Monday 10 September 2012

Metro Tramp RIP?

Inside story of the death of Tyneside's most famous homeless man ...
Metro Tramp; alias Town Tramp; alias Homeless Jimmy; alias Homeless Tony; alias Arthur the Tramp; alias Albert Dodds; alias Dave; alias Harry the Hairy Hobo.

Rumour has it that he was a doctor at the Freeman (or the RVI) who had a breakdown after his marriage fell apart - or after his father committed suicide.  You choose.

Jim and I rode the rails with him on many a night.

Allegedly found dead in Asda car park in Benton, one of the places he used to bed down for the night, in late July or early August.  He also favoured  the Rising Sun Countryside Park, which is where I suspect he was headed, via Palmersville Metro, when Jim and I used to see him on Friday evenings.

I haven't seen anything in the Evening Chronicle, but - providing it's true - that's probably no surprise to anyone who's read it lately...

7 comments:

  1. He was never quite the same after I gave him some tips on fashion. Here's hoping he's still with us.

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  2. I spoke to him once I was surprised at how clean he smelled. I always wondered how he ended up as a tramp but didn't dare to ask. It's very sad.

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  3. I'm in the fire service and met him a lot in the 90s he was very well spoken so the Doctor theory may well be right, a true character I hope he found peace

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  4. this cant be Albert Dodds the famous city center tramp. I'm sure he spent his last few years in a home on Scrogg road so probably not. If it is though he was never a Doctor. he was a hod carrier on the building sites before he took badly to the drink and ended up on the street. As a young un he could be seen drinking in the Jazz club on forth banks. he was a fan of all the old trad jazz stuff. I cannot imagine the one your all talking about being Albert Dodds.

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  5. We later found out his real name was Euan McLachlan.

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  6. See: https://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.com/2013/06/euan-mclachlan-rip.html

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