Top ten multi cultural societies ??

[Svartalf]

knacker? I thought they were called tinkers out there?

Tinkers is the Scot's term. Knackers actually occupy towns in Ireland. They have the most fantastical houses with 10 metre fencing and live in a caravan next to it. Extremely religious.


A knacker's wedding

That's a recent development then, I've read Irish books from the 50s where the word was definitely 'tinkers'.

[DaveDodo007]

Zimbabwe. They want us honkies back.

[Scot Dutchy]

That's a recent development then, I've read Irish books from the 50s where the word was definitely 'tinkers'.

They used to call themselves tinkers when they were working the towns repairing pans and sharpening knives. They were always called knackers in the countryside because that was the people you when you had to rid of an old horse or cow. The top Irish horse breeders used knackers to look after their horses during training as they have a natural ability with horses.
They also called themselves travellers when they would follow the harvests in Britain. But never call them gypsies that to them was an insult.

[pErvinalia]

What do they call them in that Guy Ritchie film? Pikies?

[mistermack]

That's a recent development then, I've read Irish books from the 50s where the word was definitely 'tinkers'.

They used to call themselves tinkers when they were working the towns repairing pans and sharpening knives. They were always called knackers in the countryside because that was the people you when you had to rid of an old horse or cow. The top Irish horse breeders used knackers to look after their horses during training as they have a natural ability with horses.
They also called themselves travellers when they would follow the harvests in Britain. But never call them gypsies that to them was an insult.

Not in the west of Ireland in the fifties and sixties. It was always tinkers.
I never heard the word knacker until very recently.
Maybe it's an East/West thing.
From Ennis to Castlebar, they were always called tinkers, years ago, and then travellers on the tv.

I only heard the word knacker as an English word for slaughterhouse (knacker's yard) until very very recently.

[Scot Dutchy]

That's a recent development then, I've read Irish books from the 50s where the word was definitely 'tinkers'.

They used to call themselves tinkers when they were working the towns repairing pans and sharpening knives. They were always called knackers in the countryside because that was the people you when you had to rid of an old horse or cow. The top Irish horse breeders used knackers to look after their horses during training as they have a natural ability with horses.
They also called themselves travellers when they would follow the harvests in Britain. But never call them gypsies that to them was an insult.

Not in the west of Ireland in the fifties and sixties. It was always tinkers.
I never heard the word knacker until very recently.
Maybe it's an East/West thing.
From Ennis to Castlebar, they were always called tinkers, years ago, and then travellers on the tv.

I only heard the word knacker as an English word for slaughterhouse (knacker's yard) until very very recently.

In west Limerick they were always knackers. Originally it was not a negative title but when the trouble arose around Rathkeale it became a negative term.

[pErvinalia]

I believe the term comes from the German - Knackwurst, a sausage made of ground up Tinkers..

[mistermack]

Originally, tinkers just meant pot menders.
A hundred and fifty years ago and more, travelling workers were very common.
Travelling and working from a horse-drawn wagon was not exclusive to gypsy type races.
It was an honourable and respected way of making a living.
They would have trade organisations who would organise it all, and a recognised circuit that the workers traveled.
Besides tinkers, there were travelling brush makers. basket makers, horse dealers, navvies and all sorts of artisans, and the either stayed in cheap lodgings, or lived in a wagon.
This is a "Brush Wagon" from the period :

[JimC]

I believe the term comes from the German - Knackwurst, a sausage made of ground up Tinkers..

[laklak]

There were only a few career options open to them, tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy.

[Scot Dutchy]

There were only a few career options open to them, tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy.

The last three are too much like real work which a knacker avoids like the plague.

[rainbow]

Zimbabwe. They want us honkies back.

No, we don't.