Visitors

On our way home from London last night we saw some caravans manoeuvring their way onto Oxpens Meadow, a grassy public space near the centre of Oxford. Sometimes circuses are held here, but these didn’t look like they belonged to a circus. They reminded me more of a Romany encampment from 30+ years ago, when travelling people were still just about able to move from place to place but, because of a shortage of designated sites, would sometimes pull onto public land until they were evicted. Because this is so rare now, I was curious.

Out and about today I passed the meadow again. There were about twelve caravans in a circle and I saw that the cars had French number plates. I was even more curious – I know about international traveller gatherings but have never met non-British travellers here. So I went to talk to one of the women sitting in her doorway. She told me that they have come on holiday from Marseille and Strasbourg. They’ve spent a week in Leicester and wanted to spend a week in Oxford, but have been told by the police that they must leave by tomorrow morning. She asked me how to find the place where Harry Potter was filmed so that before they left they could take the children, who were gathering around my bike as we talked. I explained and offered to draw a map. I often draw maps of Oxford for visitors but had no paper with me; today’s was the first I’ve ever drawn on a coffee filter paper. I was intrigued that she also wanted to know where to buy Royal Doulton china. British Romany people collect Crown Derby china; I haven’t heard of travellers collecting Royal Doulton.

I left and wished them luck – I doubt they’re going to find Oxford a very hospitable place.