Elderly Gypsy couple overcome 'poison pen' campaign in bid to move out of caravan - Devon

From the Plymouth Herald

AN ELDERLY Gypsy couple were vilified with a “poison pen” campaign – for wanting to spend their autumn years in a better home.

Jim and Doris Manley, who are aged 80 and 79 respectively, have been running the caravan and camping site at Pilgrim’s Rest in Wembury for 15 years.

However, when they applied for planning permission to build a private Gypsy mobile home at the site in November last year, they were stunned at the overwhelming negative response from residents.

“We only wanted a mobile home instead of our caravan on the site,” said Doris.

Everybody thought there would be dozens of lorries, new age Travellers and the like. But there’s nothing like that.

“We’ve been here for 15 years and we’ve lived in Wembury since 1969.

“We don’t want to change the site. It will always stay a members-only caravan and camping site, just a holiday thing, something just right for this village.”

The Manleys plan for a small mobile home, room for a touring caravan and an amenity block resulted in what Doris called a “poison pen” letter being sent to residents opposing their application, primarily claiming the couple used their heritage to their advantage.

They were accused of lying about their past, or conning the council to approve planning permission.

However, they were supported by letters from the likes of the Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council (REC) and Jenny Rayner, the assistant Gypsy and Traveller liaison officer from Devon County Council.

The REC noted how the couple used to travel regularly around the Westcountry for work, painting Dutch barns and doing roofing work. They and their family regularly travelled to Gypsy fairs across the region and beyond, but recently reduced their visits due to their age.

The couple were described as committed Christians, both of whom were born in bender tents, spending their childhoods living nomadic lives.

Ms Rayner wrote to South Hams planning officers noting how the elderly couple’s static caravan was itself very old and the static mobile home would provide them with a separate bedroom when they were unwell.

It would also provide them a “more consistent form of heating which they need due to old age” and allow them to live at their place of business.

At the planning meeting in Totnes, Wembury councillor John Squire – who opposed the application – said his signature had been forged on an “inflammatory letter” which he described as a “deceitful and cowardly act”.

However, when the couple’s application was approved by eight votes to three, Mr Squire warned: “The people of Wembury will be totally unforgiving over this.

“They will feel yet again that this authority has not taken any notice of the weight of opinion of the local people.”

Doris said the poison pen letter plan backfired as supporters came out to counter the objectors.

“People who know us know we’re Gypsies,” she said. “If you’re born a Gypsy or a Jew, then that’s your heritage.

“We run the mission church in the town – everybody knows us. We’ve been here longer than most people.

“If it wasn’t for this letter then there wouldn’t have been all this trouble.

“It’s the new people who have come in [to Wembury] since who have upset things.”

Doris said police were unable to find out who penned the poisonous letter as it was anonymous.

But she said: “South Hams council were excellent and the vote went our way at the planning meeting in Totnes.

“We want the place quite small and private. We can only take five caravans and several tents and trailer tents.

“It’s just right for us to cope with. Coastal walkers like it here as well. We don’t want to change it and it won’t change.”

The couple said they hoped to start work on the amenity block once the weather improves.