Local Characters

Off-topic discussions, musings and chat
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Uno Hoo
Posts: 755
Joined: Fri 20 Jun, 2008 2:04 pm

Post by Uno Hoo »

I wonder if Scum is the same man I've seen a couple of times. First was a year or so ago when Mrs H and I were at the garden near Adel church that's open to the public. He was quietly wandering around, but his disconcerting appearance seemed doubly incongruent in that setting.Second time was only last Tuesday, 24th July. I was on the East Coast trains 20.05 departure from Kings Cross to Leeds in First Class (I wasn't paying), and there he was with a normal looking man. As we approached Leeds I went towards the exit where he was chatting to the female train Guard, who seemed to know him and certainly wasn't fazed by him. He was pleasant and quite well-spoken, and strode off into the station concourse with a cheery "Good Night." Takes all sorts, I suppose.
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, moves on; nor all thy Piety nor all thy Wit can call it back to cancel half a Line, nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.

keyholekate
Posts: 211
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 7:25 pm

Post by keyholekate »

Does anyone remember the twin ladies who lived in Cross Gates for a number of years more so in the 1970's.They were a bit eccentric but very well spoken and they used to push their father about in a wheelchair.They lived on the Bridle Path estate ,they will be really old now.There was another set of twins in Cross Gates ,these were George and Percy and they lived in a cul de sac called Orchard Cross.I personally remember these two and their dear old mother.She used to hit them with her walking stick ,it was quite comical to us kids but sadly I bet not to them.The mother was always asking somebody to tie her shoelace or pull her stockings up.George and Percy will be very old now

Phill_dvsn
Posts: 4423
Joined: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 5:47 am

Post by Phill_dvsn »

LS13 wrote: Rocking Horse is mentioned in Kester Aspdens book on the death of David OluwaleOther later police characters from the 50's and 60's mentioned are Eric 'moose' walker,Derek 'Big Red' Holmes and Eric 'Buffer' Brailsford. They sound more like contenders for the World Darts Championship that upholders of the law! Just found this post whilst doing some Google searching (Think it must have been watching the Damned United to get me reminiscing again) I was looking for stuff regarding Eric Brailsford, and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a bit of stuff about him on the internet, and several books. I remember old Eric very well, he lived next door to my mum for years at Boggart Hill. Infact his wife Phyllis is still my mums neighbour, she's still going strong and never seems to get any older. Eric died several years ago now, but he was at one time a physio for Leeds United in the Don Revie era, and then he went to Leeds Rugby and Yorkshire cricket in the 80's. He was also a copper where he gained the Eric ''Buffers'' Brailsford nickname. He was a big fearsome looking man with a voice to suit, but not enough to stop me dismantling Phyllis's rockery and blockading the road off with it as a lad I used to think it was great in the early 70's, all the famous Leeds UTD, rugby and cricket players used to visit him, he even had physio gear and a treatment table in the spare bedroom. Even the great man himself Don visited regular, I was treated to a ride in his car, If I recall correctly it had 'Revie 1' number plate, and I think it was a flash Merc, although it's going back a long time now. I had a signed UTD match ball, that I insisted on playing with, dam!! and lots of other signed shirts, shorts and even the 1972 Wembley sock tags that I didn't take care of as a lad and no longer have... double dam!! Here's a photo of 'Buffers Brailsford' with the 1979-1980 Leeds United juniors. The article from Kester Aspdens book here is quite funnyhttp://tinyurl.com/crwc4ypAnd another funny piece from the 'No glossing over it-How football cheated Leeds United' book herehttp://tinyurl.com/blreuuc    
My flickr pictures are herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/Because lunacy was the influence for an album. It goes without saying that an album about lunacy will breed a lunatics obsessions with an album - The Dark side of the moon!

morleyhall
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed 02 Dec, 2009 7:24 am

Post by morleyhall »

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 remember Selwyn and the rumours about the dog. He tended to plonk his backside on the floor near Maynards more often than not during the summer. He always seemed to be wearing the same dirty old suit jacket and a filthy shirt. I seem to remember that he stunk to high heaven of drink and quite a few of the kids that hung around Windsor Court would give him quite a bit of stick about it all, especially about the dog. Chucked many a half eaten cornet from Maynards in the dogs direction back then, which used to really wind Selwyn up.The fountain you mention also rings a bit of a bell. I also seem to remember a statue near the bus shelter outside the old co-op which looks to have also gone now.

somme1916
Posts: 982
Joined: Fri 02 Mar, 2012 7:39 pm

Post by somme1916 »

morleyhall wrote: 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 remember Selwyn and the rumours about the dog. He tended to plonk his backside on the floor near Maynards more often than not during the summer. He always seemed to be wearing the same dirty old suit jacket and a filthy shirt. I seem to remember that he stunk to high heaven of drink and quite a few of the kids that hung around Windsor Court would give him quite a bit of stick about it all, especially about the dog. Chucked many a half eaten cornet from Maynards in the dogs direction back then, which used to really wind Selwyn up.The fountain you mention also rings a bit of a bell. I also seem to remember a statue near the bus shelter outside the old co-op which looks to have also gone now. Did post on him earlier in thread....He smoked a pipe on occasions,was always smiling but reeked of ale ! He had a "girlfriend" Greta who was always dressed in 50's style clothes and lived just off the "old" Dewsbury Rd in Tingley near the New Scarboro pub.
        I'm not just anybody,I am sommebody !

morleyhall
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed 02 Dec, 2009 7:24 am

Post by morleyhall »

I have only read through the last couple of pages of the thread, so I haven't actually read your earlier post regarding Selwyn and his dog. Despite your description, Greta doesn't ring any bells with me. I still only remember Selwyn drinking alone with his dog sat beside him during the summers of 1983/84. Leodis has a picture of the water feature that jonleeds remembered in Windsor Court here.http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

somme1916
Posts: 982
Joined: Fri 02 Mar, 2012 7:39 pm

Post by somme1916 »

morleyhall wrote: I have only read through the last couple of pages of the thread, so I haven't actually read your earlier post regarding Selwyn and his dog. Despite your description, Greta doesn't ring any bells with me. I still only remember Selwyn drinking alone with his dog sat beside him during the summers of 1983/84. Leodis has a picture of the water feature that jonleeds remembered in Windsor Court here.http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL Hi morleyhall,think i understand now.The Selwyn/Greta "affair" pre-dates this as it was going on from the early/mid seventies...Greta would have been off the scene by the time you saw him.Many people thought his demise was as a result of not having Greta around anymore....I would imagine both characters are no longer with us.thanks your post.
        I'm not just anybody,I am sommebody !

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Steve Jones
Posts: 1516
Joined: Fri 18 Jan, 2008 2:41 pm
Location: Wakefield

Post by Steve Jones »

anybody else seen the guy who wears a South American hat?he used to try to sell The Big Issue outside HMV.I think they moved him on because his latest ploy seems to be to emerge from behind one of the statues in City Square playing a wooden flute incredibly badly like some sort of demented Pied Piper!he has crept out quite a lot lately as I crossed the square around 7:30-6:00 on my way to work.Does he appear to anyone else or does he just think i look like a mug<LOL>?
Steve JonesI don't know everything, I just like to give that impression!

jim
Posts: 1897
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 10:09 am

Post by jim »

It's Rat with a slightly changed approach Steve. I spoke to him a week or so ago in City Square, flute and all.

LS1
Posts: 2184
Joined: Mon 23 Jul, 2007 8:30 am

Post by LS1 »

Steve Jones wrote: anybody else seen the guy who wears a South American hat?he used to try to sell The Big Issue outside HMV.I think they moved him on because his latest ploy seems to be to emerge from behind one of the statues in City Square playing a wooden flute incredibly badly like some sort of demented Pied Piper!he has crept out quite a lot lately as I crossed the square around 7:30-6:00 on my way to work.Does he appear to anyone else or does he just think i look like a mug<LOL>? That'll be Rat. Good chap, always very friendly if you can take the odd approach.

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