Tramp...

[GazSutton]

Not sure where to put this thread...a mate and myself were chatting, and we both remember a tramp that use to wonder the city centre in the 70's.....my mate seems to think he had some history in the British army...anyone have any knowledge?

 

[Phil]

Gaz

I think you will need to provide more information than you have given, as I'm pretty sure there was more than one tramp on the streets of the City Centre on the 70's. I wouldn't think it was the one photographed here as this was taken in 1952 and given his chosen lifestyle I doubt if he was still with us in the 70's. It's a photo I have always liked, and I've always hoped that the photographer paid the old gentleman of the road well for his sitting.

 

[A Sparks]

I can remember there were one or two characters in the city centre around that time - I wouldn't say they were 'tramps' or actually homeless.
There was a lady with very matted long hair and a man who played the triangle and wore (so my father said) a Polish Army uniform jacket.

'Tramps' I associate more with the countryside areas rather than the cities, there were a few around in the area were my Grandmother lived in south worcestershire.

 

[Pedrocut]

There was Józef Stawinoga in Wolverhampton

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Józef_Stawinoga

 

[Astoness]

Gaz

I think you will need to provide more information than you have given, as I'm pretty sure there was more than one tramp on the streets of the City Centre on the 70's. I wouldn't think it was the one photographed here as this was taken in 1952 and given his chosen lifestyle I doubt if he was still with us in the 70's. It's a photo I have always liked, and I've always hoped that the photographer paid the old gentleman of the road well for his sitting.

phil i have never seen that photo but every now and then one jumps out at me...this is one of them...its what i call a haunting photo...

lyn

 

[Big Gee]

I may have posted this before, but back in the late Sixties we used to go to The Salutation in Snow Hill for the Friday night jazz. Two or three times when we came out there was a scruffy bloke hanging around on the corner of Snow Hill and Summer Lane. He'd shuffle up and say "Got a quid for a cup of tea?" This was when a cup of tea in a caff was maybe a tanner. His stated reason for asking for a quid was, "I'm a big tipper, see". Well, at least he had a sense of humour even if he had no home, and we always saw him all right (if not to the tune of a quid). He didn't seem all that old, and he always had what looked like a paper-boy's bag over his shoulder. Things like this stick in your mind......

G

 

[GazSutton]

We seem to remember this chap had quite a mass of hair and a big beard....and wore a brown/green Mac..

 

[Morturn]

I recall in the late 60’s early 70’s there was a tramp called Sam (that’s what he told us) who was living in some of the derelict back to backs in the gun quarter. He had quite a mass of hair and a big beard too.


As kids, we quite liked him. We would take him the odd loaf of bread, milk, some butter and a few candles. He would light a fire and make us a cup of tea with an old black iron kettle on the fire.


He always put a folded piece of newspaper in the spout of the kettle to stop the soot falling in the water. He said he had had a ‘set back’, a problem with his leg, and he could not see too well.


I don’t think he was all that old, and when you looked beyond the mass of hair and grime he had the most clear and bright blue eyes.

 

[A Sparks]

We seem to remember this chap had quite a mass of hair and a big beard....and wore a brown/green Mac..

Yes, now you mention it, I think I remember him too.
Maybe the same man as Morturn's post.

And yes, these men were probably much younger than we thought!