Just a quick note from me. the reason I have been silent is my lady wife has had a serious fall in town and is laid up, and secondly because I am busy painting and gilding for the Gypsy Folk as it happens.
If anybody decides to post about Gypsies in the UK, there are a few things that need to be understood. Firstly it is just a small carp, and that is to spell Gypsy or Romany with a capital letter, in accordance with the Gypsy Council's wishes. My wife was chair for several years.
Secondly I feel that you need to decide to which Gypsy/Traveller faction you are referring. Romany, Didikai (Posh Rats who live in two worlds), Irish, New Age, Eastern European, Estonian (to whom I have sung Folk Songs).
Each nationality and faction has it's own culture, and sometimes Language.
The English Gypsies have a range of language, which is heavily influenced by 18th century Cant words. A quick example is the word for a young woman Rackli or Mort (Sanskrit) Bewer (Cant)
So if we are concerned mainly with English Gypsies, in this day and age they are more interested with Country Songs and re-written country songs (as with Ambrose Cooper) than traditional material.
Most traditional songs have been learned from Gorga singers from memory, due to illiteracy they are usually somewhat confused, however this is not always the case as with my recordings of Mary Lee.
So very briefly, my opinion is that the old songs have survived with the Gypsy Folki because they are a close knit society, and still like to sit round the fire tell tales and sing songs. With the greatest of respect our community we have trouble talking to each other, without texting (sorry that was a howl of despair!)
The Traveller and Romany influence (i.e. the thread) is really more that they have a treasury of songs if you know how and who to ask for them, still have an ancient style of singing, understand the songs, have lived the life, and are somewhat defensive of the songs thanks to certain collectors, (but that's another thread) and will look upon their songs as personal memories, not Traditional currency.
I hope that helps. Back to work for me keep safe.
Nick