Local "Characters"/Nutboxes

[ZoyzaSorris]

side-dreadlocks

a perfect minimalist entry for the desolation thread.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

The thread title's a serious contender for the Sensitivity over Mental Health Issues award.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The thread title's a serious contender for the Sensitivity over Mental Health Issues award.

The embittered owl turns clockwise when the dead worm sings.

[Replies From View]

The thread title's a serious contender for the Sensitivity over Mental Health Issues award.

I'm just surprised that this contest is still going!

[Neomod]

Growing up in Worthing we had an eccentric fella nicknamed Burlington Bertie (real name Horace Duke). A Wodehouse character who would cycle around the town greeting all and sundry and often stood at roundabouts waving at traffic.



Kids would sometimes take the piss to which he would reply with a laugh and two fingered salute.

There's even a video of him in action. Mentally ill, comic genius or just eccentric?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJi7OtrMC5M

Thankfully he's still remembered warmly and there is apparently a Horace Duke day now.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Fucking hell

[touchingcloth]

I always remember Three Cress Dave.

[Replies From View]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJi7OtrMC5M

How long would he be there doing that?  Was he playing up to the camera a bit?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I remember "Fuck Off , You Cunts " Freddie.

[Neomod]

How long would he be there doing that?  Was he playing up to the camera a bit?

He definitely appeared to enjoy the attention as a local celebrity and would 'perform' like that with no camera present.

[Replies From View]

He definitely appeared to enjoy the attention as a local celebrity and would 'perform' like that with no camera present.

I'm curious to know what kind of attention he thought he was receiving there.  Did he feel the traffic was a kind of audience?

It's not a question anyone can really answer, and I'm sure there's no way of knowing whether he would do it even without an audience of any kind.

[Neomod]

I'm curious to know what kind of attention he thought he was receiving there.  Did he feel the traffic was a kind of audience?

It's not a question anyone can really answer, and I'm sure there's no way of knowing whether he would do it even without an audience of any kind.

He was a staple of the town for decades so it would appear the attention received was in his eyes mainly positive.

edit. Just found this on a cycling forum!

The south coast had a classic cycling eccentric in the 1960s and 70s, known locally as 'Burlington Bertie' but his real name was Horace Duke. He was based mainly in Lancing and Shoreham, and used to cycle about dressed in elaborate cod-Edwardian costume involving a white blazer, flannels, straw boater, and comical glasses, waving a white-gloved hand to all passers-by in a most regal way. He also sometimes rode a vintage motorcycle in a different costume consisting of leather flying-jacket and goggles. Anyone driving round the Lancing roundabout in those days would have memories of Horace standing at the side of the road with his bicycle, gesticulating and prancing about in what is really a form of performance art. Apparently if anyone approached him he would be abusive. There's this weird bit of film of him on YouTube, and also a Facebook page dedicated to him. He died in 1995.

Pinch of salt with that I think as they have a few facts wrong.

[kalowski]

I remember "Fuck Off , You Cunts " Freddie.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Growing up in Worthing we had an eccentric fella nicknamed Burlington Bertie (real name Horace Duke).

http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?12161-Strange-Bloke-on-Roundabout


https://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/your-say/in-favour-of-statue-tribute-1-244983

[George White]

Walking out of Tesco, a man bearing a curious resemblance to Paul Gadd, as of now, white mandarin beard, glasses, but wearing amongst normal auld-lad clobber, satin pink trousers.

[Glebe]

Not that I'm suggesting she's a local character, George, but on a side note, I must keep an eye out for your "squashed Ruth Madoc" aunt who works in Dunnes, Cornelscourt next time I'm up there!

[Cloud]

Can't really think of many (which probably means that I'm the "character")

There was a bloke who used to sit on the benches by the shops and in town barking out greetings to people (they called him Pedo Pete as he had the audacity to also greet kids) but he passed away a few months back.  Used to think he was homeless but apparently did have a house and a bob or two.

There's an oldish lady and her daughter who walk around town absolutely non-stop (the old lady is struggling nowadays heavily hunched over) and I think one day in 100 years their ghosts will do the same

That's about it

[bgmnts]

Do we really have these kinds of communities anymore? I don't even know any of my neighbours at all.

[George White]

Not that I'm suggesting she's a local character, George, but on a side note, I must keep an eye out for your "squashed Ruth Madoc" aunt who works in Dunnes, Cornelscourt next time I'm up there!

She's moved to the branch in Tallaght.

[buttgammon]

She's moved to the branch in Tallaght.

My local Dunnes; must keep an eye out!

[Glebe]

She's moved to the branch in Tallaght.

Oh well... perhaps you have an uncle that looks like an crushed Ted Bovis or summit?

My local Dunnes; must keep an eye out!

Mine too!

[timebug]

We have a guy who is known as 'walks backwards man'. He literally does just that,walking backwards everywhere,whilst wearing the worlds largest backpack. For variety he will select a pedestrian controlled crossing on any main road in town, press the button to stop the traffic; walk backwards across the road and immediately press the button to return.Unless it is still in his favour, then he just walks (backwards) back across.
Alternately, he has been seen standing at such a crossing,pressing the button to stop the traffic,and when it does, he makes no attempt to cross,just giggles loudly at the frustrated motorists.Then  immediately prsses the button again. And sometimes as he does this, he holds a notebook and pen, supposedly recording the traffic he has brought to a standstill.
A friend in the mental health care business, reckons he is well known to them, and is on medication for these issues; it is mostly when he forgets to medicate, that he seems at his worst. Sad, but frustrating for drivers, and quite scary for little kids out with their parents,when he comes marching backwards through a crowded street.

[Glebe]

We have a guy who is known as 'walks backwards man'.

Michael Jackson lives!

[touchingcloth]

There's Nutter Boz round my way.

[Glebe]

Kevin Pollack has let himself go back to the mid-20th Century.

[George White]

Oh well... perhaps you have an uncle that looks like an crushed Ted Bovis or summit?

Mine too!

Actually, that's not too far off one uncle.
Although "inflated David Tomlinson" may be more apt.

[Glebe]

Actually, that's not too far off one uncle.
Although "inflated David Tomlinson" may be more apt.

Laughing.

[H-O-W-L]

I don't know if he's a legitimate "character" or just a bit of incidental dress but I've seen an absolute unit of a man striding through Southwick in a big leather duster and a Heisenberg style pork pie hat more than once, and only on Tuesdays.

[Bronzy]

We have a guy who is known as 'walks backwards man'

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZtyxJSGM3x0

[NurseNugent]

There was a guy who used to go to the bowling alley in St Helens, this was would have been early to mid 90s. I can't remember if he was called Freddie or Frankie. 
He wore a suit and had a Boycie style moustache, used to bowl by himself and twitch and talk to himself, but the really strange thing was that we always seemed to have white plastic bags with him full of meat which we would occasionally get out and start whispering to.
He would often go to the bar mid game and I remember one time he lined up a load of chocolate liqueurs on the side of the pool table to the bemusement of the guys who were  playing. I'm ashamed to admit it but I stole one of the liqueurs. I don't know what his reaction was as he was still in the bar by the time he left.

Any other St Helens folk remember him?