The Stopping Places

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20180604

Damian Le Bas inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own traveller / gypsy heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers.

Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were the places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years.

Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a full scholarship at the nearby boarding school - Christ's Hospital - which led to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford.

Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he with his Nan's blessing he set out to visit the stopping places, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his wife Candis. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of the gypsies and their marginalised place in society today.

Written and read by Damian Le Bas

Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters

Produced by Jill Waters

Damian Le Bas was born a gypsy and grew up with the Roma language and traveller customs.

20180605

Written and read by Damian Le Bas

Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters

Produced by Jill Waters

Damian Le Bas sets out to visit the stopping places or 'atchin tans' of his gypsy family.

20180606

Written and read by Damian Le Bas

Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters

Produced by Jill Waters

Horses and traditional horse fairs have always been a big part of traveller life.

20180607

Written and read by Damian Le Bas

Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters

Produced by Jill Waters

The author meets a young Hungarian Roma with a guitar.

05 LAST

20180608

Damian Le Bas combines a family memoir with broader historical context as he tells a story of the British traveller community, a people who have been on the margins since their presence and language was first noted down in the mid-16th century, in a pub in Sussex.

Damian inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his

grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers.

Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were diverse places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years.

Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a scholarship at the nearby boarding school, leading to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford.

Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he got himself a van and set out to visit the stopping places - from Devon to Northumbria via London and Wales. As we

follow his journey, we also learn about the history of antagonism that has followed gypsies and the movement to reclaim their identity with pride.

Written and read by Damian Le Bas

There's tension during the festivities at the annual Appleby Horse Fair.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20180604	Damian Le Bas inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own traveller / gypsy heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers. Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were the places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years. Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a full scholarship at the nearby boarding school - Christ's Hospital - which led to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford. Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he with his Nan's blessing he set out to visit the stopping places, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his wife Candis. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of the gypsies and their marginalised place in society today. Written and read by Damian Le Bas Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters Produced by Jill Waters Damian Le Bas was born a gypsy and grew up with the Roma language and traveller customs.
02	20180605	Damian Le Bas inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own traveller / gypsy heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers. Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were the places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years. Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a full scholarship at the nearby boarding school - Christ's Hospital - which led to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford. Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he with his Nan's blessing he set out to visit the stopping places, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his wife Candis. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of the gypsies and their marginalised place in society today. Written and read by Damian Le Bas Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters Produced by Jill Waters Damian Le Bas sets out to visit the stopping places or 'atchin tans' of his gypsy family.
03	20180606	Damian Le Bas inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own traveller / gypsy heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers. Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were the places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years. Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a full scholarship at the nearby boarding school - Christ's Hospital - which led to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford. Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he with his Nan's blessing he set out to visit the stopping places, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his wife Candis. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of the gypsies and their marginalised place in society today. Written and read by Damian Le Bas Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters Produced by Jill Waters Horses and traditional horse fairs have always been a big part of traveller life.
04	20180607	Damian Le Bas inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own traveller / gypsy heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers. Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were the places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years. Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a full scholarship at the nearby boarding school - Christ's Hospital - which led to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford. Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he with his Nan's blessing he set out to visit the stopping places, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his wife Candis. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of the gypsies and their marginalised place in society today. Written and read by Damian Le Bas Abridged by Isobel Creed and Jill Waters Produced by Jill Waters The author meets a young Hungarian Roma with a guitar.
05 LAST	20180608	Damian Le Bas combines a family memoir with broader historical context as he tells a story of the British traveller community, a people who have been on the margins since their presence and language was first noted down in the mid-16th century, in a pub in Sussex. Damian inhabits an awkward middle ground between the non-gypsy world and his own heritage. He grew up in West Sussex in a house built by his grandfather on land the family owned, surrounded by a field that was half car-breaking business, half farmyard. Scattered bits of engines lay alongside bales of hay, brand new trucks were surrounded by geese and terriers. But twice a week they drove an hour each way to their family pitch in the market square of Petersfield where they sold flowers. Along the way, his elders would nod towards lay-bys and verges, naming them as they passed. These were the 'atchin tans' or stopping places. His great grandmother, Nan, explained to him that they were diverse places where she and her family used to live in the days of wagons and bender tents. Sometimes they would stop for a few days, other times for a few years. Damian's parents both had faith in education and, when they saw that he was bright, he applied for for a scholarship at the nearby boarding school, leading to ten grade A O-Levels, A Levels and theology at Oxford. Damian was now firmly an outsider in both worlds. But having plundered the Bodleian Library for histories of gypsies, he felt the need to get out into the world and discover the topography of his ancestors. So he got himself a van and set out to visit the stopping places - from Devon to Northumbria via London and Wales. As we follow his journey, we also learn about the history of antagonism that has followed gypsies and the movement to reclaim their identity with pride. Written and read by Damian Le Bas There's tension during the festivities at the annual Appleby Horse Fair.