great tramps of our time

[davesgcr]

There was a classic, old school tramp in the Ammanford area when I was a lad - "Siencin" - used to spend his winters in the functioning brickworks overnight (nice and warm) - and was looked after food wise by a non judgemental community, - even used to get his washing done by some kind hearted Welsh ladies. He used to pick up fag ends , and sadly died when he was run over in the act of picking one up. Not a problem to anyone - ....

 

[mr steev]

Yes, I'm originally from Birmingham and I know about the Wolverhampton tramp who lived on the Ring Road.

Fred or Józef Stawinoga.

He's even got his own wiki page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Józef_Stawinoga

 

[twentythreedom]

Horace was great, everyone, and i mean everyone, from Finchley knows him. I'm sure he was around when I was a kid! Last saw him a few weeks back.

RIP Horace - "the best of luck!"

His funeral was the other day - 400 people were there

 

[fredfelt]

Fred or Józef Stawinoga.

He's even got his own wiki page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Józef_Stawinoga

Wow, a hoary degree and a statue of the man may be erected in the Town!

 

[seeformiles]

Used to be a tramp in Leeds about 20 years ago. His MO was very simple - he'd stand on the bridge over the inner ring road near the Uni and ask you for money - if you didn't give him any he'd hit you.

 

[seeformiles]

Back in Ireland it was Gerry and Julie - a teacher and a singer respectively - both ruined by drink but lovely people. Julie had serious psychiatric problems (used to wander round singing "She was Only 16" to a tattered doll - v.sad) and Gerry looked after her. Gerry was a very erudite man and a gentleman too - just had a problem getting served in Offies so I (among many others) would oblige. Hope they're still around but I doubt it. I remember the last time I saw him (about 20 years ago), I was in the reading room of the local library - it was just after new year and he'd come in to get warm. He spotted me and sat down to wish me Happy New Year and to share a nip from his half bottle of whiskey he had wrapped (rather clumsily) in his old Queen's University scarf. Unfortunately this was spotted by one of the old school librarians who shouted at him "You! Out! Now!"
He was in the process of being dragged away by them (me telling them to leave him alone) when he broke free, ran back, wished me "Happy New Year" again then shouted in Latin at the people who were chucking him out - adding afterwards "And for those of you who weren't schooled in the classics that means 'I've got more brains in my arse than you have in the whole of your bodies' - Thank you!" God bless him!

 

[Delroy Booth]

Jake Manglewurzle is a legend around the Huddersfield area (you must have heard of him). Although not much of a tramp he's always worth a mention.

Manglewurzle is not a tramp, he's a prophet (and a pretty good case study of what used to happen to manic depressives back in the olden days)



Johnny Welly from St.Helens is a nice guy. Once followed my mum home, about halfway she turned around a bit concerned and shouted "What are you doing Johnny" and he said "Just making sure you don't get into trouble, it's not safe for a single woman this time of night" bless him.

 

[kebabking]

there was an old boy - though probably not as old as he looked - who 'tramped' the area between Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Newtown and Llandridnod Wells in the late 80's and 90's - from recall he wasn't drunk or mad, and i think he moved to Shrewsbury or Wolverhampton for the winter (which can get pretty grim in the hills), but in the spring/summer/autumn he just lived out in the countryside and would pop into the towns/villages to get food. perfectly pleasant bloke, obviously used to wash rough, and his clothes were looked after so he didn't stink of rotting piss, he was just a bit 'natural' - i got the impression he wasn't homeless because he couldn't manage, but because this was the life he wanted to lead.

the local farmers used to keep a look out for him, but i've not seen or heard of him since about 98 or so - whenever i take the dog out for a monsterous walk out in some of the less visited areas of the forest, and the dog goes mad at something, i get a sinking feeling that i'm going to find the unromantic end to what appears a romantic life...

 

[blossie33]

Hopefully he just passed peacefully away somewhere and he's now biograding back into the earth!

My grandmother lived in a country village and there used to be tramps passing thorough from time to time (this was in the 50's and 60's) they sometimes used to knock the door to ask for water.

 

[Sirena]

Hopefully he just passed peacefully away somewhere and he's now biograding back into the earth!

My grandmother lived in a country village and there used to be tramps passing thorough from time to time (this was in the 50's and 60's) they sometimes used to knock the door to ask for water.

I think that's what I remember. And there would be no problem. Tramps were a recognised part of the post-war landscape.

 

[stuff_it]

This man was a legend in Nottingham - Xylophone Man

RIP

Isn't there now a plaque where he used to sit?

 

[el-ahrairah]

Used to be a tramp in Leeds about 20 years ago. His MO was very simple - he'd stand on the bridge over the inner ring road near the Uni and ask you for money - if you didn't give him any he'd hit you.

a classic of the genre

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

anyone from newcastle remember the old bloke who used to hang around the monument with that coat covered in toys? don't think he was strictly a tramp, just a nutcase.....but he used to chat up girls with this toy phone he had

also remember one year about 96-97 where the streets were lined with irish tramps for some reason

any other 'local characters' to reminice? if anyone has a photo of the toys bloke i'd be well happy

Stanley Edwards

 

[Dr Nookie]

When I was growing up in Kings Norton in South Birmingham there was a local tramp called Curly who always wore Wellington Boots. As a kid I was intrigued by the fact that when Curly walked the toes of the wellies curled up like Turkish slippers. Mom told me it was because he had no toes, which at the time I found horribly gruesome and scary. Now I just think it was really sad. Poor old toeless Curly!

 

[clicker]

Anyone remember the mini hog...or Frank Minogue? Used to come into the swan in Stockwell every sunday night and sing 'Come down from the mountain katie daly'....and get a few drinks bought for him. Irish, maybe from kerry and lived Camden/Highgate way.He'd save me a seat in the pub and then sit with us all night. He told me it was his birthday coming up and I told him i'd take him wherever he wanted to go...we made an arrangement to meet at Highgate tube one Sunday afternoon , but when i got there he was nowhere to be seen, i thought I'd been stood up. I walked down the high street a bit and he was standing in a shop doorway, he was holding a polystyrene cup of tea and had one for me on the floor next to him. He had a half french stick with ham in it shoved in his coat pocket, that he'd take out, have a bite and then offer it to me...i declined, just couldnt face it.

He was holding a brown paper bag with a vinyl album in ( yes it was the 80's) I asked him what it was and it was the Italian opera Cosi Fan Tutte ...I asked him where he wanted to go, mindful that some places may not have taken kindly to him, he said he wanted to show me Highgate Woods...we walked around for a couple of hours, he showed me where foxes slept and birds nested and named every plant and tree. I took this photo of him, he often had this captains cap and for the occasion he wore a tie...gravy stained but a tie nevertheless. He spoke in a strange lulling sing song way, really strong accent. I tried to ask him about his life, and he told me he lived in a car? I remember he wanted to use the gents public loo and he entrusted me with the ham french stick when he went in, I stood holding it like the olympic flame.

I moved abroad and never saw him again...asked loads of people when I came back to the Uk and no one had seen him? Years later i went to a funeral in Highgate , of a banjo player we both knew - Tommy McManamon, and hoped the mini hog would appear in the crowd...he didnt. Sadly I'd guess he is no longer with us - but would love to know for sure.

 

[Pickman's model]

Anyone remember the mini hog...or Frank Minogue? Used to come into the swan in Stockwell every sunday night and sing 'Come down from the mountain katie daly'....and get a few drinks bought for him. Irish, maybe from kerry and lived Camden/Highgate way.He'd save me a seat in the pub and then sit with us all night. He told me it was his birthday coming up and I told him i'd take him wherever he wanted to go...we made an arrangement to meet at Highgate tube one Sunday afternoon , but when i got there he was nowhere to be seen, i thought I'd been stood up. I walked down the high street a bit and he was standing in a shop doorway, he was holding a polystyrene cup of tea and had one for me on the floor next to him. He had a half french stick with ham in it shoved in his coat pocket, that he'd take out, have a bite and then offer it to me...i declined, just couldnt face it.

He was holding a brown paper bag with a vinyl album in ( yes it was the 80's) I asked him what it was and it was the Italian opera Cosi Fan Tutte ...I asked him where he wanted to go, mindful that some places may not have taken kindly to him, he said he wanted to show me Highgate Woods...we walked around for a couple of hours, he showed me where foxes slept and birds nested and named every plant and tree. I took this photo of him, he often had this captains cap and for the occasion he wore a tie...gravy stained but a tie nevertheless. He spoke in a strange lulling sing song way, really strong accent. I tried to ask him about his life, and he told me he lived in a car? I remember he wanted to use the gents public loo and he entrusted me with the ham french stick when he went in, I stood holding it like the olympic flame.

I moved abroad and never saw him again...asked loads of people when I came back to the Uk and no one had seen him? Years later i went to a funeral in Highgate , of a banjo player we both knew - Tommy McManamon, and hoped the mini hog would appear in the crowd...he didnt. Sadly I'd guess he is no longer with us - but would love to know for sure.

yeh, i remember yer man. a grand auld fellow must be dead now, met him perhaps 20 years ago.

 

[clicker]

yeh, i remember yer man. a grand auld fellow must be dead now, met him perhaps 20 years ago.

Jaysus....where did you meet him...I am so glad someone knows him

 

[Pickman's model]

Jaysus....where did you meet him...I am so glad someone knows him

used to see him at highgate station, i think i bought him a meal once at the chinese on archway road.

 

[clicker]

used to see him at highgate station, i think i bought him a meal once at the chinese on archway road.

yep that'd be him...he used to go to the archway tavern....he must've lived/slept somewhere...I remember now he had a newspaper with him, well the used car page and he had circled ( or someone had) a peugot for sale....he said 'That's my name ...P.Ugot'...and then probably lapsed into the laughing mumble he had...great fella.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

http://www.urban75.net/forums/members/stanley-edwards.6572/