Sunday, May 21, 2006

Swanage characters?

If nothing else, Swanage has had its fair share of Characters.

My earliest memory of one of those characters, was Mr Streeter. He lived just above the Langton post office, circa 1935/6. His main claim to eccentricity, was that he walked everywhere wrapped in a large union jack. I do recall that the local village housewives made a dinner up for him at times. (Typical village look after each other)
Can anyone shed any light on Mt Streeter? Or come to that, any of the other eccentrics that brightened our lives here in Swanage?
Brian Guy.

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Posted by Anonymous to swanage view at 5/21/2006 10:55:00 AM

7 comments:

Postman2 said...

I should like you to remember the wonderful tobacconist in the Square and the gentleman and his wife who ran it -Mr. Bick.

Anonymous said...

Very much so Nick. I used to buy my pipe tobacco from Bicks. Nice gentleman he weighed out the Saint Bruno flake from a large jar, always fresh and just right. That was when everyone smoked….Long gone!

Just one of many folk that graced our town. How many others have sailed through like ships in the night. Only to be remembered and recalled when someone mentions their name.

Rather like Sid Marsh and the crew that used to sit and yarn on the quay. I always hired boat number eight from Sid, when I could get in an hours fishing of Phippards ledge.
Brian

Anonymous said...

Who was it who in the 1950s was often to be seen wearing tropical kit and handing out biblical pamphlets to anyone who would take them? Safari jacket and khaki shorts for certain and possibly a pith helmet to keep the rain off.

Anonymous said...

Did the character also have a curly beard that was rumoured to cover a scar where he had tried to cut his throat.

Anonymous said...

That sounds wonderful! Though I cannot recall that Gentleman, mainly because I worked outside the area during the day.

Something I missed.
Brian

Anonymous said...

That gent with the beard? I recall him, though that is going back a bit. He was known locally as "Beardy" Though as far as I know hiis name was "Edwin"???

Very eccentric, hung around station road a lot, Used to jump in the air and scare the local women.
Entirely harmless, and reputed to have been a well educated man. I do recall that his beard caught fire in the Purbeck Hotel (Pub) I also recall that someone put it out with a pint of beer.

Sadly, nature decrees that there should be such unfortunate people.

I just felt very sorry for him, for he did not have much of a life.
Brian

Anonymous said...

Brain one of my relatives used to take mr streeter a sunday roast he used to give them a penny, the kids were frightened of him because of the union flag and his beard, he used to live a couple of doors up from the post office the little house that sticks out.