Vardo (Romani wagon)

A vardo is a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by English Roma people (gypsies). The design of the vardo included large wheels running outside the body of the van, which slopes outwards considerably towards the eaves. Originally Romnichals would travel on foot, or with light, horse-drawn carts, typical of other Roma groups or would build "bender" tents - so called because they were made from supple branches which they bent inwards to support a waterproof covering. These tents are still favoured by New Age Travellers groups.

Wagons as a form of living accomidation (uposed to carrying people or goods) undecorated wagons were first used in France in 1810 by non-Romany circus troups. ^[1] Large transport wagons utilised the storage space and living space onto one vehicle, and were pulled by teams of horses. By the 1800’s wagons became smaller, reducing the number of horses and around the mid to late-nineteenth century (1840-1870), Romnichals in Britain started using wagons that incorporated living spaces on the inside and charateristcally made it their own. There is evidence of the vardo in the work of Charles Dickens described Mrs. Jarley's van with its bed, stove, closet or larder and several chests The Old Curiosity Shop ch. xxvii):

'One half of it... was carpeted, and so partitioned off at the further end as to accommodate a sleeping-place, constructed after the fashion of a berth on board ship, which was shaded, like the windows, with fair white curtains... The other half served for a kitchen, and was fitted up with a stove whose small chimney passed through the roof. It also held a closet or larder, several chests, a great pitcher of water, and a few cooking-utensils and articles of crockery. These latter necessaries hung upon the walls, which in that portion of the establishment devoted to the lady of the caravan, were ornamented with such gayer and lighter decorations as a triangle and a couple of well-thumbed tambourines'

Calling these smaller wagons vardo in the Romany language (originating from the Iranian word Vurdon) for cart.^[2] The Romany vardo evolved into some of the most advanced forms of travelling wagon, and are prized for their practicallity as well as esthetic design and beauty.^[3] There is no other iconic or recognisable Romany symbol than a highly decorated Romanichal Vardo, and the time of it’s use is often affectioantly called the wagon time by Romanichal travellers. The vardo’s were comissioned by a newly wed couple or families from specalist coach builders. Building the vardo took between 6 months to one year, utalising a variety of woods including oak, ash, elm cedar and pine in its construction. Prised by the Romany, and later by non-Romany including other traveller groups, for their practicallity as well as esthetic beauty. Vardo’s can be categorised into six main styles; these being the Brush wagon, Reading, Ledge, Bow Top, Open lot and Burton. The general design evolved over time and were named after the home-owners as in (Brush), the traditional style (Ledge), or the town of its construction (Reading), or the name of the builder.

Popular with Romany gypsies, as well as Showmen families, and circus people, the Burton wagon is the oldest example of of a wagon used as home in Britain. Originally, with its un-decorated van, the Burton wagon evolved into an elaborate Romani vardo, but due to its smaller wheels it was not suited for off road use.

The Brush or fen wagon as it was also known, consists of a standard Romany vardo, with straight sided and the wheels located outside the body. The Brush was similar in construction to the Reading vardo. But unlike other styles, the brush wagon had two distinct features; a half door with glazed shutters, located at the back of the vardo, with a set of steps, both set around the opposite way from other wagons ^[4] and lacked the mollycroft (skylight) on the roof. The exterior is equipped with racks and cases fitted on the outside frame and chase of the wagon allowing the owner to carry trade items like brushes, brooms, wicker chairs and baskets. Aditionally, three light iron rails ran around the entire roof, and sometimes trade-name boards, used for stowing bulkier goods. The wagons were elaborately and colourfully painted.

The Reading or kite wagon, so named due to its straight sides that slopes outwards towards the eaves, high arched wheels, and relative light weight, there is no other vardo that epitomises the golden age of Romany horse travel. Dating from (1870) and synonymous with the original builder Dauton and Sons of Reading where the vardo takes its name. The wagon was highly prised by the Romanies for its aesthetic design, beauty and practicality to cross fords, pull off road and over rough ground, something smaller wheeled wagons like the Burton were unable to do. The Reading wagon is 10 feet long, with a porch on the front and back. The rear wheels were 18 inches larger than the ones on the front. At the start of the twentieth century the design incorporated raised skylights, On either side of the bed space, quarter-inch thick bevelled mirrors were common, and were lavishly decorated. Cupboards and locker seats were built in to prevent movement whilst travelling. Side and back windows were decorated and shuttered, and the body of the vardo itself would have originally been made from beaded tongue-and-groove matchboard, painted red picked out in yellow and green. As with other vardo, the extent of the elaborate decoration reflected the wealth of the family, boasting carved lion heads and gargoyles, these would have been painted gold or extensively decorated with gold-leaf. ^[5] Side and back windows were shuttered, the body itself would have originally been made from beaded tongue-and-groove matchboard, painted deep red picked out in red, yellow and green. Today, surviving Reading wagons are prised exhibits in museums or private collections.

The characteristic design of the ledge or cottage shaped wagon incorporated a more robust frame and living area that extended over the large rear wheels of the wagon. Brass brackets supported the frame of the wagon and solid arched roof usually 12 feet high, extended over the length of the wagon to form porches at either end and panelled with tongue in groove boards. The porch roof was further supported by iron brackets, and the walls were highly decorated with ornate scrollwork and carvings across the length of the wagon.

Based on the basic design of the Ledge wagon, the Bow Top is significantly lighter, and less likely to turn over in a strong wind. The design incorporated a light weight canvas top, supported by a wooden frame. A design reminiscent of the older "bender tents" used by the Romanichal. ^[6] Both back and front walls of the wagon were decorated in scrollwork and tongue and groove and the wagon was coloured green to be less noticeable in a wood. The inside of the Bow Top also contained the same high scrollwork or Chenille fabric, with a stove, table and double bed.

Almost identical in size and construction of the Bow Top wagon, the Open lot or Yorkshire Bow featured the same design but with a curtain instead of the characteristic door on other wagons. [[1]] The wagons entrence was covered by a curtain for privacy.

Vardos were elaborately decorated, hand carved and ornatly painted with traditional Romany symbols. Romanichal would participate in the ornate carving and decoration, being skilled woodcarvers themselves, but would leave the main construction to a professional specialised coach builder. ^[7]

Much of the wealth of the vardo was on display in the carvings, paintings incorporated aspects of the Romany lifestyle, including horses, birds, lions, griffins, floral designs, and vinework including elaborate scrollworking heightened by the extensive use of between 4-15 books of gold leaf applied as decoration. ^[8] Each individual maker was identified by their particular designs.

The Romanichal funeral right during the wagon time of the 19th and 20th century, included burning the wagon and belongings after the owners death. ^[9] The custom was that nothing whatsoever would have been sold, preferring to leave some possessions; jewellery, china or money to the family, the rest including the wagon was destroyed.

The Romany travellers in the (1920s) proudly clung to their decorative vardo’s, although the economics of their way of life was in upheaval due to the contraction in the horse-trading industry and the changes from their traditional crafts. ^[10] In the present day, Romnichals are more likely to live in caravans. However the tradition does survive and it is estimated that 1% of Romany travellers still live in the traditional horse drawn vardo. ^[11]

The famous British writer Rohald Dhal acquired a traditional Vardo in the 1960s and the family used it as a playhouse for his children, later he used the vardo as a writing room, where he wrote the book Danny the Champion of the World. ^[12]

• Gordon Boswell Romany Museum, Spalding, Lincolnshire [[2]]

http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/gypsy/wagons.htm

• Huth, F.G. (1940) 'Gypsy caravans' in Journal of the GLS (3rd series), 19 (4), pp114-146
• In the Life of a Romany Gypsy (1979) Manfri Frederick Wood, et. al. Routledge, 1979
• The New Gypsy Caravan 2007. Timothy Lemke. Published by Lulu.com, 2007

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