I have heard talk about Sheffield Characters from bygone days. I wondered where the current characters are.

We have one in Crookes, an elderly gentleman that dresses as Elvis in white shoes, white trousers, and a white top with rhinestones in it. He always wears sunglasses. I would imagine he is in his 70s. Occasionally he is seen with a partner that dresses like Tina Turner.

Do you have any in your area?

when i lived in pitsmoor around 94-95 there was a guy who had a really big head ( think of the film coneheads) best character in the area was terry a big black guy who played the blues was often seen busking on fargate with his big dog top bloke:thumbsup:

Thanx for that, I remember Terry, used to drink in The Staffordshire Arms. He used to play outside Marks and Spencers. I had forgotten all about him. Top banana

terry was a top bloke sadly hes no longer with us but man he knew how to play the blues:thumbsup:

I know the bloke who thinks he is Elvis!
She will kill me for saying, but he is actually my girlfriend's uncle.

Anybody remember Mighty Melvin the male Go Go dancer? I remember him at the Mucky Duck and he once did a performance at the Durham Ox for the landlady's birthday. I recall a jif lemon that he sometimes used as a prop.

Originally posted by panda79
terry was a top bloke sadly hes no longer with us but man he knew how to play the blues:thumbsup:
always used to sing My Dingaling,used to come in pitsmore hotel:clap:

What about the guy who rides around on his bike wearing nothing but a thong, but actually looks naked?

The first time I saw him I was in my office in a meeting and I was the only one facing the window, hence the only one to see him peddling up the Parkway. I was so surprised I couldn't get the words 'Quick, look at the naked man peddling up the road' out! By the time I managed to explain the look on my face he'd gone past and nobody believed me........

Imagine the gravel rash if he falls off.....

Does anyone know what happened to the 'hat' lady. I used to see her along Ecclesall Road. She always looked to have lots of hats on.

How about the youngish lad (20 ish) who used to spin around at every lampost (Seen on Division St).

Tha hat lady came into my school once (Sheffield High school - yes, I know...) and she claimed to be a former pupil. She spoke with a posh accent and the headmisstress gave her a guided tour of the place.
Not seen her for a while.

Originally posted by roughy101
always used to sing My Dingaling,used to come in pitsmore hotel:clap:

Ah yes, My Ding A Ling. Chuck Berry's finest hour and his only UK number one. I bet blues purists used to come from miles around to hear Terry perfom that.

The blues as performed by Benny Hill, perhaps? ;)

anyone remember the mirror man. he was a homeless man who had some kind of personality problems. he used to stand in shop doorways and have conversations with his reflection. it was rather strange to observe but at times it was highly amusing. he used to beg in rotherham but didnt do too well on the money front so he moved to sheffield. i have not seen him for ages.

Originally posted by wayne2440
anyone remember the mirror man.

I saw him last year in Darnall and also in a pub on Attercliffe. That mirror certainly ensures he has always got somebody to talk to.

Originally posted by roughy101
always used to sing My Dingaling,used to come in pitsmore hotel:clap:

I'm sure I remember this guy from a few years ago? Did he have a kind of straw hat on when he was playing?

Originally posted by Olive
What about the guy who rides around on his bike wearing nothing but a thong, but actually looks naked?

The first time I saw him I was in my office in a meeting and I was the only one facing the window, hence the only one to see him peddling up the Parkway. I was so surprised I couldn't get the words 'Quick, look at the naked man peddling up the road' out! By the time I managed to explain the look on my face he'd gone past and nobody believed me........

Imagine the gravel rash if he falls off.....

I saw this guy too; it would have been the summer of 2001 or 2002, and I was so surprised when I saw him. I seem to remember he was quite a chubby guy, maybe in his forties.

Thanks Olive for mentioning this; nobody else I asked had ever seen him, and I was starting to think I had imagined him!

Anybody remember Councillor Philip Moscrop (Labour Cllr for Nethershire 70/80's)?

He was barking. A scouser, who used to talk in riddles. He used to have the public gallery, not to mention the councillors in stitches with his rantings.

Stephen McClarence used to compose his coverage of the monthly Council Meetings around the Moscropisms spouted that day. :hihi:

there used to be a guy in the 90s who used to walk up and down the city with a sandwich board advertising glenmill carpets he was a deadringer for harold shipman:)

Just remembered, as a kid I used to pass by a bloke in an afternoon who used to hang around outside Lily's Pork Shop on Penistone Road. He always had a bag under his arm, and I never saw him arrive or leave; perhaps he was always there?

Anyway he would always say hello, and a couple of times he attempted a bit more conversation, but I could never tell what he said. Poor old fella. I suspect he was a previous resident of Middlewod Hospital, but apologies if he wasn't, and he was someone on here's Dad!

Originally posted by wayne2440
anyone remember the mirror man. he was a homeless man who had some kind of personality problems. he used to stand in shop doorways and have conversations with his reflection. it was rather strange to observe but at times it was highly amusing. he used to beg in rotherham but didnt do too well on the money front so he moved to sheffield. i have not seen him for ages.

Was this the guy who inspired the Human Leagues song "Mirror Man" ?

what about Harmonica man? hes quite old and small, and is often found on the 25A and 76 bus, claiming it goes to tipperary! if kids laugh at him he just plays his harmonica at em, i think theyre slightly disturbed by him! he also cycles everywhere and tries to sell random broken things he's found. he once tried to sell me a broken CD for 20 quid!

he also talks to everyone, sometimes he seems reasonably normal though.

There is a man who hangs around the Eccy Road area who me and my boyfriend refer to as "the man with no head". This is because he wears loads of clothes and tucks his head right down into his jacket, so much so that when we first saw him we had to double take. Think he is homeless, he always leaves his stuff on the bus stops of Eccy Road and just seems to wander around. One time he went psycho at my housemate for staring at him :help:

Originally posted by Lucy_Smith
There is a man who hangs around the Eccy Road area who me and my boyfriend refer to as "the man with no head". This is because he wears loads of clothes and tucks his head right down into his jacket, so much so that when we first saw him we had to double take. Think he is homeless, he always leaves his stuff on the bus stops of Eccy Road and just seems to wander around. One time he went psycho at my housemate for staring at him :help:

I don't think he's homeless just very lazy. I wonder why no one ever steals his stuff:gag: ?

Originally posted by Mo
Anybody remember Councillor Philip Moscrop (Labour Cllr for Nethershire 70/80's)?

He was barking. A scouser, who used to talk in riddles. He used to have the public gallery, not to mention the councillors in stitches with his rantings.

Stephen McClarence used to compose his coverage of the monthly Council Meetings around the Moscropisms spouted that day. :hihi:

Come on you Labourites, I can't believe that you don't remember Moscrop or is it that you don't want to be reminded of him :D

Originally posted by NicolaE
what about Harmonica man? hes quite old and small, and is often found on the 25A and 76 bus, claiming it goes to tipperary! if kids laugh at him he just plays his harmonica at em, i think theyre slightly disturbed by him! he also cycles everywhere and tries to sell random broken things he's found. he once tried to sell me a broken CD for 20 quid!

he also talks to everyone, sometimes he seems reasonably normal though.

He's hilarious! My friends and I were once stood outside the Crucible and he asked us why we were there, so we told him we were waiting for a boyband, Dside, so he started playing I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside. One of my friends had rather pointy shoes on and he said "Look at those for winklepickers!" and protected 'himself'. He said loads of other stuff and by the time he left I had tears streaming down my face in laughter. He's ace!


I've also encounted "Sheffield's Friendliest Tramp". He managed to stop my friends and I as we were walking around Arundle Gate and said "Sorry to bother you, but I'm the friendliest tramp in Sheffield and it doesn't matter if you can't help, but I was wondering if you had some money so I could buy a cup of tea." We were genuinely skint ourselve so said sorry, no. As we walked away he shouted "F*** you then!". If he's the friendliest tramp, then I hope I don't encounter the others!
I've seen him accost others in the street and tell them the same story since.

Originally posted by gemma86
He's hilarious! My friends and I were once stood outside the Crucible and he asked us why we were there, so we told him we were waiting for a boyband, Dside, so he started playing I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside. One of my friends had rather pointy shoes on and he said "Look at those for winklepickers!" and protected 'himself'. He said loads of other stuff and by the time he left I had tears streaming down my face in laughter. He's ace!


I've also encounted "Sheffield's Friendliest Tramp". He managed to stop my friends and I as we were walking around Arundle Gate and said "Sorry to bother you, but I'm the friendliest tramp in Sheffield and it doesn't matter if you can't help, but I was wondering if you had some money so I could buy a cup of tea." We were genuinely skint ourselve so said sorry, no. As we walked away he shouted "F*** you then!". If he's the friendliest tramp, then I hope I don't encounter the others!
I've seen him accost others in the street and tell them the same story since.

Mr harmonica is hilarious yes but my god he's annoying on one of the first buses to leave Lowedges in a morning! Imagine, still half asleep and you've got to listen to him playing his harmonica and stopping every now and then to sing lol bless him!

There's a thread somewhere on here which mentions the friendliest tramp in Sheffield had sorted himself out and now had a job and somewhere to live!

Who is the guy, often seen at the bottom of Fargate, who wears one those biblical placards ('Jesus Saves' or similar)? I've often seen him around.

Originally posted by redrobbo
Who is the guy, often seen at the bottom of Fargate, who wears one those biblical placards ('Jesus Saves' or similar)? I've often seen him around.

Is he the old guy with a voice that sounds like something from Wallace and Grommitt?

Originally posted by Kristian
I saw this guy too; it would have been the summer of 2001 or 2002, and I was so surprised when I saw him. I seem to remember he was quite a chubby guy, maybe in his forties.

Thanks Olive for mentioning this; nobody else I asked had ever seen him, and I was starting to think I had imagined him!

Yes.\ I remember this man. I used to see him on West Street a lot a couple of years ago.

Does any-one know who I mean by 'The Crying Woman'? Often seen striding down division street, wailing at top pitch, sometimes in bare feet, sometimes with stripey pop socks on?

Originally posted by Kristian
Is he the old guy with a voice that sounds like something from Wallace and Grommitt?

Don't know. Never spoke to him. Don't wish to save with him as I'm with the Co-operative bank.

Heres one for the real oldies on the forum

Can you remember the Duke of Darnall

Originally posted by Kristian
Just remembered, as a kid I used to pass by a bloke in an afternoon who used to hang around outside Lily's Pork Shop on Penistone Road. He always had a bag under his arm, and I never saw him arrive or leave; perhaps he was always there?



Did he have ginger hair? If so it's Ken the Battery Man!! He's been around Hillsborough for years (since I was a kid anyway!) and still walks round with his bag tucked under his arm. The bag was usually full of batteries for some strange reason, hence the name.

There's also Walter who is pretty harmless and gives conkers and paper planes to kids in the park. He's an ex Middlewood resident. We were always warned about him but he's harmless and never hurt anyone as far as I know.

Another character who is often seen in town is Dancing John. Wherever someone is busking/playing music he is there. He dances and 'conducts', waving his arms around and smiling like a happy thing! The thing is, he really is happy and thoroughly enjoys himself. He usually is smartly dressed and often has a carrier bag with his sandwiches in it!