Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

I think most towns have unusual, but well known characters that you always remember?

I remember a man in my town who was known as, ‘Gudgeon’. He always had a white mouse on his shoulder!
For his ‘party trick’ he would put the mouse on the back of his wrist and it would run up his arm, across his shoulders and down the other arm!

Another character would walk around the town with a full Mohican headdress!

Did you have any memorable, unusual characters in your town or, any you remember from somewhere else?

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

There was a 'character' here in Brighton. I personally didn't come across him, but 'Dragon' was a magistrate and she did on many occasions. This man was 'BIG' - over 6'6" and broad with it. He was the town's well known homeless drunk - although perfectly harmless!!!

He was also known to the Prison staff and Governor of Lewes Prison. The Prison kept a special cell ready for him on Xmas eve so that he could have a warm bed and a few meals over xmas period. On one Xmas eve late in the day, he hadn't turned up at the Magistrates court or Prison because a 'new' constable had refused to arrest him, so in order to get his bed at prison, he picked up a bottle in the street and hurled it through a plate glass window of a major shop. This promptly got him his bed and xmas lunch!!!

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

I always wonder what happened to the end of the world guy used to stand with a placard on a local roundabout. He was there for over 30 years and suddenly one day not there ever again

Local school crossing lady from my time at school who when she was retired took to making her own lollipop and stopping traffic in odd places. She died I know but it was a while after she had that I found out.

Chap in the village came out of brook wood asylum when I closed and sort of fell through the gaps and would sit outside the library and tell people he was Lord Lucan no harm in him he was just convinced that was who he was.

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

There was a woman we called Scotty in the seventies who would stop, point and laugh hysterically at people in the street.

When I worked in Islington, there was a man who would visit all the pubs wearing shorts, wellies and carrying a bucket. He would do bird impressions for money.

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

There was a tramp who lived in an old disused quarry right on a main Cornish road, for years, we used to see him when we passed that way. He would wave at the vehicles & locals used to take him food etc. Can't remember his name though.

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

I remember my first Wife.
I remember my second Wife.
How could I not?!

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

frank the barrow boy,used to push a barrow around sounding his horn and telling woman to get um down lol,,
itchy,a little fellar,used to point to fingers at yer saying,i,ll poke yer effing eyes out,if you looked at him,,harmless of course

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

I worked for eight years for a removal company, which was housed in an old cinema (ideal for furniture storage). There was one local who thought it was still a cinema and came in regularly and berated us all when told that we did not show films. He would also stand outside and harangue any customers who had the audacity to come in. I usually sent out one of the men to move him on.

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

I forgot Captain Jack Sparrow. Saw him yesterday too.

Re: Unforgettable Characters. Have You Known Any?

Some years ago we used to have a number of eccentric characters around here
...A man in a top hat and tails with a carnation button hole used to stand in the road directing the traffic.

...A midget tramp used to walk the roads around here and could be seen dancing a jig on the traffic roundabout.

...A man used to shop dressed in a dress, open toed sandals whatever the weather and a basket on his head. I understand he entered his property not by the door but by the bedroom window by way of a ladder .

I was told the reason we had so many eccentric people around here was because they used to reside in the now closed down Psychiatric Hospital (formerly called the County Pauper Lunatic Asylum).

It was a very controversial place where they pioneered "Psycholytic Therapy'' better known as LSD.