Romany’s caravan goes to Bradford

P1010541

Cheshire East Council has confirmed that Romany's caravan has been relocated to Bradford Industrial Museum in order to secure its future.

Having been sited in Wilmslow Memorial Gardens for 70 years, the vardo (as the horse-drawn caravan is known) had deteriorated considerably after being subjected to the elements.

The vardo was removed from Wilmslow in December 2011 and transported to North Wales for restoration, which was funded by members of the Romany Society who donated approximately £6000.

During the recent restoration by the UK Vardo Project the full extent of the damage became apparent – with as little as 75 per cent of the original vardo remaining.

In order to protect the vardo for future generations, it was decided that a safe indoor location was needed to protect the structure from both the weather and the threat of vandalism and theft.

Bradford Industrial Museum, which has annual visitor numbers of 50,000 to 70,000 people, expressed an interest in using the vardo as part of an exhibition on Romany culture.

After receiving the support of the majority of the Romany Society, the UK Vardo Project and the former owner's family, and having failed to find suitable locations in Cheshire East, it was decided that this was the best course of action.

Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member in charge of the environment, said: "This decision will provide the nationally-important vardo with the security and protection it deserves, meaning future generations can enjoy this piece of cultural heritage.

"As soon as we were contacted by the museum in Bradford and heard of their plans it became clear that this was the best way forward.

"I also understand that the vardo was originally built in Yorkshire, so in a way it is nice to see it making a return journey to its spiritual home."

Speaking personally, Chairman of the Romany Society, Les Horton said: "The main issue here is that we assure the survival of this priceless and unique vehicle and we feel that this is best achieved by its relocation to Yorkshire.

"After just undergoing a full restoration, at considerable cost to the Romany Society, it would be a shame to see the hard work undone as soon as the effects of the weather take their toll once again."

The vardo originally belonged to the Reverend George Bramwell Evens who moved to Wilmslow four years before his death.

Reverend George Bramwell Evens was a Methodist minister, who was also famous for being the children's radio presenter 'Romany' who worked on BBC's Children's Hour during the 1930s and 1940s, until his death in 1943.

Upon his death his wife Eunice then gave the vardo to Wilmslow Urban District Council and it has since passed to Cheshire East Council.

The Reverend's grandson, Reverend Roly Bain, said: "We are fully supportive of the Council's decision to move the caravan to Bradford.

"The vardo is something that was very important to my grandfather and I am confident he would support any move that ensures its future and lets as many people as possible enjoy it."

Some members of the Romany Society and local residents were against the move and have been campaigning to keep the vardo in Wilmslow.

Derrick Wood, Vice Chairman of the Romany Society, organised a petition for the vardo to be returned to the town.

He told wilmslow.co.uk "We've 1500 signatures of mostly Wilmslow people who want to keep it in Wilmslow. The Romany Society members have never been asked what they wanted to do with it and the Romany Society committee has never taken a vote on it. So as far as I know it has been done unconstitutionally regarding the Romany Society.

"There was no need to send it away because it might detoriate. It would not deteriorate, it was in prime condition and with maintenance it would stay like that for another 100 years."

He added "I think the situation is a dog in a manger in that Cheshire East had no interest in it and wouldn't devolve it to Wilmslow Town Council who might well have accepted it as an old historic part of the town."

Stef Bate, Cultural Director at the UK Vardo Heritage Project, said "After being extensively restored at great cost to the Romany Society it would be reckless to then place this 120 year old historical relic back outdoors in all elements - You wouldn't have a classic Rolls Royce restored and then park it back out in the street in all weather and say 'Oh it'll be ok, we'll just keep painting it every summer", even supermarket trolleys have a shelter over them.

"UK Vardo Heritage is constantly dealing with owners facing deteriorating waggons outdoors and even being stolen to order, these are serious issues. Any suggestions of a high maintenance program outdoors would over time simply destroy this frail old caravan's authenticity. Nostalgia aside - to respectfully look after Romany's vardo there is only one sensible solution - a secure environment within a museum. Its 2012 and nobody today can expect this van to be 100% safe anymore at its former Wilmslow location. To think otherwise would be inviting problems.

"The truth is – local interest in the old relic became stagnant, it became a piece of street furniture, like you would walk past a lamp post. Two local appeals to raise funds for the restoration failed, only £80 was raised towards the £7000 required. After the restoration there was no sensible option on the table to safe guard it locally, and so to preserve this historical van - which ranks alongside Roald Dahl's and Gordon Stable's 'Wanderer', a decision was taken for a new indoor location.

"There's far more involved than people realise and very few museums can actually cater for such a large high vehicle indoors and not many have the required access --- however Bradford could.

"There are many benefits - I'm 57 and if you ask people from my generation who was Romany of the BBC, most will answer they've never heard of him, yet mention Roald Dahl and they will say yes. At Bradford Museum it will experience a new lease of life where 70,000 visitors yearly will have the chance to learn about the life of George Bramwell Evens. Romany and his vardo will now reach a new generation of children – it can only be a positive step forward. We can all think of reasons to have a pop at the local council but in this case in the interests of the caravan they have made the correct decision, for that is what this should be about and time will prove this."

Photo: Romany's caravan being installed at Bradford Industrial Museum.

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Romany's Caravan
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Stuart Redgard
Thursday 22nd November 2012 at 10:26 pm
This is not the end of this story, but "it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning" of it.

Wilmslow.co.uk does a fantastic job in raising awareness of local issues and I am indebted to it in many ways. However, I do believe that there are some factually incorrect statements in this article, but the author can only report what they are told.

I have and will continue to follow this story. I don't believe that the full story and the truth behind the move to Bradford has been told. My research will continue until I get to the bottom or why Cheshire East Council decided not to return the Caravan to Wilmslow.
Vince Chadwick
Friday 23rd November 2012 at 10:11 am
Given that the good reverand only lived in Wilmslow for four years, and few under the age of eighty have heard of his role as a minor broadcaster, the vardo seems to have tenuous claim as a 'Wilmslow Artefact'.

Wilmslow's truly significant son is Alan Turing who not only spearheaded war-shortening code breaking techniques at Bletchley Park in WW2, but even more significantly is largely responsible for the development of the digital computer, a technology which has changed the lives of almost everyone for the better and is a major enabler in most of what we do today.

Never mind the vardo, let's honour wilmslow's true claim to fame and name the bypass after Alan Turing!
Rob Sawyer
Friday 23rd November 2012 at 10:45 pm
Vince I agree on the latter point re. Alan Turing (albeit that he only lived in Wilmslow in his latter years but would have done so for longer were it not for his sad early death).
Stuart Redgard
Saturday 24th November 2012 at 10:44 pm
Vince, I to agree on the latter point re. Alan Turing.

It was work related activities that brought both men to Wilmslow.

Turing in or around 1948 when he started to work at Manchester University

Evens in 1939 after retiring from the Methodist Ministry and wanting to be close to Manchester where he was employed by the BBC as a broadcaster.

Both men died unexpectedly. Evens at the age of 59 and Turing at the age of 42.

Both men are widely acknowledged as being leaders in their different fields. As such the memory and work of both former residence should be acknowledged.
Dave Cash
Monday 26th November 2012 at 1:11 am
Whatever CECs true reason for this decision, they have app relinquished ownership to Bradford Museums and given a CEC capital asset that CEC had valued at £80K for insurance purposes. They have also gone against the wishes of over 1000 Wilmslow residents & visitors who wanted the caravan to remain in Wilmslow, as per the surveys conducted at the Sept Artisan Market and in local retail outlets over the last 2 months. Combined results (reproduced below) were only available last Mon. The Vardo was sent to Bradford the previous Friday, but the news only released in a Press statement on Thursday.
Even Romany's grandson stated he would be more than happy for the Vardo to remain in the Wilmslow Memorial Garden, provided a suitable shelter was provided.
CEC (and WTC) have also missed an opportunity to provide a Vardo shelter and Heritage Centre to educate residents & visitors about our famous deceased residents, in particular Alan Turing, ‘Romany’, Helen Bradley (author & artist) and ‘Wilmslow Pete’.

The survey asked 4 questions of the respondants. - (A tick or cross denoted ‘Yes’)
1 First part of residential postcode eg SK9 or WA16
2 Should Vardo remain in Wilmslow? Yes/No
3 Is it a visitor asset for the town?
4 Who should have future responsibility/ownership of the Vardo?
4 options (multi-choice) Cheshire East, Wilmslow Town Council, Romany Society, Other eg Bradford

Summary of results:
Meta-analysis 1-373 = artisan mkt, 374-1047 = shop survey

meta Postcode Should Vardo remain in Wilmslow? Future Vardo responsibility?
n = SK9 Yes No Visitor asset? CEC WTC R Soc Other Count
Total 697 1033 3 954 79 895 274 7 1047

1047 members of the Public responded to the research questionaire. 100%

697 responders are Wilmslow (SK9) residents 66.6%
350 live within approx 20 miles of Wilmslow or 33.4%
visitors live further afield, ie Stoke on Tent, Aberdeen or overseas
1033 agreed Vardo should remain in Wilmslow (only 3 answered No) 98.7%
954 regard it as a Wilmslow asset. 91.1%
as for future responsibility for Vardo
79 suggest it should remain CEC 7.6%
895 suggest WTC 85.5%
274 suggest Romany Society regains control 26.2%
7 persons thought Other eg Bradford museum (inc 6 replies scored out) 0.6%

Of the 697 Wilmslow residents (SK9), 100%
691 agree Vardo should remain in Wilmslow 99.1%
651 regard it as a Wilmslow asset 93.9%
as for future responsibility for Vardo
52 suggest it should remain CEC 7.4%
807 suggest WTC 87.1%
193 suggest Romany Society regains control 27.7%
7 persons thought Other eg Bradford museum (inc 6 replies scored out) 1.0%

Of the 350 non-resident visitors 100%
340 agree Vardo should remain in Wilmslow 97.7%
391 regard it as a Wilmslow asset 86.0%
as for future responsibility for Vardo
27 suggest it should remain CEC 7.8%
286 suggest WTC 81.8%
79 suggested Romany Society regains control 22.6%
Nil persons thought Other eg Bradford museum 0.0%

Note: More than one answer was allowed per individual for the future resp. question.

Tot / SK9 Resp CEC WTC R Soc Other
53/24 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0
661/440 1 62/39 582/390 17/11 0/0
211/157 2 7/6 205/151 204/151 6/5
2/1 3 2/1 2/1 2/1 0/0
1/1 4 1/1 1/1 1/1 1/1

The general feeling expressed was that if CEC is not prepared to honour it's commitments
then future resp. should revert to WTC (WUDC) successor, or the Romany Society.

Based on these results, the only question is the funding for a weather-proof
display shelter in Wimslow. Cost estimate supplied & erected ~£25K
Sarah Groom
Tuesday 27th November 2012 at 11:18 pm
Who other than a few older people (and some fortunate children/grandchildren of theirs) remember Romany from the radio programmes/books? Not many. Who will still be around in 10 years time who remember Romany? Even fewer. No one visiting Bradford Museum will be interested in his vardo, it will quickly move to the stores.

How many Wilmslow residents treasure his vardo? Even those unfamiliar with his work? A great many.

A stupid, lazy and short sighted decision.

What will become of the Romany memorial garden and his dog Raq's grave? Shame on you.

As regards Alan Turing, i don't recall him donating a memorial to the town, however, even though he was also resident for a short time any memorial to this victimised man would be honourable. He was arrested for homosexuality in 1952, forced to take hormone tablets as an alternative to prison commiting suicide two years later.