Characters

[Compo 10,328]

I have noticed that on numerous occasions people talk about characters they have known and I thought it might be an idea to have a thread dedicated to these characters.

A character I knew worked for many years as an hostler for the Shipstones dray horses. When the drays became motorised and he was made redundant he took a job as the electricians' 'shop-man' at Plessey in Beeston. He was somewhat short tempered and is reputed, on one occasion, to have chased someone around the factory with his willy in his hand shouting "You'll get some of this if I catch you!" As is often the case with characters I cannot remember his name, except that his nickname was "Willy Whopper". He retired in the early 70s just after I started work at the factory so I never got to know him very well; perhaps someone here remembers him or his reputation?

[katyjay 5,090]

My dad had a cousin Fanny. She never married, was the funniest looking little person you could imagine, I doubt she ever reached 5ft. She lived in March, Cambridgeshire and every now and again she would visit her sister who lives further up our road. She'd decide to come and visit us for a cup of tea, my mum couldn't stand her and if we saw her coming down the path, we'd hide. But we were not always quick enough and she'd knock on the door, and we'd let her in. She sat there in her Salvation Army uniform [all she ever wore] and always was knitting tea cosies, singing Sally Army songs as she knitted.

[poohbear 1,360]

That reminded me Katyjay...

Dunno her name,but the landlady at the Peacock in Redmile in the sixties.She used to be on the mike telling the filthiest gags.She was in the middle of a filthy rugby song one night when the door opened and a little old Sally Army lady walked in...Without drawing breath she stopped the rugby ditty and changed to "Michael rowed the boat ashore...." Having sold her War Cry and left the landlady immediately reverted to the Rugby song....Hilarious.

[mick2me 3,033]

I was gonna put this under the Local Nutters thread, but this guy is more of a character than a nutter.

You may have seen him around the City or in Radford during the 60-70s.

Mr. Williams was a rotund black gentleman, he must have been at least in his 80's when he died late 70's- early 80's.

He was distictive because he wore a white pith helmet, and walked with a cane or umbrella. He had milk bottle bottom glasses. Once seen never forgotten.

He lived in the Raliegh Street area of Canning Circus, and was a retired school teacher, teaching somewhere in Nottingham. I wonder which school he worked at? If you were tought by him, I bet he was a disciplinarian!

Does anyone remember him, or know where he tought?

Mr. Williams claim to fame (when making regular visits to Canning Circus Police Station)

"No 1 Schoolteacher, taught Nev Everette"

Nev was another Nottingham character, a Nottingham Police Detective from the 'Life on Mars' days.

[Compo 10,328]

I remember Mr Williams! What a sight he was too. I also lived near Canning Circus for a while, in a flat on Arundel Street. I used to see him regularly but had forgotten all about him until I read the above post. Happy memories!

[mick2me 3,033]

Thanks Compo.

I was beginning to wonder if I imagined him?

[Compo 10,328]

He was an amazing and jolly character. I didn't know him well but said hello a few times. I often wondered where he lived - now I know.

How many more folk have I forgotten I wonder?

[Compo 10,328]

In 1981-2 there was a tramp whom I used to see and say hi to regularly in the mornings on my way to work on my bicycle - he always wore a long mac. I often saw him around the Wilford Road/Castle Boulevard area and spoke as I passed. He was about 6ft tall youngish (30?) and looked like a hippy. Never did know his name but someone told me he was a scientist or something of that ilk and had 'dropped-out', although that is probably an urban myth. Has anyone ever seen him?

[Compo 10,328]

Next character: George Wilby.

Used to cycle past my house each morning (late 70s/early 80s) playing the three hole pipe. An excellent musician who lived in Beeston, I seem to recall on Queens Road. I once went to a party at his house and everyone had to play an instrument, anything would do, as part of the party.

[mick2me 3,033]

From

Local Nutters!

in 'The Medders'

Does anyone remember any of the nutters that used to knock around there?

There was an old guy in the flat cap, who used to sit in the shelters on the Trent Embankment.

He always had a couple of carrier bags and had a transistor radio in bits.

If you spoke to him, he would reply only with the words "Plastic Mettal"!

[Compo 10,328]

Miss Beattie Lloyd lived in Arnold, died around mid 1960s. Until here death at 90+ she used to walk up to Dorket Head, along Mapperly Plains and down Gedling Lane almost every non-shopping day. She was always Jolly and said hello to everyone. She was tiny and wore a round hat with wide brim - I can still see her to this day in my mind's eye.

[piggy and babs 544]

THE LANDLADY OF THE WINDMILL NOT THE PEACOCK IN RED MILE WHO USED TO SING AND TELL ALL THE GAGS WAS OLIVE SHE CAME ORRIGNALLY FROM NETHERFIELD AND WHENT TO SCHOOL WITH MY MUM AND LIVED ON GODFREY ST. I WORKED FOR BOOTS AND WE USED TO HAVE TRIPS OUT THERE EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHSI ALSO HAD A BUS TRIP OUT THERE FOR MY 21ST BIRTHDAY. WOW FUNNY TO THINK THAT WAS FORTY YEARS AGO DONT TIME FLY WHEN YOU HAVING FUN.SALLY ANN USED TO GO ROUND THE PUB EVERY FRIDAY NIGHTAND ONE OF THE LADIES WOULD OFTEN GET UP ON THE MIKE AND GIVE THE CUSTOMERS A VERSE OR TWO OF RUGGED CROSS OR AMAZING GRACEAS THE OTHERS WERE GOING ROUND WITH THE TINS SO OLIVE WAS WELL USSED TO CHANGING HER SONGS MID VERSE BUT AS YOU SAY SHE WAS A REAL CHARETOR.

[piggy and babs 544]

SOME OF THE SONGS I REMEMBER OLIVER ALWAYS SINGING WERE

1 SHINNING SARAH SITTING IN A SHO SHINE SHOPE

2 THERE WAS A MAN FROM CHICARGO WORKED IN A DEPARTMENT STORE

3 ESKIMO NELL

CAN ANYONE REMEMBER ANY OF THE OTHERS SHE USED TO SING SHE COULD GO ON ALL NIGHT WITH HER SONGS AND JOKES

[piggy and babs 544]

WONDER IF THE GUY ON THE BIKE COMPO SPOKE OF, IS THE MAN WE USED TO CALL BIKE MAN RODE A LADIES SHOPPER TYPE BIKE IN BLUEALWAYS HAD LOADS OF CARRIER BAGS OF STUFF ON IT HE LIVED BESTON SIDE OF TOWN AND USED TO SPEND HIS DAY GOING FROM ONE CAFE TO ANOTHER ALL DAY HE USED TO GO IN PARKERS CAFE AF DUNKIRK FLYOVER FOR HIS LUNCH EVERY DAY AS THEY OPENED 7 DAYS A WEEK. AND THEN YOU WOULD SEE HIM CYCLING THE OTHER WAY HOME IN THE EVENING HIS TROUSERS WERE ALL IN PATCHES STUCK ON WITH GLUE.

[dgbrit 258]

How about the tramp that used to hang around the bottom of George st he would make attempts at crossing the road only to get a few steps in & then retrace his steps & start over all in all it took him about 15 mins to finally get across

We called him Itchycoo.

Then there was the guy we called the Nottingham Nose that i have a story that still has me howling with laughter .

[.... 23]

There's a few characters in Arnold I could relate a story or two about but they're mostly still around so I won't!

[mgread1200 141]

Have to include my uncle "Ernie" in fifties Radford, Both he and my dad had full time jobs at the Raleigh as Commisionaires (security) but Ernie did chimney sweeping also, he would go round with his brushes on a push bike but always wore his Commisionaires uniform.

[katyjay 5,090]

When we first moved here, there was a character called Romeo in town. Old fella, about 2 teeth in his head, and hard to understand a word he said. He drove a white pickup truck, Old English sheepdog at the side of him, always had its head hanging out the window. Romeo sold hubcaps, and had a framework set up in his pickup bed with them on. Whenever someone staying in one of the many motels would find they'd got a hubcap missing the next morning, there would be Romeo, who would just happen to have one that matched it. Nobody ever saw him steal hubcaps, but we all reckoned he did and sold them back to their owner the next day. When he died, a lot of folks had a whipround to give him a proper burial, and to this day, he has a hubcap on his gravesite.

[piggy and babs 544]

LAST I HEARD ICHYCOO WAS LIVING IN BOSTON ST HOSTEL AND HAD REALLY CLEANED UP WHEN I LIVED ON PRIORY ST OPPOSIT NAZERETH HOUSE THE NUNS USED TO FEED THE TRAMPS AND STREET LIVERS EVERY DAY IN THE MORNING AT 7 AM AND IN THE EVENING AT 7PM THEY WERE GIVEN SANDWICHES FOR THERE LUNCH TOO IF THEY MADE THE BREAKFAST RUN AND THERE WERE ALWAYS A LOT MORE IN THE EVENING THAN IN THE MORNINGBUT BOY WERE THERE SOME CHARECTERS THAT USED TO COME TO BE FED. AND SOME OF THEM THAT CAME HAD THERE OWN HOUSES AND MONEY BUT STILL GOT FED, THEY HAD A LEAN TOO SHED OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN DOOR AND THEY WOULD START QUEWING FROM ABOUT 6 OCLOCK AT THE BACK GATES SOMETIMES THE QUEW WAS ALL THE WAY UP TO ABBEY ST

THERE WAS ALSO A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WHO ALWAYS WORE FUR COATS AND PUST SHOPPING BAGS ON WHEELSAND LOADS OF CARRIER BAGSWE USED TO CALL THEM THE BAG LADIES IT WAS SAID THAT THEY USED TO LIVE IN A LARGE HOUSE IN LONG EATON WERE THE MOTHER LIVED AS HOUSE KEEPER TO THE OWNER AND HAD THE CHILD BY HIM WHEN HE DIED HIS FAMILY THROW THEM OUT ONTO THE STREETS AND SOLD THE HOUSE AND EVERYTHING IN IT,TRUE STORY OR NOT I DONT KNOW.

[Compo 10,328]

WONDER IF THE GUY ON THE BIKE COMPO SPOKE OF, IS THE MAN WE USED TO CALL BIKE MAN RODE A LADIES SHOPPER TYPE BIKE IN BLUEALWAYS HAD LOADS OF CARRIER BAGS OF STUFF ON IT HE LIVED BESTON SIDE OF TOWN \snip\

No, this fellow (George) had a job and was a part -time hobby musician. He had a a full beard and longish grey/white hair.

[mick2me 3,033]

The following may be one and the same as itchycoo, but I do remember the man who took one step forwards and two steps back. 1960s, a tramp, Thick set with a busted nose, who would stand on the pavement, stamp his right foot in front of him several times and say... "I can't give you a B Minor but I will give you a Soldiers Dream"

Whatever that meant?

[OLDACE 196]

I think there have been more than one Itchycoo. In the early 50's a relative of mine who was in the Nottingham Police told me that they would occassionly take Itchycoo for a bath, I don't know where or why. He pointed him out to me one day, he was standing across from the Midland Station. He wore a gaberdine mac (so did everyone else then) and had a long grey beard. After that I often saw him around there from the top of my No.12 bus. I never saw him after about 1958/9.

[.... 23]

A few more local 'characters' that come to mind:

Tony 'Dodger' Green, landlord of the Newmarket on Lower Parliament Street. He and his dog both had season tickets for Notts County amongst other eccentricities!

She's been mentioned here many times before but Mary (Mrs Slocombe look-alike) who served in the George Hotel in Hockley.

'Xylophone Man', Frank Robinson, who used to play on Lister Gate before he passed away.

'Axeman', Hells Angel-type character that used to hang around the Sal and Pendulum Records in the Victory Market.

Steve the barman, The extremely camp, gay barman Steve that used to work in The Royal Children, The Salutation and other bars around town.

'Roxy Rob', local former fashion designer. Nice article about him here.

The Palm Court Trio who played at Yates Wine Lodge.

[Fynger 841]

'Axeman' got nicknamed cat killer and got thrown off one of the walkways at balloon woods by some of the bikers ( where we all lived at the time ) as he used to push cats off the walkways...and folks were not too happy about it.

[mick2me 3,033]

Stevie would always give you a tour of the caves at 'The Trip'.

Never seen them myself personally.