Starcoaster Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) The mollycroft is the roof/window combination, not a model of vardo. I suspect that the showmans van shown in that holiday ad is named "The Mollycroft." Other minor trivia: The hay rack on a vardo is called the cratch. Edited May 25, 2015 by Starcoaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 I had to look up Vardo That's today's schooling begun then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Fox Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Years ago I was friends with some fairground folk (actually dated one for a little while... I wonder if anyone who needs their gas locker painting could borrow a dwarf from a fairground... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 (edited) I had to look up Vardo That's today's schooling begun then Without looking it up, I think it's a gypsy caravan of the traditional horse-drawn type. Neither the S.O.D. nor Partridge offers any help with "mollycroft", so the jury remains out. I'm quite prepared to believe that calling the entire vehicle a mollycroft is a transferred epithet. I am equally convinced that this type of roof may accurately be called a clerestory. Quite off topic, but Partridge does offer the rather fine word "moll-buzzer", a pickpocket who preys on women. Edited May 26, 2015 by Athy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam & Di Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 (edited) Without looking it up, I think it's a gypsy caravan of the traditional horse-drawn type. Neither the S.O.D. nor Partridge offers any help with "mollycroft", so the jury remains out. Although gorjer myself, we had a Reading van in the 70s and used to get the showman's newspaper "World Fair" and I think you can safely take Starry's word on it. Tam Edited May 26, 2015 by Tam & Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spadefoot Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Well, on a showman's wagon it's called a mollycroft because that's their term for it. On a railway carriage it's called a clerestory because that's their term for it. I'm going to call it a clerestory on that boat because it's not a showman's boat. I also think that it's by far the best bit on that boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timleech Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Well, on a showman's wagon it's called a mollycroft because that's their term for it. On a railway carriage it's called a clerestory because that's their term for it. I'm going to call it a clerestory on that boat because it's not a showman's boat. I also think that it's by far the best bit on that boat. We knew them as clerestories on the Hotel Boats Mabel & Forget-me-Not, where they housed water tanks as well as providing ventilation and illumination. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Although gorjer myself, we had a Reading van in the 70s and used to get the showman's newspaper "World Fair" and I think you can safely take Starry's word on it. Tam I shan't fall into the trap... Yes, I am sure I can, but it is peculiar that the word "mollycroft", in EITHER or ANY sense, does not appear in either of these august publications. I wonder where it comes from? Possibly a link with "Molly" who are black-faced morris-dancers? Possibly with the archaic word "molly" meaning an effeminate man? It remains a mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spadefoot Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Although gorjer myself, we had a Reading van in the 70s and used to get the showman's newspaper "World Fair" and I think you can safely take Starry's word on it. Tam Why would you want to call yourself gorjer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamKingfisher Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Why would you want to call yourself gorjer? Because he eats a lot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 The mollycroft is the roof/window combination, not a model of vardo. I suspect that the showmans van shown in that holiday ad is named "The Mollycroft." Other minor trivia: The hay rack on a vardo is called the cratch. I stand correction here but I am led to believe cratch is derived from the word creche meaning a manger: C19: from Old French: manger, crib, ultimately of Germanic origin; compare Old High German kripja crib] This originally being the area at the front of a horse boat where the fodder was kept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Isn't "creche" what bad drivers do in Hampstead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billS Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Back to the boat... With that bow, all they need to do to get the asking price is weld on a on a few fake rivets and paint Registered in Tamworth on the cabin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Back to the boat... With that bow, all they need to do to get the asking price is weld on a on a few fake rivets and paint Registered in Tamworth on the cabin... Ooh, speaking ill of the dead! This reminds me, at Cropredy over the weekend I saw a Hudson boat with a Beta JD3 Tug engine in its engine room. I thought that Steve Hudson offered the choice of modern engines concealed or of vintage engines in engine rooms, didn't know that there was a half-way house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starcoaster Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 (edited) Mollycroft, like vardo, is an Angloromani word. Spellings of all Rrom words are highly subjective, due to regional variations and the fact that the various Romany dialects are all largely oral and wouldn't have commonly been written down until very recent decades. Edited May 26, 2015 by Starcoaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Mollycroft, like vardo, is an Angloromani word. Spellings of all Rrom words are highly subjective, due to regional variations and the fact that the various Romany dialects are all largely oral and wouldn't have commonly been written down until very recent decades. Good info, Starry, thanks. It is a peach of a word - reminds me of the pleasure I felt when I first discovered "tumblehome". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanted Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 I've always known trailer roofs with windows as mollycroft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 Reminds me of the boat builders that used to be at Denham on the GU called Legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Fox Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 Are there any boats called 'Mollycroft' or 'Tumblehome'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 Are there any boats called 'Mollycroft' or 'Tumblehome'? Tumblehome, yes certainly. We viewed it some years ago when looking for our first boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Is it possible to make an uglier boat than that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlosMacronius Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Reminds me of this http://platos-academy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trireme.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Reminds me of this http://platos-academy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trireme.jpg That must be a VERY early Hudson build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterG Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 No that is much to pinched for a Hudson looks like a Roger Fuller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) Reminds me of this http://platos-academy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trireme.jpg A ah a Trireme, sorry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trireme "Ramming speed oartator" Sorry, got carried away. Edited July 20, 2015 by Ray T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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