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    • CommentAuthorJenowl
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010 edited
     
    There is a man who walks and shouts around Stroud Green every day. He walks purposefully and passes our flat several times a day. We also see him on SGR but always just walking, never stationary. He shouts (I think it's swearing but can't always make out his words) when the street is quiet - the fewer people in the street, the louder he shouts. Does anyone know this man, where he is going, or why he shouts?
    • CommentAuthorgodzilla
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     
    Is it the guy who's about late-forties, afro, beard? About 6ft 2? If it's him, he lives on Upper Tollington. Has something to say about Margaret Thatcher and ladies mimsies everytime I overhear him.

    Unless it's the 'Arsenal' man, though I think he's more vocal down around Gillespie Road.
    • CommentAuthorSutent
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     
    The man with the afro and beard lives on my road. Which is birnam road off tollington park. He goes out twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon about 3pm. He is quite scary when he shouts in your face. I think he has delusional thoughts
  1.  
    There are loads of eccentrics who take the air on SGR and if it wasn't an invasion of privacy I would love to photograph and catalogue them all. And find out their stories.

    One of our favourites in this house is the Umbrella Man who often walks past my window (short, plump, black, takes a stubby brolly with him in all circumstances....lives on my street.) And what of the Cowboy Guy (stetson type hat, Colonel Sanders beard and moustaches, boots etc) who is sometimes to be seen?

    I love 'em all!
    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     
    That's the 'Walking up and Down Man', as my neighbours and I refer to him! I live on UTP and one day when I was off work doing my garden I counted him pass by 6 times in an afternoon. I was having a fag out the front once when he was walking past shouting and he started to walk over to me. I was getting a bit scared when suddenly he stopped shouting and asked me rather politely if he could have a cigarette. I gave him one, and from that day, if he ever sees me in the street he always gives me a smile or a nod and says good afternoon or whatever. He sometimes asks me for a fag but I just tell him I haven't got any and he goes noisily about his business. I think he is obviously a bit ill, but there's no reason to be scared of him, at least in my experience.
    • CommentAuthortosscat
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010 edited
     

    Is he Opal Eye?

    I think he's rather a savant.

    • CommentAuthorAli
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     

    Cowboy man hangs out in the WLM if it is the same person apparently he was Chess Champion at Pentonville the last time he was in !

  2.  
    Cowboy man apparently is from Montana or some such real cowboy territory if it's the same chap I'm thinking of - and there surely can't be two cowboys in SG.
    • CommentAuthorJaneDoe
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2010
     
    The man from Birnham Road often shouts at my other half about The Beatles and admonishes him for his choice of hairstyle. He always looks very smart when doing his rounds.
    • CommentAuthorJenowl
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2010
     
    I don't think it's the same one, as this one definitely isn't smart. He always wears a black leather coat and a scruffy T-shirt and jeans. He does sound like Graeme's description though. He strides with a limp.
    I haven't seen the cowboy or the umbrella man.
  3.  
    Cowboy man is usually to be seen on SGR on a Saturday afternoon. You absolutely can't miss him as he is one of the most flamboyantly dressed people on the street -against the admittedly not very stiff competition of people in generic dark coloured leisure wear and denim.
    • CommentAuthorSutent
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2010
     
    The shouting man from Brianm road was in the dentist waiting room today on Hornsey Road. Lucky I wasnt waitinf with him
  4.  
    Shouty man - leather jacket, balding afro.. yeah I know the one. I call him Leonard (not his real name, don't know what his real name is really).

    I've seen him on more than one ocassion rolling a rather large spliff.

    Always shouts at the dog when I'm walking past him, never at me directly, what's the dog got that I haven't?
  5.  
    Oh.. does anyone know the bloke who usually hangs around Testhe co and café early in the mornings - about 6 foot tall, glasses like the bottoms from milk bottles?
    • CommentAuthorkatiejane
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2010
     
    Not personally, but he sounds like the one who told my husband that I was a catch and to take good care of me.
  6.  
    Are you a fish? If so, pacific or bottom feeder?
  7.  
    How have I never seen Cowboy Man or Afro Man after 11 years in Stroud Green?

    There is another shouting man (Shouty Shouty), who lived on Shaftesbury Road when I lived there 1999-2006. Tall, asian, walks fast, shouts about his passport. Plus a very round shouting woman (What Time Is It?!), but she's usually genuinely asking the time albeit loudly and to nobody in particular, Shouty Shouty has mental health problems.

    Plus, we have Walking Up and Down Man & Walking Up and Down Woman along Corbyn/Thorpdale/Eveshot.

    He: Dark glasses, white curly long hair, Barbour, stick, boots, can of Guinness, walks very slowly.

    She: Short white hair, thin, tightly tied beige mac (no evidence of clothing underneath), sandals or wellies dependent on weather, brolly, charges along at a right old pace, either empty handed (on the way to the shop?) or can of cider in a paper bag (coming back from the shop?)

    Both are silent.
    • CommentAuthortaff bach
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2010
     

    What about white curley haired burnt out acid man who walks around with a can of larger, wears dark glasses and oversized boots. He looks interesting and might be worth a Blue Plaque. Too tall to be Ho Chi Min though.

    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2010
     
    Has anyone seen the white-haired lady with the black, rancid feet who sits outside one of the caffs?

    She always wears sandals, even in the snow, and you could grow potatoes in her tonails.
    • CommentAuthorADGS
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2010
     
    I miss the crying lady who had always allegedly forgotten her bus fare. Well, I say 'miss'...
  8.  
    The lady with the feet - I saw her in the post office and she was very sweet, and I went home and cried because of the state of her feet (and the smell).

    I rather admire the UTP walking up and down man's exercise regime.
    • CommentAuthorFour Eyes
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    I'm getting sick of scary shouting man. Almost every time I leave my house on UTP he's striding down the street shouting obscenities. Last night he called me a c*** when I was putting out the rubbish. I wish he'd walk a bit further down to St Anne's and get himself sectioned.
    • CommentAuthorwoolly
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    I'm enjoying this roll call of local alterna-slebs. Here are some of my faves.

    The Spinster - Mysterious tall governess-like throwback to the C19th, tightly furled umbrella, strict look in her eye, tiny waist. Actually I spoke to her once and told her I thought she looked amazing. She runs a photo archive and collects corsets. Once spotted in the Hip Hop section of HMV Oxford St. Super star of Tollington Park area in my eyes.

    Lean - long grey haired asian woman who wears navy slacks about 3 inches too short, and leans over to one side as she walks, slowly.

    Mole Man - 50 or 60ish, always walks in the road, even if he has to go around cars. When accompanied can sometime bear to be on the pavement a while but usually ends up back in the road. Sometimes appears in a string vest.

    Two-bras - woman who dresses much younger than she is (though I've no idea what age that is), long blonde hair extensions or wig, skimpy clothing has revealed on occasion one wonderbra worn on top of another, jogs up street, lots of make-up.

    Book-man - haven't seen him for a while, but he's tall, late forties or so, is reading a book and may have more tucked under his arm, always running while reading, or jogging on the spot at lights. Think I've seen him wearing a headband.

    Bizzie with the Fizzy - short guy with grey curly hair who I am (probably incorrectly) convinced was in the Soda Stream ad of the 70s.

    And in the Gone But Not Forgotten category:

    Small Favour - Irish guy who used to pan handle along Tollington Park, especially at the lights. His plea always started "It's only a small favour anyway..." then after some mumbling he'd ask for 20p. Looked completely pickled and was always supping Special Brew or HSL. I imagine he went to the great bar in the sky.
  9.  
    Has anyone seen the world's worst transvestite? An older man with longish straggly grey hair, glasses, stubble, breasts and a mini skirt. I have seen him on the w7 and Tescos having trouble with the self service queue system.
    • CommentAuthorAgaton Sax
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    No, but I think you're using his name
    • CommentAuthorAgaton Sax
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Anyone remember the woman who used to walk in front of the bus along SGR sometimes, singing (Swing Low Sweet Chariot, I think)? Wonder what became of her... She might have been the same person as Crying Woman.
    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Oooo now that we are compiling a list here are a few more...

    Irish Singing Guy. He's barred from WLM (not for being nasty or anything, just cause he always gets bladdered and starts singing). 40's, tall, blondish hair. Often seen wearing a red jumper and blue trackies. Walks up and down SGR with a can and often takes a rest on the bus stop outside the post office.In summer he goes to Tesco, buys a box of whatever cans are on offer and takes up residence on the bench opposite WLM. Keeps crossing over to talk to fellow piss-heads at WLM but never goes inside. Tends to sing Irish songs and always says hello to me when he passes for some reason.

    The black woman who knocks on the door at around midnight, asking for money for a cab as her husband/son/father has been rushed to hospital. She has called at my house about a dozen times in the last 3 years. each time she does I tell her I know she is lying but she always pretends to burst into tears and it doesn't seem to stop her returning weeks or even months later.

    The middle aged guy with the pink hair, short trousers, long socks, fake fur coat and silly shoes that I always seem to see n the same stretch of SGR, where all the butchers shops are.

    I often see 'The Worst Transvestite' in the station. He never seems to wear a coat. Was out in a little skirt and a vest the other day.
    • CommentAuthoremine
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     

    I saw the Upper Tollington man this morning - I see him most days. I've never seen him being shouty though, maybe he's a different one?

    I haven't seen the Cowboy for a couple of years now. I had a conversation about my bike with the tall man with thick glasses outside Tesco a few months ago. He told me I should be wearing a helmet.

    What about the older man with the mobility scooter? I see him quite a lot, often outside Woody's and lately outside Kebabalicious.

    • CommentAuthorjandb
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Ah yes, the man on the scooter of death. He's been mowing down kebab-carrying pedestrians for years.
    • CommentAuthorbecky
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     

    Scooter of death man was shouting at me to get off the pavement as I walked past Woody's a day or so ago.

    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Scooter of Death Man is a nasty individual.
    • CommentAuthorJaneDoe
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    The Spinster is brilliant and she does always look amazing.
    • CommentAuthorJaneDoe
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Pink hair man sounds a lot like a friend of mine.
  10.  
    You lot make me sick.

    You lot make me want to projectile vomit carrots into the smug faces of the bourgeouiszee of stroud green who all really want to live in crouch end or muswell hill but its cheaper in stroud green; and I haven't even eaten any carrots for ages,you always seem to puke up carrots even when you haven't eaten them 4 a long time for some reason,anyone know why? Back to the serious point.

    It is out of order to single out individual people like you are doing here. Because they have a right to privacy.Leave people alone.
    Maybe you would realise that you are in private as mad as they appear to be if you didnt spend so long in 9 to 5 conformity

    If you care about people then phone up the social services and have a chat about it to explain your concerns,like that halfwit who complained about shouting man,shouting man shouted at me afew times and i shouted back at him that shut him up, so what.But you won't because you just want to point and mock like kids going to bedlam to laugh at those who are maybe less fortunate than yourselves shut up in a lunatic asylum or victorian freak show.

    You can't be eccentric in England these days without dullard mrs mopp civil servants talking about you on a local community internet forum. I prefer Super T to special brew and generally walking around muttering to myself,is this so wrong? I find it theraputic.

    So ram me off the pavement with your yummy mummy £1000 buggies and try and run me down with your four by four volvo gas guzzlers and mock the colourfull eccentrics of SG but we will not surrender to your conformity we are not crouch end or muswell hill where the less than perfect are hosepiped off the streets by the middle classes chattering classes disapproval we are struoud green where the mad the bad and Dr Legg from Eastenders circa 1985 live and travel on the w7. Dr Legg is my heroe actually...
  11.  
    Were you drunk when you wrote that rant, n-h? What a load of pretensious twaddle. You won't shut me up. Ranting Man.
    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    I think you may have totally missed the point. Nobody was mocking anybody. Most of the posts have been merely observational, and some even expressing admiration of their eccentricities.

    I am a little eccentric myself. I'm not a civil servant and I certainly don't own a volvo.
    • CommentAuthormarkpack
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    Phew, none of these descriptions sound like myself.
    • CommentAuthorchuckles
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    I agree with Misscara. Northern Lights has definitely over reacted here. I certainly read these comments on local characters as celebratory rather than anything else.

    Also it is obviously not true that you always throw up carrots even when you haven't eaten them. Northern Lights is ripping off a very old Billy Connolly joke that wasn't funny in the first place. Get your own material!
    • CommentAuthormiss annie
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    I was actually wondering if any of the people described above might be members (or friends of members) of the forum. SG isn't a big place, it would be surprising if none of us knew any of the more colourful residents.

    Oh, and I'm pretty certain that 'The Spinster' is not a spinster.

    @northern heights
    I don't have a buggy and am astonished that anyone could possibly countenance paying £1000 for such a thing! Even in overpriced Crouch End.
    • CommentAuthorgodzilla
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    Maybe Northern Heights can go back to posting where's the best place to buy trousers or whatever else s/he normally does.
    • CommentAuthorADGS
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    I thought the supposed carrots were in fact stomach lining?

    Whenever I see the bad transvestite, s/he is pushing an empty pushchair and blowing occasionally upon a whistle. Which you don't tend to do unless you want to be noticed, so being talked about online is probably quite a good result, ne?
    • CommentAuthorkatiejane
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    @ ADGS - did BT's pushchair look like it cost £1k?
    • CommentAuthormiss annie
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    If it's the red pushchair I've seen BT with, it looks like it cost 10p. Not that I'm an expert.
  12.  
    Just rememberd another one. Pockety. He walks up SGR from the station, up to Crouch Hill at about 8.30am. White guy, 40s, wears denim jeans and jacket. Both front pockets of his jeans are always stuffed with something the size of a rugby ball. He gets his hair cut once a year, then leaves it to grow for the next 12 months.

    The Northern Heights needs to take a chill pill and feel the love.
    • CommentAuthorAgaton Sax
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2010
     
    Nice to see a reference to 'Mrs Mopp' though. I haven't heard that used in a while
    • CommentAuthorN4mality
    • CommentTimeFeb 13th 2010
     
    I lived here a decade and I've only come across the Shouting man. Interesting stuff !
    • CommentAuthorandy
    • CommentTimeFeb 16th 2010
     
    We are Ninja
    • CommentAuthorMisscara
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2010
     
    The Shouting Man helped me carry my shopping along UTP last night. He walks rather fast so had a job keeping up with him.
    • CommentAuthorTallboy
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2010
     
    Did he do any shouting?