The Wilson Family

The Wilson family. Like most Traveller communities, Galloway Travellers were quite superstitious. They deem it very lucky to be first-footed by a donkey or a sheep, but particularly the former; indeed, one of the gang generally makes it his duty to lead the cuddy into the house first thing on New Year’s morning. One tinkler woman told the writer that all the Marshalls she ever knew believed in witches. When asked why she kept two little shoes – a cuddy’s and a donkey’s - hanging behind the door, she at once replied, “To keep out the witches.”