Abstract
THIS book is a collection of newspaper articles describing the manners and adventures of a band of gypsy coppersmiths, which appeared in Liverpool and Birkenhead in 1912. The writer would have been better advised not to reprint his material in this fragmentary form, but to take the opportunity of preparing a connected narrative. These people were commonly known in this country as Hungarians, but they were really cosmopolitan nomads from Eastern Europe. They settled in Liverpool, where they claimed superiority over the local gypsies, and, though they were lavishly supplied with money and jewelry, professed to make their living by repairing copper cauldrons. They can scarcely be described as attractive. They were most unwilling to give estimates of the cost of work entrusted to them. Like all Orientals they loved bargaining, made preposterous demands of payment for work entrusted to them, refused to be bound by any contract, and tried to enforce their claims by bullying and that form of coercion known to Hindus as “sitting dharna.” They were shameless beggars, and one of their boys stole the ring of their English friend, and flourished it in his face as they departed by train en route to Buenos Ayres. In spite of all this, they had a remarkable sense of personal, dignity, and their kindness to one of their boys stricken with epilepsy, for whose treatment sorcery combined with the best medical advice was used, was remarkable. On the whole, we can readily imagine that the people of Liverpool easily reconciled themselves to the departure of their visitors.
Gipsy Coppersmiths in Liverpool and Birkenhead.
By Andreas (Mui Shuko). Pp. vi + 66 + plates. (Liverpool: H. Young and Sons, 1913.) Price 1s. net.
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Gipsy Coppersmiths in Liverpool and Birkenhead . Nature 93, 57 (1914). https://doi.org/10.1038/093057a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/093057a0