[arthurus]

South Florida periodically gets a Scottish version of the travelers, the Terrible Williamsons. They swarm over a city with all sorts of roofing and driveway scams and all types of theft jump up until they move on. I think the Irish and Scot travelers headquarter in the Carolinas somewhere. We get actual Gypsies, too, on occasion, but they come in smaller groups.

[MIlle]

We used to get them here in Orlando. The only way to handle them is to tell them to “get the f*** off my property,” as loudly, rudely and aggressively as possible.

[Tees Mom]

The travellers have a permanent headquarters in North Augusta, SC. They have mansions that are empty and actually live in travel trailers in the backyard. They are notorious for using their children in shoplifting scams.

[Finny]

About 15 years ago, I did extensive research on Travelers in the U.S. and wrote several articles about them. I interviewed cops from all over the U.S., as well as one of the most infamous Irish travelers of all, Wanda Mary Normile, who tried to pull off the rape hoax lawsuit at Walt Disney World in 1992. There are basically two kinds: Scottish Travelers, and Irish Travelers (Wanda Mary was of the Irish group). Both have been in the U.S. for well over 150 years. The Scottish Travlers were known as The Williamsons back in the'70s, I think it was.

Florida is mainly dominated by Irish Travelers. Irish Travelers live in trailers, although there is a permanent settlement in one of the Carolinas, I forget which one (I'd have to look back at some of the stories I wrote).

Scottish Travelers live in luxury apartment complexes, not trailers. They make a hell of a lot more money on their scams, too.

For five years, I lived in a large luxury apartment complex in So Cal where Scottish Travelers lived during the fall and winter. I got to know them relatively well, or at least to know their ways.

Very odd people, very old fashioned, very ostentatiously Christian, and very fascinating.