|
Jim
Slynn with one of his creations |
The
traditional craft of gypsy caravan construction is alive and well
in the Midlands.
Talented Irish craftsman, Jim, is producing beautiful handcrafted
wagons from his workshop in Studley, Warwickshire. Jim Slynn is a
coachbuilder and carver, and his family have been making different
types of wagons for generations.
Gypsy caravans have been in use since the mid nineteenth century
and saw a revival around the time of the Second World War when they
began to be used more by English travellers.
Born in Kilkenny in the Irish midlands Jim travelled to England in
1963. He has been involved in the craft since he was a child. Jim’s
father before him was also a caravan maker.
Using ash, oak, elm, mahogany and other woods in conjunction with
other carvers, wheelwrights and metalworkers, Jim spends endless
hours of his time building caravans. Work on one wagon can take four
men up to 10 months to complete.
Today, Jim says there are only about 20 dedicated craftsmen in England
making caravans in this traditional style and they are concentrated
mainly in the North of England. Jim cites the Reading Carriage Fair
as a great source of inspiration and a great opportunity to pick
up original features such as the antique candle lamps used on the
front of the caravan in our pictures.
The caravan shown is in the Bill Wright style, one of the more famous
varieties of caravan originating from Leeds. The Bill Wright is only
one style of caravan produced alongside the typical barrel shaped
caravans popularised and romanticised on television, film and innumerable
tourist advertise-ments. Gypsy caravan holidays are a popular escape
for tourists in Ireland.
Alongside his craft Jim is also passionate about horses, ponies and
other animals and owns a number that he keeps on his land in Redditch. “Caravans
are becoming more and more popular.”, says Jim and there is
great demand for them, perhaps because of their rarity and the amount
of time and skill required to build them. Good caravans can fetch
as much as £30,000 and interest comes from as far a field as
the Amish community in America who travel in caravans and do not
believe in the use of modern technology.
Nowadays Jim will spend a lot of his time focusing on wheels and
repairs. The wheels in the photographs are made entirely from wood
and have been hand-cut and shaved to the correct dimensions, a metal
centre is used. All the intricate detail seen on the door of the
caravan has been hand cut and Jim spent over 40 hours working on
that particular part to achieve the exquisite detail.
The caravans are built to last and a mixture of wood is used throughout.
For instance ash is used on the undercarriage and bow of the wagon.
Hardwoods such as mahogany and other tropical
woods are used in the parts of
the caravan that will get the
most exposure to the elements,
for instance, the ribs seen on
the side and the aptly named weatherboards.
Everything in Jim’s work is original and every piece is unique.
Once all the finer details are cut into the wood and carved to satisfaction,
the painstaking task of painting the finer details in gold leaf and
other colours is the final stage. As much as 6 or 7 coats of paint
will eventually be applied.
Jim is hoping to have one of his completed caravans in this years
St.Patrick’s Day Parade. This
will be pulled by a one of Jim’s
finer horses. So keep your eyes peeled for what is bound to be
one of the standout participants
on the day.
If you have any queries regarding gypsy caravans, carving, wheel
making or repairs please contact Jim on: 07796 882007.
