Kazimiera
02-04-2019, 06:30 PM
The Romani vardo wagons – These were more than just cozy homes
Source: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/06/22/romani-vardo-wagons/?fbclid=IwAR0yTp8k3n_FEwzQ6N1eZ2NtpHvJ5Nft8fZNW_g9 ag_MK0JgHO-qT2-b1xs
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/geu5body.jpg
The vibrant horse-drawn vardo wagons were at the cultural heart of the British Romanichals (Romani) from the mid-1800s into the early 20th century.
These sometimes opulent-looking caravans were more than just cozy and warm homes that housed the Romani families who were always on the road. A vardo wagon attested to the economic status of the family as well as supporting the age-old nomadic way of life of the Romani people.
They were probably first used by traveling showmen and slowly came to replace the older “benders”–tents made with a hazel frame covered by canvas. They allowed freedom to travel the country and trade everything from horses to brooms.
As we can see in the photos, vardo wagons are a work of art in their own right. It takes real craftsmanship and effort to build and decorate one. There are six distinct types: Burton, Brush, Reading, Ledge, Bowtop, and Openlot.
In the old days, families would have moved from farm to farm, pursuing work according to the season. The winter was time to rest, usually parked near some town or a bigger city. Romani also made an income from various trades, such as tinsmiths, hawkers, tinkers, and horse dealers. They were known for playing lively music and could reputedly make or mend anything.
The wagons were typically elaborately decorated on the outside. The more lavish the decor, the wealthier the family. For instance, if a cart was gilded with gold leaf, it meant the Romani family which owned it was particularly affluent.
Specific patterns and designs on the vardo were almost always associated with their artist. A well-known design likely meant a reputable craftsman. Many of the designs were inspired by nature and wildlife, therefore the recurrent flowery patterns.
And how was life on the road with these beauties?
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-152546519-1-436x640.jpg
A horse-drawn Bowtop caravan standing in a field in Ireland.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/interior-of-a-reading-vardo-as-used-by-the-british-romani-romanichal-donated-to-a-museum-by-a-family-from-rhu-photo-by-sunset-through-the-clouds-480x640.jpg
Interior of a Reading wagon, as used by the British Romani (Romanichal), donated to a museum by a family from Rhu, Scotland.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139401699-425x640.jpg
Traditional hand-carved Romani Reading wagons.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139404997-640x434.jpg
A Romani caravan, decorated with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom above the window and two traditional Romanichal Chiriklo (bird of happiness) on the shutters.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139972359-640x443.jpg
Patched-up wagon which was a home to Roma people and used to be pulled by horses to travel around the countryside but sadly it is not in use anymore.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-147272334-427x640.jpg
Romani on the move – horses pulling a beautiful Bowtop.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-152546566-640x350.jpg
A pair of horse-drawn Romani caravans standing in a field in Ireland
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-172305929-640x456.jpg
Two Romani Bowtop wagons equipped for use as vacation homes. Devon, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-175902871-640x457.jpg
Old Romani horse-drawn wagon on a rural British road.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178743929-428x640.jpg
An Irish Romani caravan.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178756055-640x428.jpg
Bowtop style, with a waterproofed canvas roof stretched over a wooden frame.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178862128-424x640.jpg
The Openlot is similar to the Bowtop style, but has an open doorway with just a curtain for privacy. You can see the decorated ceiling inside.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-181884387-640x427.jpg
A Roma caravan in Sevenoaks Weald in Kent, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-184262636-640x440.jpg
A colorful Romani caravan overlooking the Mawddach Estuary in Wales. This one is a Burton wagon – the wheels are underneath the body, allowing more room inside than a Reading or Ledge.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-186310140-640x415.jpg
Romani vado’s and horses parked up on the roadside, Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds Gloucestershire, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-455265209-640x480.jpg
Colorful vardo in a field.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-476258041-640x427.jpg
Traditional Romani caravans parked in the woods.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-516443807-640x425.jpg
Romani caravan, possibly a Brush wagon, in a front yard, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-693683548-427x640.jpg
Traditional Irish Romani Caravan at the Royal Bath and West agricultural show in Somerset, England.
Source: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/06/22/romani-vardo-wagons/?fbclid=IwAR0yTp8k3n_FEwzQ6N1eZ2NtpHvJ5Nft8fZNW_g9 ag_MK0JgHO-qT2-b1xs
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/geu5body.jpg
The vibrant horse-drawn vardo wagons were at the cultural heart of the British Romanichals (Romani) from the mid-1800s into the early 20th century.
These sometimes opulent-looking caravans were more than just cozy and warm homes that housed the Romani families who were always on the road. A vardo wagon attested to the economic status of the family as well as supporting the age-old nomadic way of life of the Romani people.
They were probably first used by traveling showmen and slowly came to replace the older “benders”–tents made with a hazel frame covered by canvas. They allowed freedom to travel the country and trade everything from horses to brooms.
As we can see in the photos, vardo wagons are a work of art in their own right. It takes real craftsmanship and effort to build and decorate one. There are six distinct types: Burton, Brush, Reading, Ledge, Bowtop, and Openlot.
In the old days, families would have moved from farm to farm, pursuing work according to the season. The winter was time to rest, usually parked near some town or a bigger city. Romani also made an income from various trades, such as tinsmiths, hawkers, tinkers, and horse dealers. They were known for playing lively music and could reputedly make or mend anything.
The wagons were typically elaborately decorated on the outside. The more lavish the decor, the wealthier the family. For instance, if a cart was gilded with gold leaf, it meant the Romani family which owned it was particularly affluent.
Specific patterns and designs on the vardo were almost always associated with their artist. A well-known design likely meant a reputable craftsman. Many of the designs were inspired by nature and wildlife, therefore the recurrent flowery patterns.
And how was life on the road with these beauties?
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-152546519-1-436x640.jpg
A horse-drawn Bowtop caravan standing in a field in Ireland.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/interior-of-a-reading-vardo-as-used-by-the-british-romani-romanichal-donated-to-a-museum-by-a-family-from-rhu-photo-by-sunset-through-the-clouds-480x640.jpg
Interior of a Reading wagon, as used by the British Romani (Romanichal), donated to a museum by a family from Rhu, Scotland.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139401699-425x640.jpg
Traditional hand-carved Romani Reading wagons.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139404997-640x434.jpg
A Romani caravan, decorated with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom above the window and two traditional Romanichal Chiriklo (bird of happiness) on the shutters.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-139972359-640x443.jpg
Patched-up wagon which was a home to Roma people and used to be pulled by horses to travel around the countryside but sadly it is not in use anymore.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-147272334-427x640.jpg
Romani on the move – horses pulling a beautiful Bowtop.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-152546566-640x350.jpg
A pair of horse-drawn Romani caravans standing in a field in Ireland
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-172305929-640x456.jpg
Two Romani Bowtop wagons equipped for use as vacation homes. Devon, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-175902871-640x457.jpg
Old Romani horse-drawn wagon on a rural British road.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178743929-428x640.jpg
An Irish Romani caravan.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178756055-640x428.jpg
Bowtop style, with a waterproofed canvas roof stretched over a wooden frame.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-178862128-424x640.jpg
The Openlot is similar to the Bowtop style, but has an open doorway with just a curtain for privacy. You can see the decorated ceiling inside.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-181884387-640x427.jpg
A Roma caravan in Sevenoaks Weald in Kent, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-184262636-640x440.jpg
A colorful Romani caravan overlooking the Mawddach Estuary in Wales. This one is a Burton wagon – the wheels are underneath the body, allowing more room inside than a Reading or Ledge.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-186310140-640x415.jpg
Romani vado’s and horses parked up on the roadside, Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds Gloucestershire, England.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-455265209-640x480.jpg
Colorful vardo in a field.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-476258041-640x427.jpg
Traditional Romani caravans parked in the woods.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-516443807-640x425.jpg
Romani caravan, possibly a Brush wagon, in a front yard, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/istock-693683548-427x640.jpg
Traditional Irish Romani Caravan at the Royal Bath and West agricultural show in Somerset, England.