |
| last word in comfort and luxury, with padded | | | | imagination run riot – why not? The original |
| seating, comfortable beds, plenty of storage | | | | builders did. |
| cupboards and lockers, and even wood fueled | | | | |