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Caporegime
Joined
8 Jan 2004
Posts
31,994
Location
Rutland
I'm sure I've forgotten a few but central Cambridge has a gent with ginger dreads down to his arse who walks around in a red velvet tailcoat, I don't think he's homeless, just extremely eccentric. Then there's the guy who cycles around the centre blaring heavy metal from a stereo in his bike basket.

Cambridge folk are on odd breed though, if you get the late train from London it's not unusual, amongst the McDonalds and upper crust, to see an immaculately presented person break out a cheese board and wine with metal cutlery.

There was a guy in the university library that used to wear a suit that had been shredded. The university is pretty safe place to be bonkers.

Remember bike man well :)
 
Associate
Joined
11 Oct 2008
Posts
2,240
Location
Leicester
We used to have a random guy who became known as "Palph" around the Wigston / Glen Parva side of Leicester that you could guarantee you would spot literally everywhere around these parts any time of the day, he just seemed to be always walking everywhere everyday, complete with either shopping bags full to the brim or carrying an empty wheelbarrow... I used to spot him without fail several times a week when going to / from work.

He gained the name Palph as he used to always wear the same clothes, in particular a distinctive Ralph Lauren shirt that was so old, part of the "R" was worn away. Not much more was known about him but he soon became more popular after he went viral with thanks to his old Facebook group. A few people did go to the extent have taking random selfies with him a few years ago and he was reported as just being an ordinary guy, albeit it quiet.

Since moving away from the area and even driving through since I've yet to spot him and other people confirm he's just no where to be seen anymore.

Liam.
 
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Soldato
Joined
21 Nov 2004
Posts
2,825
I'm sure I've forgotten a few but central Cambridge has a gent with ginger dreads down to his arse who walks around in a red velvet tailcoat, I don't think he's homeless, just extremely eccentric. Then there's the guy who cycles around the centre blaring heavy metal from a stereo in his bike basket.

I've seen the guy on the bike a few times.

Also the guy in Cambridge who plays guitar sitting inside a public waste bin.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
2 Jul 2016
Posts
459
There was an old man in sunderland used to stand outside annabels in an old suit, drinking cider from a wine glass and would sing full pelt to the glass
was that the spectre ?

images
 
Associate
Joined
17 Mar 2009
Posts
443
In Bristol we have a cat called Molly that spends most of her time at the local tesco on one of the trolley seats, she has been there about 4 years, been on the news and has a facebook page.

There is also "man with shopping bags on a bike" as his facebook page is known. For about 3 years he would push his bike around with as many shopping bags as would fit on the handle bars. The bicycle had no chain for at least 2 years and the guy has a massive beard. I still see him occasionally but the chain is finally fixed. Nice chap, just quiet.

Heroin man. I am not sure if he has another name but he hangs around by the corner of our high street. He lived in a tent under a huge tree in the local church yard for 2 years. I think he has since been given a caravan on the local common. He was stealing all his mothers money to buy heroin, so much so that she had to sell her house. His mother visits the local church weekly and his stoop is pretty much opposite. He does this so he can berate her every time she arrives as if it is her fault that he is in that position now. nice chap!


Also I used to live in Bangor in North Wales and there was a guy there who I knew as "penny whistle man" who used to attempt to play this hideous screeching flute thing. He literally had no musical skills whatsoever but was very much a fixture. I had heard tales that he died of a drugs overdose but I occasionally still travel to that area for work and heard his dulcet tones still so he is still going.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Jul 2011
Posts
4,418
Location
Cambridgeshire
There was a guy in the university library that used to wear a suit that had been shredded. The university is pretty safe place to be bonkers.

Remember bike man well :)

I used to hang around with a girl who was in with a number of the tenured academics at the University. Suffice it to say, they may be incredibly intelligent but outside of the sanctuary of the Colleges they'd be dead within a week! Startling lack of common sense, life skills and social nous.
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
26,812
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
I used to hang around with a girl who was in with a number of the tenured academics at the University. Suffice it to say, they may be incredibly intelligent but outside of the sanctuary of the Colleges they'd be dead within a week! Startling lack of common sense, life skills and social nous.

It is very difficult to find both of those things in a person. We had a guy at school who A* everything without breaking a sweat but his common sense was non existent. Would love to see what he is doing now.
 
Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
2,149
Location
Cambridge
Cambridge folk, don't forget Disco Kenny!

Often frequenting the hostelries of Cambridge city centre, in his blue polo shirt, shorts and hat, exclaiming "World's gone mad, mate" and "Gotta laugh, gotta laugh" he's not quite the full ticket
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Mar 2011
Posts
5,418
Guildford has/had a bearded lady, not seen her in years though.

As soon as I saw the title this is what I thought of... Sorry to say though that there's a 99.9% chance she's popped her cloggs as the heyday of the Guildford bearded lady was probably like 2002ish and she was no spring chicken even back then... Did you ever see the website? In hindsight it was a all very mean-spirited but boy was it funny back in my college days! :D
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2003
Posts
5,259
I also haven't seen the bearded lady of Guildford in a while.

In Kingston we had Moses of Kingston. He was a pretty nice guy. If you spoke to him, he'd always tell you how handsome or beautiful you were and have a nice little chat. I think he used to wear union jack clothes or something like that, and in later years it was a tutu and he bowled around on a scooter. Poor guy died last year. There was always a rumour that he was super rich as he was orphaned and left a substantial amount of money.

https://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/...oses-after-death-of-beloved-community-figure/
Came in here because I remembered Moses. I live not too far away but haven't seen him for years, but went to Kingston College in the late 90's so we saw him all the time then. He used to wear diferent outfits, sometimes in full horse riding gear with a whip, other times as a country gent, and several others. RIP Moses.
 
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