Polish tramp dies in Wolverhampton.

postie 7 | 112

31 Oct 2007 / #1

I've just been reading about this on a different site, and thought it may be of some interest here.

A tramp, who lived on a traffic island for 40+ years, died last week. He is believed to have been a Polish man, who came to the UK after WW2.

The thing that intrigued me, is that the town he lived in, Wolverhampton, is looking at maybe renaming the place he lived after him. Or having some kind of memorial. Which I think is a touching tribute.

Here's a bit of comment from the Guardian website: guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2201341,00.html

A tramp who became an internet celebrity after living in the middle of a Wolverhampton ring road for more than 30 years has died.

Josef Stawinoga became a phenomenon when a group set up in his honour on the social networking website Facebook attracted thousands of members.

Police confirmed that the body of an 87-year-old man was found yesterday afternoon in a tent on the city's central reservation.

"The man is believed to have been living in the tent on the central reservation for many years," said a West Midlands police spokesman.

There's also a lot more about "Fred" here: bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/content/articles/2007/03/22/homeless_polish_feature.shtml

ShelleyS 14 | 2,893

31 Oct 2007 / #2

Wolverhampton, is looking at maybe renaming the place he lived after him. Or having some kind of memorial. Which I think is a touching tribute.

but he shouldnt have had to live and die like that in the first place, shame people didnt care more about him when he was alive!

Qacer 38 | 125

31 Oct 2007 / #3

What does a tramp mean in the UK?

In the US, calling someone a tramp is, somewhat, similar to a slut / *****, but I doubt if this fellow fits in this category.

ShelleyS 14 | 2,893

31 Oct 2007 / #4

What does a tramp mean in the UK?

It's a homeless person.

Grzegorz_ 51 | 6,148

31 Oct 2007 / #5

but he shouldnt have had to live and die like that in the first place

He was a weirdo, who wanted to live there.

Zeze 9 | 79

31 Oct 2007 / #6

Another Pole living rough !!!! No surprise there .....

Daisy 3 | 1,224

31 Oct 2007 / #7

He was a weirdo, who wanted to live there.

You don't know what psychological damage the war did to him to make him choose to live that way....his wife leaving him, was probably just one bad thing too many for him to cope with

Grzegorz_ 51 | 6,148

31 Oct 2007 / #8

Yes but my point is that he wanted to live like that.

AvJoeUK

31 Oct 2007 / #9

Reminds me of Mr Edmund Trebus from a life of Grime, R.I.P

guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,3604,805110,00.html

sapphire 22 | 1,241

31 Oct 2007 / #10

i was intrigued by this.. Ive been to Wolverhampton many times and have never seen or heard of him before. Mind you I dont have a car, so maybe I didnt go past his island. Anyway, by all accounts he was happy there, must have been if he stayed so long.

Daisy 3 | 1,224

31 Oct 2007 / #11

Yes but my point is that he wanted to live like that.

true, no one could make him change his way of life if he didn't want to

Reminds me of Mr Edmund Trebus from a life of Grime, R.I.P

I thought of him as well, they even did a special episode just about him

i think one of Mr Trebus best lines was when the health inspector showed him a dead rat laying in the garden and said "look you've got rats" he replied "don't start telling me about rats, even the queen of England has rats, why do you think she has a royal rat catcher"

Michal - | 1,865

31 Oct 2007 / #12

He was a weirdo, who wanted to live there.

Everybody who you do not know id weird. Why? It was his choice to live like that, end of story.

Soyabean - | 2

5 Nov 2007 / #13

Poor man

sapphire 22 | 1,241

5 Nov 2007 / #14

i have just come back from Wolverhampton and heard that he got a new tent and other essential supplies every few years from local well wishers. Also he got food taken to him 3 times a day and medical services etc... apparantly he never once gave a word of thanks. Dont know if he spoke English, but sounds like he had it pretty good compared to most homeless people, no wonder he stayed there so long.

osiol 55 | 3,921

5 Nov 2007 / #15

My old local tramp-who-probably-didn't-need-to-live-like-a-tramp eventually got a pub named after him.
That's possibly better than a traffic island / pedestrian refuge. Unless he was a teetotaller

wildrover 98 | 4,438

5 Nov 2007 / #16

Winter is coming...if there is a local tramp near you , why not take em a cup of coffee and a sandwich......Even if they don,t thank you , you will feel better.....

bluebird - | 36

26 Oct 2008 / #17

It is strange, but some people want to live like that.

They are not all 'lost souls' though. Many have worked hard to get addicted to drugs and crime. Bad people.

That is why I never give to beggars. Not that I think that this guy ever did beg. He seemed too proud.

And 87 too!

Living in a tent, inhailing traffic fumes on a roundabout.

For forty years.

Blimey!!!