Yellow on the Broom: The Early Days of a Traveller Woman

by Betsy Whyte

'It is a beautiful book, shining with honesty, a classic’ – Scots Magazine

‘A splendid picture of a vanished way of life, and a hardy people whom progress did not know how to value’ – Evening Telegraph

The Yellow on the Broom is the first part of Betsy Whyte’s autobiography. Not only is it a fascinating insight into the life and customs of traveller people in the 1920s and 1930s, it is also a thought-provoking account of human strength and weakness, courage and cowardice, understanding and prejudice by a sensitive and entertaining writer.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Scotland, Autobiography, Biography, History, Travel

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Betsy Whyte was born into a traveller family in 1919 and brought up in the age-old tradition of the ‘mist people’ – constantly moving around the country and settling down in one place only during the winter. It was while the family were ‘housed up’ at this time of year that she received her education, attending a number of village schools before winning a scholarship to Brechin High school, where she was the only traveller child. She gave up the traveller life when she married in 1939 and started writing about her childhood in the 1970s.

In 1988 she suffered a fatal heart attack during the weekend of a traditional ceilidh.

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

I do think this is an outstanding piece of cultural and personal history.

It's the story of life in a Traveller family in Scotland in the 1930s (in Angus and Perthshire, which being local made it particularly interesting to me). One of the things I find so remarkable about it is what an important evolutionary time the 1930s were for the Travellers - often called tinkers--their centuries-old way of life being killed off by old roads being blocked off and the new welfare system forcing the travellers into houses and schools--all of course in the name of progress.

One of the most moving parts of the book, for me, isn't even in the narrative, but is buried in the introduction to the glossary--the author's comment on how Travellers' cant is a dying language, not so much because the vocabulary is being lost but because the trick to weaving the words correctly is no longer known.

[Rebecca Elswick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be thinking about this wonderful book for a Long time. I will read this book again and again for its beauty of language, story, and the Scottish people - the travelers who crisscrossed the country from spring to fall, working at any and all jobs. Make no mistake, this was chosen life, away from towns and people who were not like them. Told by Bessie, a young girl from one of these families, her love of that life in the fields and working on farms is undeniable. This book will ease your heart, uplift your spirit, and make you dream.

[Emma Craddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about a way of life that is now largely forgotten as is the language that was spoken by travellers in Scotland. It’s a first hand account of heart warming and heart breaking tales, a must read!

[E.M. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that old "if you could sit next to any person from history at a dinner party" question? I've never really had an answer, but while reading The Yellow on the Broom I decided it would probably be Betsy Whyte. People who knew her while she wrote her memoirs say she thought she wasn't much of a writer, but she was certainly a storyteller.

The Yellow on the Broom is Betsy Whyte's tale of growing up as a Scottish Highland Traveller in the 1930s. This book, along with its sequel, Red Rowans and Wild Honey, shows a rare glimpse into Traveller culture. It paints a picture of the daily lives of Travellers: their beliefs, superstition, and spirituality; the jobs that give them food, money, or a place to camp; the difficulties arising from overzealous social welfare programs, the prejudice of settled people, and rapidly vanishing campsites.

The books had me hooked from start to finish. I own both, and I'll definitely be reading them again.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read about the Scottish travelers. It’s set in the 1930’s. I never knew about these interesting people. Thank you to the Silent Book club on FB for recommending it.

[Nora Rawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read which I picked up in a gorgeous used bookstore in Inverness Scotland, when I realized I had barely read any Scottish authors. Presenting a mostly vanished way of life that revolves around an entirely non-capitalist value system, one where possessions hinder the heart and relationships. A very hand to mouth way of living that may also have more beauty in it than the need for security or keeping up appearances. I was going to put this into a little free library, but maybe it's one to keep and revisit.

[Lillian Carl]

It's the first-person memoir of a "traveler" girl in Scotland during the 1930s. Some people called the travelers gypsies, but I don't believe they're Romany. For one thing, they would camp out during the warmer weather and live in houses during the winter. They made a living doing all sorts of odd jobs---making and baskets and other household items, for example, but mostly by traveling around the countryside harvesting the crops.


There was a lot of prejudice against them, but at the same time many farmers and "scaldies" or townspeople were very kind to them. Whyte writes about the strong family ties among the travelers and about their code of returning good for bad. One time a woman gave Betsy and her sister a set of dishes belonging to a relative she hated and wanted to spite. Betsy and her sister threw the dishes away rather than use them, fearing a gift given in spite would be unlucky for them.


I timed my reading perfectly, finishing just before the Texas Scottish Festival, when I heard the song "The Yellow on the Broom", inspired by the book, twice, as well as "When the Laverock Sang", which refers to the Whyte's father pearl-fishing in the Scottish rivers.

[Aynslie Mckeith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Travellers have always faced prejudice but in the 30s and 40s, farmers embraced their help and they eked out a living travelling from farm to farm where the work was. Betsy Whyte was a great writer and brings the culture of the Scottish traveller folk to life.

[Chade66 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the a culture that has often been written about by outsiders, but not many native voices being heard.

[Janelle Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

5: The Yellow on the Broom by Betsy Whyte...which I am glad I read but never would have if it hadn't been "assigned" for book club. It's the first of three parts of Whyte's autobiography, telling the story of her childhood as a traveller...perhaps called or thought of as a gypsy or "mist folk" of earlier times, those who moved about the country (in her story, Scotland), working a day here, a week there, moving sometimes every few hours if they were scolded and removed by the local police. It's not a life I can imagine at all, feeling quite content to have a workplace and work to go to each day, knowing that there will be pay regularly. But I learned a great deal about this alternate lifestyle and culture from this book, which was the slowest-reading short book ever, possibly, for its inclusion of the "cant" language, the language of the travellers, which is quite its own. Yet I enjoyed my time with Betsy and her family and fellow travellers, finding a different kind of peace and contentment with the integrity of their lifestyle and its values. So many scenes and situations are description of her internal fortitude, as taught her by her parents, and which is just as useful in 2019 as it was in the much earlier times told of here. I'm glad to have read this book, but I suspect it is not for everyone.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The use of "traveller cant" dialect is a bit jarring, but there is a lovely glossary at the back of the book and I found almost all the words that I didn't understand in it. Once you wrap yourself around the language an enchanting world unfolds and the book is a real page turner. There are so many wonderful, rich details. I wish there could have been a few more details regarding the loss of Betsy's brothers, but it seems plausible that she just did not know the details or else she did not care to share them with the rest of the world. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that likes to learn about other cultures or likes to travel themselves!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books (you need to read this book with the second volume of Betsy Whyte's memoirs, 'red rowans and wild honey')are such a fantastic peice of nostalgia, a record of a way of life no longer existing here. I found Betsy's story fascinating, touching and humorous, a great read. This is a different view of what a traveller really is - and this is about as far from 'my big fat gypsy wedding' as you could get.

If you enjoyed Alison Uttley's book 'a year in the country' - you will enjoy this also.

[Phil Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to read a lot: I enjoy a lot of the books I read; some stand out as particularly enjoyable. And then, every so often, I read a book that has something very special, even magical, about it. I knew that there was a stage play entitled 'The Yellow on the Broom'; I had heard a song in the folk tradition with the same title. Then, quite by chance, I took the chance to buy this book when it was among donations to the second-hand bookshop where I volunteer. It is a gem, beautifully written without self-conscious artifice, illuminating the author's childhood, a way of life and a set of values. Betsy Whyte intuitively (re-) breathes life into every character, location, situation and event. She talks at various points about her father pearl-fishing in burns: one particularly successful outcome that she describes could serve very well as a metaphor for the discovery of this beautiful book.

[Rachel Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful book about the often secretive travelling community in Scotland and way of life that is almost forgotten and no longer exists. I loved hearing the use of the old cant language and also Scottish words that I have heard many times from my Scottish mother. I honestly didn't want to put it down! Richly told and full of wonderful colouful characters and Betsy puts aside the often jaded misconceptions that people have of travellers. I really look forward to reading the follow up to this book.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a memoir about the Scottish Traveler (Tinker, or Gypsy) way of life. In this book, the author is a young girl. She has also written a follow up about her later life. This was an interesting book. There was quite a bit of Traveler dialect used which I had to guess at. When I finished the book, I discovered that there was a glossary at the end of the book! My fault for not finding it sooner but I didn’t do too bad at figuring out the gist of words.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fascinating book about traveller's culture in the 1930s, written by a woman who lived the life.

It stars slow....to give you time to adjust to cant and Scots words used in the story The author tells of the travelers love for children and the strong connection between their kin lots of laughs and stories shared. I hope to read the rest of her story soon.

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! I do actually understand a bit more how it all worked back then, the farmers needed extra hands at certain times of year, which is when the travellers turned up. really nice honest story telling, very interesting with some traditions etc and some good nature observations in there too.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful!

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great first book for this author. If you're interested in Scotland and people who are travellers and work where work is found around that country, you should read this.

[Eileen]

Excellent Want to read anything by her

[Mary Clift · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, it is written about the area in which I live.

[KP · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really touching honesty account of growing up as a traveller in Scotland.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chosen for book discussion, and found it fascinating.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reasonable.
Ms White is a natural in sharing her reminisces about her early life and the culture of traveling people in a bygone era, and that’s as much as I’ve got to say.

[Annie Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting memoir about a soon to be lost way of life

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book, perhaps because the language and many settings are so familiar to me. It was also nice to read about life as a traveller, although one from a different period in time, as it is a way of life I know little about other than the way they are now portrayed in the media and on social media. Though our book club conversation often strayed from the book itself, I felt it was a really good one as the book led us to discuss aspects of politics etc that we might never get a chance to discuss without being in the sanctity of book club time! This is a book I have meant to read for years as family have read and recommended it to me. I would also love the chance to see the on-stage version if the opportunity arises.

2016 challenge- read in a day

[Dan Mumford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating memoir of a Scottish "Traveler" (Tinker/ Gypsy) girl in the 1930s. She has a very open and honest narrative style and really tries to explain the traveler lifestyle and why her family chose to live as they did; traveling around Scotland and working on farms, fishing for pearls, making baskets, selling things, and living out of their tents and wagons instead of settling down for a quiet, staid life like the country hantle. I really enjoyed her use of the "cant" language (the secret language of the travelers) and I saw many times that I could identify with my ancestors in how they thought and reacted to certain things.

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look into the lives of Scottish travellers in the 1930's. The use of Cant was quite heavy, but at the back of the book was a sort of glossary to help one understand the language. One of the things that bothered me was how it was difficult to tell at times who was talking because there was no real speration to indicate another individuals response. With all it's flaws it was still a nice fast read, and held my interst. It's not everyday one finds a book by a Scottish traveller, so if their lifestye interests you this is a good book book to read!

[penelopewanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it to see if I can use it for my class.
Well, this language is not simple for an EFL class, even if they are advanced, and even if there is a useful glossary of traveller cant at the back.
The stories are moving and evoke a very different type of life, not all easy nor romantic, but much loved by the author.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir of growing up a traveller in rural Scotland in the 1930's. It was just like sitting down for tea with Betsy and listening to her share her stories with me. Loved the glimpse into this lifestyle. They had a strict set of rules and ethics they lived by. A hard scramble life filled with love and joy. Looking forward to the second book Red Rowans and Wild Honey.