True tales of the tramps of North Wales

OVER the next few months I intend to get out and about the roads and lanes of Wales with my camcorder.
Fear not, harassed motorists, I will not be filming you..... my video recorder will be pointed at me.

I shall be videoing myself telling true tales about tramps in their golden era, dating back to the  1940s, 30s, 20s and even earlier.

I shall be following the trails along roads and lanes that these tough characters used to trudge as they moved from workhouse to workhouse and from farm to farm.

Twenty years ago I collected/compiled almost 200 original, untold stories which I obtained from the general public, farmers, church leaders and police officers. I even interviewed “retired” tramps. 

My filming will take me back to sites and locations from where I got my tales. As I go along I shall shoot landmarks that the “gentlemen of the road” frequented, such as pubs, the blue bridge at Queensferry, castles and, of course, the workhouses. Not forgetting the breathtaking scenery they would have taken in. 

No doubt I'll be tempted to impersonate a few farm animals as I pass the fields; I might even play a few tunes on my mouth-organ, comb and paper, and sing along to my own accompaniment on my ukulele. 

Many tramps entertained with a song and a dance in village squares, much to the amusement - and snickering - of the locals.
 
“Milestone Inspectors”, as they were sometimes called, used their own slang terms. They would wash their “tugs” (shirts) in rivers and wear “chockers” (boots) on their feet.
 
Some were “jake walkers” (meths drinkers) and these would usually attempt to dodge a “cave mush” (policeman).  

 Occasionally they would “downright” (beg or bum).

Furthermore they left signs on gateposts to inform eachother what kind of person lived at a house, vicarage or farm - whether they would get a good reception or not, and whether they would get a meal or a little money to help them on their way.

Most tramps had only the possessions they were standing in but there were a few very rich ones too.

Sometimes these would have large bank accounts, others would stash some cash away in  holes in stone walls. 

A majority of them were well-loved characters, although some were more devious. Many were hard-working and willing to do a goods day's work on the farms in return for a meal and a good night's sleep in the hay barn.
 
A couple of well-known tramps in Wales were Dic Aberdaron, master of 15 languages, and WH Davies, author and poet.

I'm filming these tales because I believe they should be preserved and recorded as part of our heritage. 

I shall be producer, director, scriptwriter, actor, cameraman,  editor, researcher and all the other jobs that go with film-making. 

I hope that my mini-camcorder is up to the task.  If you see me on the road, come and have a chat and if you have an old, true, funny story to tell me, well, it's not too late to be included.