I remember the Scottish and Irish travellers of the early and mid twentieth century, they carried their homes on their backs, or in hand carts....They made pots and pans, sold matches, clothes pegs ect.
They were known and often fed by the house dwellers who would listen to their singing or the music of the pipes for a couple of shillings.
It was considered lucky to be hospitable to a "tinker"

The "travellers" of today bear no relation to these folks.
They are in the main, a group who use their special status to live outside society and profit from the social security system.

An encampment was provided for them about twenty miles from where I live, which was soon turned into a fortress from which drug dealing, money lending, and extortion was carried out.
These businesses were enforced by young thugs with knives, who preyed on the numerous heroin addicts in the small town nearby.

After years of terrorism, the local council closed the place down(under the pretext of refurbishment, they had trashed all the facilites)
The families were rehoused where the police could keep an eye on them.