Ceredigion Tramps

Usually, they were ex soldiers, who found it difficult to deal with the traumatic experiences of the First World War

Tramps would help out in farms across Ceredigion in exchange for food and shelter.

They would move from one farm to the next during busy periods such as harvest time and cutting peat

Other jobs would be, mucking out, digging, working in the swede and potato fields 

Local people would often give them old clothes, these would often be too small or too big. 

If their shoes were too small, they would pour warm water over the leather to soften it

In general, the itinerants were well respected. T. Williams mentions in Llais Aeron, that he knew of no criminals

They were mostly men who had lost their jobs or who began to roam the countryside after leaving the Army 

If they had money on them, sometimes they would hide it in a bush for safekeeping 

Tramps would take news and gossip from one area to the next 

The majority of tramps were trustworthy but a few would visit a farm on Saturday with the intention of starting work on Monday. They would be fed and watered through the weekend but would vanish before Monday   

See Also :  http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5002

Crwydriaid Gynt gan Oliver Davies (Gambo, rhif 42, Ion 1987, t. 6)

Fe'i gwelwyd gynt yn cerdded
Ar hyd heolydd gwlad,
Heb wybod beth oedd cartref
Na gofal mam a thad,
A chyda'r hwyr cyfeiriant
Eu ffordd at fwlch y clos
I wely gwellt ysgubor
Neu gartws am y nos

Hen enwau nac anghofir
Fel Dunn a Prothero Bach
Jo Swets a Billie Griffiths,
Twm Barels a'i sach.
Y Paddy Street a'i storiau
Fu'n mesur llawr sir
A chyda'i gart a'i gwdau
Roedd Dafydd Jones gwallt hir 

Dywedwyd gan gymdogion
Fod mwy o'r hen frigad,
Yn dod i Geredigion
Nag unman yn y wlad.
Y llety rhad a'r croeso
Ac ambell 'evening meal';
Mae hynny heddiw'n profi
Nad oedd y Cardi'n gul