Bermondsey Characters and Eccentrics

Hi Phil

I replied to a question about Arky in another thread...can't remember which thread!...but I remember Arky! He was a good sketch artist.
He used to go in the Greg...Gregorian Arms...in Jamaica Road and ask the locals if he could ''draw their photograph'' and in return they would buy him a pint or two!
I also remember a man called Cheesy. He lived on the Bethel Estate in Tooley Street and he was an old war veteran who suffered from shell shock. If there was a load of us kids outside making a noise he'd come out of his flat holding his ears and screaming and we'd calm him down and tell him it was ok it was just us playing.
I'm wondering if the guy you call Victor is the same guy we kids used to call Billy Boy.
Billy Boy used to go around with an old cart or pram loaded with stuff and he used to sell it.
If he saw us he would shout out ''hello hello''.

Lesley

I almost forgot Wally and Minnie Mooch. who always gave chase if you shouted out to them!!
If I am not mistaken they lived in some form of mobile home/Caravan behind The Lil pub around the corner in Abbey Street

Phil (Bermondsey Beat)

Hello Phil.
in the late 50s early 60s me and my mates from Catlin Street and environs would spend all day up at Southwark Park playing football and generally larking around. Our favourite spot was by the entrance to the park by the church at the Raymouth Road end of the park.
There was a drinking fountain just behind our football 'pitch'.

Nearly every day we'd see a bloke on a bike ride past and he would bleat at us like a sheep. Of course we would  run beside him as close as we dared and bleat back at him! We nick named him The Maa Man, after his funny bleating sound. I remember he always wore a funny beat up cheesecutter.
Of course if he stopped his bike we would all run away, but when he started up again, off we'd go bleating at him!
Doees any one remember him?

Bobby.

If I am not mistaken they lived in some form of mobile home/Caravan behind The Lil pub around the corner in Abbey Street

-bermondseybeat

Hello Fogbain,

It would have been early/mid 70's. If you came out of The Lil, turned right, then right again into Abbey street, it was on your right inbetween the Chursh mission building and the grassed area outside Darnay House. It was more of a shack than a caravan, to be honest.

Phil.

That's the only place I thought it could have been. The date might explain why I don't remember it (and I think I probably would have done) - I moved away in July 1972. The plot to which you refer - on the opposite side of Abbey Street to Christ Church - I have always been led to believe had been a printing works (before our time) and I presume suffered bomb damage. It had been a substantial building pre-war - three or four storeys.

hi phil  yes i remember victor gardener lived in southwark park road opposite the turks head pub which is no longer there he had lots of brothers and sisters he used to sleep under the stairs on straw as rumor has it he used to collect rags and newspapers as well  he took all the rags and paper to the rag shop opposite the solarium he quite often popped in to where i lived in ash house where my mother used to give him biscuits and he would repay her by spitting at her

Here's a short clip of Victor, as always larking about in a local Cafe.

Phil

I've just looked at the video clip Phil.

Victor is definitely the guy we kids used to call Billy Boy!

Arky Barham went to school with my father in law at Tower Bridge .  apparently he was a  fearless fighter at school and fearless during the  2nd world war. He was in a submarine  that took a hit. They managed to get it into port  but he was never the same again.  The locals who knew his story  would happily  buy  Arky a pint  when he came into the  Marquis of Wellington  in Druid Street.    

Brought back a few memories seeing Victor i used to work with  his brother Reg we both worked at Martin Rice good to see Victor is still going strong use to feel sorry for him