Alan,
I knew all of that.
I have also read that those traveling pot menders known as "Tinkers" were also gypsies. I just like to relate some of the tales from the other side.
Today, especially in the spring time, we have traveling repairmen in all sorts of trades who like to move into an area, sell as much of their garbage as they can, collect as much money as they can and hit the trail two steps ahead of the law.
I was a mason contractor for many years and also a volunteer fireman for almost as many (say 30+ and 27). I actually lost a couple of chimney jobs along the way. At the time, i did not know who had gotten the jobs, but soon, i was called out in the middle of the nite (in both cases) to a house fire. Seems the masons who had beaten me out had left out flue liners and skimped on mortar and other little details. Seems it had been an unknown "contractor" who had given a price too good to be true. the result was a little extra warming very soon after the winter cold settled in.
I am sure that in the deep recesses of history, there very well may have been some slightly less than desirable Tinkers who were more than willing to collect just a little more than might have been reasonable for a job that was just a little less than reasonable.
I have other stories related to Tinkers of the past that are quite colorful in content. some related to the experiences of ministry from great grand dad and GG grand dad. others about some criminals (supposedly horsethieves) who were among original settlers in America. Sort of "hanging or ship out" situation. As for me, i am not pious as were my GG & GGG dads, but i am trying very hard to not carry on as the ggggd whoever he was who jumped away from a hanging. I suppose he needed a horse to haul his loot after he fixed a batch of pots and pans. :
Tinker
BTW: My brother was an iron worker, so he must have inherited something from the old days 8)
