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Post by bacdava on Dec 28, 2013 19:24:02 GMT 1
Hello, my name is Andrei Banu, I'm a 32 years old police officer from Bucharest, Romania. My family owns a 1975 2.4d mk1, german made , since 1991.It was the first car I ever drove and a dear travel partner during colege years. The van is out of order for a few years now but I decided to make it work again and also convert it to 4x4 drive so it can be used in harsh winters over here. It went to full engine rebuild and now it's under heavy bodywork repair due to accute rust desease. Hopefuly this summer will find it on the road again.
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Post by bobdragon12 on Dec 28, 2013 19:35:11 GMT 1
Hello and welcome along , have you any pictures ?
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Post by irishtransit on Dec 28, 2013 19:37:03 GMT 1
welcome along from Ireland.as bob said have ya any pictures we love restoration pictures?
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Post by lhdsteve on Dec 28, 2013 19:55:10 GMT 1
Hello andrei and welcome I'm a new member and have been made very welcome on this forum My family came from Romania to the uk in the 1820's They where gypsies and that probably why I have a love of camping ,caravan and camper vans I Steve
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Post by FredTransit on Dec 28, 2013 21:01:50 GMT 1
Welcome Andrei ! I look forward to the pictures. You can upload the directly to the forum from your computer.
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Post by bacdava on Dec 28, 2013 21:35:37 GMT 1
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Post by bacdava on Dec 28, 2013 22:28:28 GMT 1
Hello andrei and welcome I'm a new member and have been made very welcome on this forum My family came from Romania to the uk in the 1820's They where gypsies and that probably why I have a love of camping ,caravan and camper vans I Steve I humbly apologize if the following will offend you in any way but , as a history addict I can tell you that it is highly unlikely for your ancestors to be both gypsies and romanians during that period. At that time there were few romanian gypsies and all of them were bondsmen and were not alowed to leave their masters. On the other hand, it is a very high probability that they were indeed romanias for at that time many romanian families, especially from Transilvania, chose to leave their home because of the atrocities they were subjected by the hungarian nobility. Many of those romanians left for America via UK and that's why it likely that some of them remained there. As for the nomadic gypsies that roamed the entire Europe during the dark ages, renaissance and all the way to the 1940's they were just that, nomadic people not belonging to any nationality. Their main income source came from stealing begging and cheating, same as today and that is why they were banned from entering the big cities and forced to camp ouside the walls all over the Europe. This is also one of the meaning of the word gypsie - 'the one who stays outside the walls'. There were also very few groups that were breeding horses (very few, not clearly documented), making copper and brass pots ( "caldarari" in romanian, translated as "potsmakers" ) and also entertainers- circus, bear tamers("ursari" in romanian) but these working ones were as few as they could be considered an exception. The so called "romanian" gypsies are tribes that came to Romania during late 1930's and early 1940's from all over Europe, beeing chased away by nazy and soviet regime, and found shelter here, beeing tacitly accepted by Antonescu regime (contrary to the common belief the Antonescu regime sheltered the gypsies and jews from all over the Europe fooling Hitler. Antonescu saved gypsies by telling Hitler they were deported to Transnistria and also lots of jews departed for Israel from romanian harbours). These facts harmed Romania because most of those gypsies, naturalised in Romania, registered as romanian citizens during late 40's and forced to remain here during the Iron Courtain's days, after 1989 revolution scattered all over the Europe (as their tradition is) and now pass as romanians. So, if you belive that you have origins here, tell me what info's you have and I'll try to find out more, of course, if you want to
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Post by lhdsteve on Dec 28, 2013 22:42:10 GMT 1
This is all I know Gypsy connection[edit]
Gypsies on the Black Patch Rudge [2] says that Esau Smith was the acknowledged king of the Black Patch. When he died in 1901 at the age of 92, his widow Henty was elected queen. Even while Esau was alive it was generally understood by local people that the Gypsies gained legal rights to the land as squatters. Though such rights are seldom written down, it is said that deeds to this effect were destroyed when the king and queen's caravan was ritually burned after her death on 7 January 1907. Queen Henty, who was buried with her husband in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, is said to have placed a curse on anyone who builds over the Black Patch, the subject of a song by the well known folk artist Bryn Phillips in September 2003.[4] In 1906 Mrs E J E Pilkington and Tangye Ltd were referred to as legal owners of Black Patch, having put it up for sale after employing land agents to carry out a court imposed eviction of the Gypsies on 26 July 1905. They did not finally relinquish links with the land until a "peaceful eviction" was negotiated by Birmingham Corporation Parks Department on 15 February 1909.[2] Subsequent stories contribute to reasonable doubt as to who ought to have inherited the Black Patch and who now holds legal title to the Gypsies' old camping ground. Rudge[2] reports that in 1960 Jane Badger, who lived near Black Patch, got into conversation while walking by the Park with a gentleman with an American accent. He claimed he owned the deeds to the land. This story resembles a statement made by Ray Plant,[2] a distant relative of the Black Patch Gypsies, that a family called Murdock once owned the land and gave permission to camp there. According to Ray Plant when the Murdocks emigrated to America they handed over the Black Patch deeds to the Gypsies. The deeds were apparently stolen making any of the gypsies claims to the land unfounded. Many of the gypsy descendants still live in the surrounding area. If you live in that area or have relatives that come from that area you can find very easily on the census.[2] In July 2005, a memorial plaque to the gypsies was erected.[5] Sometime in March 2007 this plaque disappeared but has since been replaced.In August 2003 a campaigning group called "The Friends of Black Patch Park" [4] was formed to challenge proposals outlined in Sandwell Council's Unitary Development Plan to zone two thirds of the park for industrial use. The aim of the Friends of Black Patch Park has been to protect, celebrate and enhance the park's 20 acres (81,000 m2) - as originally created by public subscription in 1907 - as a place of historic importance and indispensable green space for future generations. As well as its legacy as a traditional Romany camping ground, the park's current value is as a wildlife oasis, a place for quiet walks and relaxation and an essential site for a large number of young people from diverse backgrounds to practice sport. Footballers from the Soho Foundry Tavern and many other Warley League Teams, are strongly against the loss of the playing fields that make up the largest part of the Black Patch. Chaplin[edit]
In 2011, a letter, written to him in the 1970s, came to light, suggesting that comedian Charlie Chaplin had been born in a gypsy caravan at the park.[6]
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Post by muttleymk2 on Dec 29, 2013 0:08:35 GMT 1
Wow, what a history lesson you two should start a thread all about Romanian stuff, it's real interesting. Welcome Andrei by the way
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Post by mk1andy on Dec 29, 2013 2:32:26 GMT 1
Welcome along Andrei That's some way to start a thread Good luck with restoration of your van, be sure to keep us posted on the progress.
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Post by munsterboy on Dec 29, 2013 15:32:06 GMT 1
Welcome Andrei, some start................. impressive on both fronts
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Post by lhdsteve on Dec 29, 2013 21:30:15 GMT 1
Wow, what a history lesson you two should start a thread all about Romanian stuff, it's real interesting. Welcome Andrei by the way In all fairness muttley I copied and pasted from a site I know lol bit all very interesting anyway back on topic looks a great project and look forward to seeing more pictures again welcome andrei
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