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BandyCoot #344665 25th Aug 2009 12:20pm
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Does anyone remember the old dear used to play the accordion in Grange Road and the precinct. I say play, there was never any tune that I ever recognised.


Birkenhead........ God's own Room 101.
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BandyCoot #344687 25th Aug 2009 1:17pm
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Let's just face it..The Wirral has its fair share of odd balls!!

...and most of them find there way to Wiki Wirral!!

Last edited by PaulWirral; 25th Aug 2009 1:18pm.
#344690 25th Aug 2009 1:31pm
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Yeah, I've got one lower than the other too.


Birkenhead........ God's own Room 101.
BandyCoot #344691 25th Aug 2009 1:35pm
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Originally Posted by BandyCoot
Yeah, I've got one lower than the other too.


It took me a moment but...yes...I got it!! raftl

BandyCoot #344692 25th Aug 2009 1:36pm
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Does anyone remember Abba. We called him that because that is all the poor bloke could say. I think he was deaf mute. Even as a kid I felt sorry for him. He was tall and thin and wore a flat 'at a union shirt, little scarf and an old sports jacket. He also used to run some of the laundry packages from the Falcon Laundry for someone. Probably his way of getting a few bob. He was very well know in the Duke Street area.


Birkenhead........ God's own Room 101.
spider #344867 26th Aug 2009 11:30am
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Who remembers Charlie Pepper? Used to hang around Cleveland Steet, and elswhere probably. Big fat fellah, used to say to kids, "Shake Hands" and crush your hand. It used to be a "dare" for us to touch his hand and then get away quick, if you mis timed it you got crushed. I think he used to pull you in close too so was probably a paedo really. We didn't know about those things then.


Birkenhead........ God's own Room 101.
spider #344869 26th Aug 2009 11:32am
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aye!


Birkenhead........ God's own Room 101.
BandyCoot #344943 26th Aug 2009 3:15pm
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We used to have a fella called ginger williams in neston (don't know why he was called ginger because as long as i knew him he was as bald as a coot)he used to run a car scrapyard up raby road but in later years he specialised in selling vans that you could have in any colour as long as it was white because he used to respray all the vans he sold in cheap gloss paint
We also had a local gentleman tramp called maxi grant who used to walk round neston 12 months of the year in a pair of old wellies,he would sleep at night on any bench available in neston even though he had a flat.In his youth he was an acclaimed architect and drew the plans up for a few of the houses on the main route, liverpool road (the ones on the left) as you head into neston

Snodvan #344993 26th Aug 2009 4:59pm
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Originally Posted by Snodvan
Most of our forum concentrates on places/ buildings but probably we all also remember some of the local characters, and perhaps it would be worthwhile to start a thread in which we recount our memories of them and their activities.

Does anyone remember Elai from Birkenhead market?

I remember him from the OLD market. He had quite a big area in the corner (can’t say which corner because I was less than 10 at the time). He used to “auction” stuff off to quite big crowds. He would start by pulling some items out of a box – crockery, teapots, clothing, rugs – anything, and then give a price. With a constant stream of patter he would bring the price down and down until up would go the cry from someone “ Er y’ar Elai” and then one of his lads would find the person, take the money and pass over the goods.

Elai could keep up this constant patter for hours. I remember going with my mum, guess around the early 1950s, when she had saved up a few bob to be able to go looking for something for the house or for Christmas.

I think Elai or some successor moved to the new market after the old one was destroyed. Did he move to where the flower seller is by the crossing through to TJs?

Especially I remember that my Nan bought a chemistry set for me from Elai. Little tubes of coloured crystals and a set of word/ picture instructions. I played with it for hours until all the chemicals were used up. I was then always asking for another (bigger) set for birthday or Christmas. Eventually I took a degree and masters in Chemistry and was a chemical technologist all my working life.

Snod
i seem to remember Eli in the old market!
did'nt he juggle plates but they never broke? i remember him having a corner in the market,
i remember going there with mum and dad and hearing all the banter from him and juggling those dishes!! i always thought they were going to smash but they never did!!!!

chris7777 #345001 26th Aug 2009 5:20pm
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Eli may well have juggled plates but the best ones for doing that were the lads on the outside stalls.


God help us,
Come yourself,
Don't send Jesus,
This is no place for children.


Bertieone.
kimpri #345005 26th Aug 2009 5:31pm
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still around i think his name close hand cliff brill at card tricks always wears a hat not seen him in ages .

#345464 28th Aug 2009 1:22pm
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Originally Posted by PaulWirral
What about the Birkenhead Tranny..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op7XIb28s_I


Seen this guy all over Wirral - always on the old fashined bike - never walking or on the bus or that...!

Quite often in Heswall and Moreton as well.
BTW - he's about 6"2' with hands like hams - so don't hassle him just in case!.

Good luck to him

bigpete #345471 28th Aug 2009 1:37pm
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with a chin like Desperate Dan brave chappie/chappess lives in the Northend

anyone remember Jack I think he was an ex policeman who always wore a long overcoat and flat cap
He used to lock up the swings off Oliver Street and Camden Street at night time
Can't remember but did someone used to go round lighting street gaslights

Last edited by derekdwc; 28th Aug 2009 1:50pm.
nestonlad #345549 28th Aug 2009 7:12pm
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Nestonlad,

I remember delivering bread to Arthur Williams & his mother at his scrap yard, when I worked for the Coop & having to shove his extremely greasy Alsation out of the way to get into the bungalow. Arthur used to drink in the Wheatsheaf.

Tatey #345612 29th Aug 2009 9:52am
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There used to be a bloke whom we called 'smiddy' who lived in a street behind Landowne road in the 90's, it was an empty 2 up 2 down but rumour was like quite a few homeless he quite a bit of money and a good family. I heard he had stripped his jaguar car when his wife died and used the car seats inside the house as couches, the only way I could describe him as a spitting image of Greengrass out of heartbeat, and he was a hell of a runner considering his build.

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