Anyone remember Tommy Sos the taxi Driver from Chapel Street Station always wore Bold Check Caps. With todays laws he'd have never left the Rank. He used to drink in The Railway and the refreshment Rooms on the station.
There was the Tramp Charlie he used to sell Lancashire Evening Post on Burtons corner.
Wilf Birkett the old Southport Goalkeeper, deaf as a post that he used to shout at people and insist there was nowt wrong.
Little Tommy in the Trilby Hat in his little Amusement Arcade.

abenis, Do you remember George pictured below? He sold many papers on the corner of Lord St outside the bank what is now Waterstones

Yes I used to go and stamp the updates of racing on his papers
Be about 1951 to 1953. His mate was Jack Fairclough (or Calclough)

Anyone remember Pigeon Annie aka "Necker" who used feed then neck the pigeons outside the town hall?
Phil

I remember Necker used to be sat by the ground between Woolies and Lord Street Phil.
Do you think she really necked the pidgeons? I used to watch but never see this happen, but then again I think she knew when being watched I think.

Nell

A well Known Character in my younger days was Enoch the paper seller....He used to pick up all the discarded fag-ends around town and put em in is pocket.A familiar figure ..he was slight of stature ,always wore is cloth cap at a jaunty angle..carried his papers under his arm and I don't think anyone could translate his shout....but he sold a lot of papers.

Ged
His smoking habit was free! I recall he sold Manchester Evening News
Abenis

Early1950s...Does anyone remember the well-dressed lady who used to walk up and down Lord Street chatting to the bus drivers.?.She often walked along in the middle of the road going from one bus to the next....Thought to be rather eccentric but the bus drivers seemed to tolerate her attention quite well.

Hi Ged
I think the woman you refer to was the lady friend of Les Johnson.
She lived Lulworth Rd Area and was an alcoholic, drank all day in the Brick and was one of the few lady members of Norman Gregory Drinking Club was situated in the Passageway immediately before Nat Prov Bank.
abenis

Thanks Abenis......She certainly seemed to have a thing about bus drivers !......Les must have been quite a tolerant character...llol

Remember the "Purple Lady" who used to be seen dashing up and down Chapel Street every day? No-one I know ever got to see her face. I think she sometimes had a small dog with her too.

That was Ethel I knew her sister Iris who died a few montha ago,
lovely lady was Iris she will always be in my thoughts.

Nell

As far as I know Ethel (the purple Lady) never hid her face.... although she was usually looking at the floor there was not attempt to hide.

I believe she had a particularly unpleasant incident in her life when she was young, which affected her for the rest of her life.

She did have a dog at one time, however after the dog died Ethel dragged the empty lead around for years.

There have probably been more threads on the internet about the Purple Lady and other characters than anything else.

What years would this be?

Right through the Seventies as I recall.

Apologies if I have repeated old threads, but I am new here, and have not yet managed to read back through all the threads.

Pajeroman
After my time this character. I was thinking it was the old woman that lived at 67 Tulketh St (next door to Fire Station) She always took a imaginery dog and cat for a walk but late at night. That was in the 50's
abenis

The 1940s was an era of beauty queen contests in Southport and other resorts...Politically incorrect today...I particularly remember one young lady from Southport in that era Miss Veronica Carver who seemed to win many of them.....Her picture was often featured in the Visiter ..I wonder what became of her?

I well remember the Beauty Contests that took place at The Open Air Swimming Pool weather permitting (Cambridge or floral Halls alternative venues) With the contests came a Swimming Display and Gymnastics, The first time I ever saw Paralell Bars & Uneven Bars. The name I remember is Barbara Marshall. cannot recall Veronica
abenis

I remember these displays were a daily feature during the Summer months at the open air pool...A couple would dive in off the top board and swim in coordination to the centre island accompanied by the song'Come dance with me'....sung by Tony Martin I think..Other divers would put on acrobatic diving displays off the top board at the same time.....Fountains would appear in the centre of the lake...The show would last for half an hour or so....

You are absolutely right. How easily we were entertained in those days.
There was a Character that used to spend his time at the Colonade Roller Skating site on way to pool can anyone recall this guy?
abenis

Sea Bathing Lake



Early Pier Head



Promenade by Night

A charactor of years gone by, back in the sixties on a Sunday afternoon we used to hang out at Sissons cafe on Lord Street, there was a lady who used to order a coffee - she would sit there for ages, producing fruit from her handbag and eating it when staff were not looking.

She was dressed in black.

Ped
Once again thanks for the great pictures.

Jason
I recall the name Sissons but for the life of me I do not recall where it was situated. The place we frequented on Lord St was Jolley's that was where the overflow from the El Cabala went.

Abenis

Anyone recall Billy Bevan ?
He was the leader of "Billy Bevan's Dance Band" during the
1940s. 'Used to be very popular and successful for a decade,
at the Floral Hall and Sunday afternoon bandshows at the Scala.
'Seemed to have hit a bad batch, though, and opened a barber
shop on Union Street. I always had my hair cut by him or his son, both of whom wore white coats with a pocket crest of a saxophone and the letters "BBB."

I certainly recall Billy Bevan but as t he band that played at The Cambridge Hall, occasionally at the Floral. Mick Faber Band was standard fare at Floral from 1954. I only recall Bill Gregson Band at the Scala. His baber Shop was close to the Guest House and great Mens Outfitters
abenis

JASON~If you where in Sissons in the sixties, did you have a Scooter ?

Chas King,,
Yes I did have a scooter in the mid-sixties. But when I visited Sissons on a Sunday afternoon I was driving a car - quite often would meet friends and head over the road to the Odeon.

So which bit of the West Mids you in oor kid?

I remember the woman who would hang around the monument when i was young ,we always knew her as purple Annie and she always had most of her face covered up

The Lady who was named "The Purple Lady" was Ethel,she was the sister of my friend Iris who died last year,they both were very gentle people I am proud to have met them both,they will always be in my thoughts.

Nell