"..... although I do have respect for some as individuals"
Perfik - B
When we were recording Travellers in London, one of them, our friend, Kerry Traveller, Mikeen McCarthy, set up a collection around the local sites in Hackney for the Save the Children Fund.
It was duly noted by the organisers who contacted him and said their President, Princess Anne, would like to visit the site to thank him personally,
The Lord mayor of Hackney got wind of the visit and decided it would be good opportunity for a publicity photo-shoot so, on the day of the visit he turned up at the site, which was surrounded by a high wire face, closed off by a gate, in full regalia, mayoral chain and all, accompanied by a photographer and a reporter from The Hackney Gazette.
The Royal entourage had placed a couple of dinner-suited bouncers on the gate to stop intruders - they told his worship to sling his hook, so he made his way around the fence, attracted the attention of a Traveller child inside and asked her to tell H.R.H. that The Lord Mayor would like an audience with her.
The child ran off, popped her head into Mikeen's caravan and yelled "Hey, missis!"
We cherish the photos we were given of Mikeen and Nonie sitting in their caravan chatting to "the nice lady"
We also cherish the old copy of the Hackney Gazette bearing the front page headline "Hey, missis!"
Jim Carroll