Characters of Brixton....

[Winot]

anyone remember a black man that used to be seen every now and then with a python? He used to stand outside brixton underground station. Think it was mid-early 1990s. Yuck.

Yep, used to wander up and down Coldharbour Lane.

 

[story]

I have a photograph of me wearing that python round me neck

 

[brixtonvilla]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while.. there's a woman who is often to be found on the stretch between the main Tulse Hill entrance to the park and the parade of shops down at the bottom of Tulse Hill (near the Hootenanny). She is an older lady with greying hair, often erratically dressed and often really in distress. I have stopped to talk to her a few times and she is usually really agitated with a very long story about people being out to get her/bugging her phones/watching her etc. I always wonder who she is, where she lives - she's obviously a neighbour - and why she's wandering the streets like that. She's obviously very unwell. She's been here for at least the last 5 or so years - maybe longer, I've lost track of time.

I think I've seen her on the buses a few times. Brightly coloured clothes, quite well-spoken?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

anyone remember a black man that used to be seen every now and then with a python? He used to stand outside brixton underground station. Think it was mid-early 1990s. Yuck.

What's yuck about a python?

 

[thriller]

I'm sure you feel the same way about mice and spiders? well snakes are my spiders and mice.....

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm sure you feel the same way about mice and spiders? well snakes are my spiders and mice.....

No, only BIG spiders

 

[thriller]

i hate them. yellow, brown, green. all colours all sizes. can't stand them. creepy and horrible.

 

[Badgers]

i hate them. yellow, brown, green. all colours all sizes. can't stand them. creepy and horrible.

The characters of Brixton?

 

[gaijingirl]

I think I've seen her on the buses a few times. Brightly coloured clothes, quite well-spoken?

could be her. Usually she's very grey - grey hair, grey coat but she does sometimes wear brightly coloured hats. I suppose she is well spoken. She's usually sobbing or very upset though.

 

[brixtonvilla]

Think we're talking about the same person, unfortunately. Seems to be a long way off her meds. Not a "character" in a good way, sadly :-(

 

[thriller]

Has anyone mentioned the very short older whiteman with a beard, wanders round the market putting his head round doors. He mutters to himself. He looks sad but seems quite cheery is always pleased to see my little girl and says hello to her in his own way.

seen him around. a bath, shave and some new clothes would do wonders. looks a friendly bloke, must say.

 

[gaijingirl]

Think we're talking about the same person, unfortunately. Seems to be a long way off her meds. Not a "character" in a good way, sadly :-(

It just seems to be an awfully long time to be roaming the streets in that state.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while.. there's a woman who is often to be found on the stretch between the main Tulse Hill entrance to the park and the parade of shops down at the bottom of Tulse Hill (near the Hootenanny). She is an older lady with greying hair, often erratically dressed and often really in distress. I have stopped to talk to her a few times and she is usually really agitated with a very long story about people being out to get her/bugging her phones/watching her etc. I always wonder who she is, where she lives - she's obviously a neighbour - and why she's wandering the streets like that. She's obviously very unwell. She's been here for at least the last 5 or so years - maybe longer, I've lost track of time.

She's been about for easily 10 years. Always with a tale about someone being in hospital and needing phone money....always very distressed.

 

[gabi]

I have a photograph of me wearing that python round me neck

i remember that dude. he used to wear the python on his head i think

 

[leanderman]

She's been about for easily 10 years. Always with a tale about someone being in hospital and needing phone money....always very distressed.

yes. she borrowed my mobile last week, using a reason just like that

 

[gaijingirl]

She's been about for easily 10 years. Always with a tale about someone being in hospital and needing phone money....always very distressed.

I thought it might be longer.. we've been on this stretch about 10 years now but I wasn't sure if she'd been around the same amount of time. A lot of her stories have been real conspiracy theory stuff - phone being tapped, people watching her. I find myself wondering how is it she's not cared for? And who does one contact if concerned about someone like that? I used to stop and talk to her but I have to be honest and say that now I avoid it because it never seems to help and I don't really know what I'm doing.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

i remember that dude. he used to wear the python on his head i think

there's a photo of him on the cover of one of the Alabama 3 albums. He's still around.....minus the snake.

 

[MissL]

i don't think this guy's been mentioned yet... the rasta guy on a mobility scooter who drives as fast as he can into oncoming commuters during rush hour. he's great.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

i don't think this guy's been mentioned yet... the rasta guy on a mobility scooter who drives as fast as he can into oncoming commuters during rush hour. he's great.

I bet the commuters he nearly rams down don't think he's great

 

[OGJC]

RIP to one of Brixton's most famous characters
David Bowie.

 

[Sirena]

RIP to one of Brixton's most famous characters
David Bowie.

 

[GarveyLives]

REPENT. AND BE. BAPTISED.

Good monicker for him, as that’s how he speaks, but I know he is called Gustav Adolphus Warren. He used to proclaim his name during his morning preachings outside the tube station. I have a soft spot for him because he does not appear, like most of them, to have lost his sense of humour when he lost contact with reality.

There is a much grimmer, mid-30s, white guy with blond hair who does a similar schtick to Gustav Adolphus. I seem to recall someone did a piece on telly about the white blond guy, which I remember noticing because I thought Gustav Adolphus would have made a more interesting subject. He has the physique of a boxer ...

See: Street Preachers of Brixton: Carlton Warren, ex-boxer (click for more)

Source: The person who runs the website​

 

[uk benzo]

So sad that so many of the characters have passed away or disappeared.

 

[CH1]

See: Street Preachers of Brixton: Carlton Warren, ex-boxer (click for more)

Source: The person who runs the website​

That Buzz article is very informative and sympathetic I thought.

I would love to know what makes people need to preach. Unlike doorstep canvassing it is does not seem to need any interpersonal contact, and undoubtedly does more for the preacher than for the audience.

The new development I find slightly creepy is the current Jehovah's Witness policy of mutely standing at tube stations with leaflets clutched in outstretched hands. This seems to violate all common sense in that the prospective convert has to make the first move.

 

[Sirena]

The new development I find slightly creepy is the current Jehovah's Witness policy of mutely standing at tube stations with leaflets clutched in outstretched hands. This seems to violate all common sense in that the prospective convert has to make the first move.

I think it's more about service to the lord - being a witness - than being in the spirit of hardcore evangelism.....

 

[Pickman's model]

The new development I find slightly creepy is the current Jehovah's Witness policy of mutely standing at tube stations with leaflets clutched in outstretched hands. This seems to violate all common sense in that the prospective convert has to make the first move.

So much better than the auld corner someone in the street and grind them down till they take a copy of the watchtower

 

[Gramsci]

This thread made me remember the guy who used to dance all day outside the entrance to the Granville Arcade/ Brixton Village. The Atlantic road entrance. Does anyone remember him? He was a fixture for a long time. Remember one day the police tried to move him on. The Jamaican ladies out shopping had row with police when they saw this and the cops backed off.

 

[CH1]

This thread made me remember the guy who used to dance all day outside the entrance to the Granville Arcade/ Brixton Village. The Atlantic road entrance. Does anyone remember him? He was a fixture for a long time. Remember one day the police tried to move him on. The Jamaican ladies out shopping had row with police when they saw this and the cops backed off.

You can see him @ 36-37 seconds in on this 1982 Thames News clip posted in the Brixton General History thread by cuppa tea

The arches and railway station staircase look in much better nick don't they? This clip is clear video evidence of 30 years+ neglect by British Rail/Railtrack/Network Rail.

 

[GarveyLives]

So sad that so many of the characters have passed away or disappeared.

How is Elder Joe Benjamin?​

 

[Winot]

I haven't seen him for years.