Local Characters

majorhoundii · Post by **majorhoundii** » Sun 06 Nov, 2011 11:25 pm

jonleeds wrote: This is one for Morley folks, but does anyone remember "Selwyn" who used to sit in the precinct area of Morley's town centre with his dog getting drunk and howling abuse at people passing by. This was back in the 1980s and I would imagine he has been in the ground for a few decades now. I remember him. he was certainly a bit odd. In the sixties he was always very smartly dressed, a bit odd even then, but in the eighties he became as you describe him. I also heard at the time that he used to hang around St Annes Cathedral.

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Mon 07 Nov, 2011 12:46 am

Oh yeah, I've just remembered another thing, Selwyn had a dog... wasnt there some unsavoury rumour.... oh no!

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Mon 07 Nov, 2011 8:09 am

jonleeds wrote: Oh yeah, I've just remembered another thing, Selwyn had a dog... wasnt there some unsavoury rumour.... oh no! You could be barking up the wrong tree jonleeds He.He.

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Mon 07 Nov, 2011 4:43 pm

Yer I dont think it was about a tree Tilly! Didnt that Selwyn also have an alchy wife or girlfriend who used to sit with him at the bottom of the precinct? Does anyone remember back in the 1970s when Windsor Court used to have like a fountain / water feature, I am sure I remember being about 3 years old and paddling in there in the summer of 1976.Tell you who I havent seen for a good few years, that 'Toothy' fellow who used to wander around Horsforth, he was quite a character, unwashed, ragged clothes etc. I expect he got finished off by the harsh winters we had the past few years.

Skinny Hulk · Post by **Skinny Hulk** » Tue 06 Dec, 2011 11:36 am

Steve Jones wrote: anyone else spotted the guy who comes out begging in City square wrapped in a blanket? he normally appears outside the church around 5pm-6 pm for his nightly shift. He did have a dirty striped poncho type blanket but has just upgradedto a smarter new pinky/ red one. He makes a very good living from gullible people gving him money which he proceeds to spend in local hostelries when he clocks off! I see him every Friday on the way to the train station. Last time I saw him he had a female accomplice with him.

Skinny Hulk · Post by **Skinny Hulk** » Tue 06 Dec, 2011 12:04 pm

Bluey wrote: Anyone remember this scrawny, tall, balding, bearded late-30s/early 40s guy who could be seen dancing feverishly on traffic islands/street corners/sidestreets in the mid/late90s-early 2000s (I used to call him "The Spirit Of The Dance")??? Was having a pint at the Hedley Verity a few weeks back with my work colleagues and one of my mates was talking to this bearded, grey haired guy, who eventually sodded off after a bit. I asked my mate who he was and he says "Oh, it's that guy who used to dance" and basically found out that (obviously) he'd been a heavy drughead but was now a reformed character, more's the pity. His name is Noel. He used to live round the corner from me when I lived in the Fearnvilles. He used to live with a very weird bloke called Ken (also known as The Wizard) who had some sort of obsession with Nazis and the occultFirst time I saw Noel was around 85/86. I saw him pretty much every day he was always sniffing glue and possibly on drugs. I was a teenager in the mid to late 80s and he looked about 40 then!Last time I saw him was about a year ago dancing near the bus station.

tiddler · Post by **tiddler** » Tue 06 Dec, 2011 11:16 pm

In response to JonLeeds, I remember Selwyn who used to loiter around Windsor court accompanied by his dog that I believe was called Laddy.I don't know if anyone remembers Mia from the Churwell and Morley area? She used to sit on the floor of the phonebox that was opposite the newsagents in Churwell during the 1980's. Used to see her there on a morning on my way to school. Other memorable things I remember of her were: wearing a couple of fur coats at the height of summer, walking around the street in pyjamas and accusing locals of swallowing her cat. No idea what happened to her.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Wed 07 Dec, 2011 12:09 am

Just remembered a woman who used to wander around and chat to us kids when I was visiting a childhood pal who lived near the Fairway.It was her mode of speech that was the oddest thing about her. She would tell us she was going home to watch *'Marracus Wellerby' on the telly. *Marcus Welby MD

amber · Post by **amber** » Wed 07 Dec, 2011 12:59 pm

majorhoundii wrote: jonleeds wrote: This is one for Morley folks, but does anyone remember "Selwyn" who used to sit in the precinct area of Morley's town centre with his dog getting drunk and howling abuse at people passing by. This was back in the 1980s and I would imagine he has been in the ground for a few decades now. I remember him. he was certainly a bit odd. In the sixties he was always very smartly dressed, a bit odd even then, but in the eighties he became as you describe him. I also heard at the time that he used to hang around St Annes Cathedral. I knew Selwyn as a kid in the early 40s. My Gran lived in the same street and when I went to see her we used to play together. He didn't have a dad I think he was killed in the war. He was very well educated and went to Fulneck School at Pudsey. Not sure if he went to Uni as I did not meet up with him again till the late 6os when he seemed to a bit eccentric. In the 70s he went downhill fast. not sen him for many years if he is still alve somewhere he would be around 74. Think his last dog was called Tina

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Thu 08 Dec, 2011 3:39 am

Amber I dont know if this is the same 'Selwyn' that you are referring to. The 'Selwyn' I've been talking about was probably in his 60's back in the mid-80s which would make him 90+ probably today, although I reckon he would have snuffed in the early 1990s as I dont recall ever having seen him after around then, but I moved away from Morley in 1993 so I dont know. Also the 'Selwyn' who used to sit in Morley's Windsor Court precinct used to sound very coarse and he didnt come across as an ex-public school boy. Dunno tho, might be the same guy but it seems unlikely. I never heard of this Mia woman though Tiddler. I used to live up at the top of Churwell Hill and I went to Churwell Youth Club in the mid-80s, but I never heard about her.