Never Mind ... Soon be Christmas!
Anyone who spent much time in or around Winchester prior to December '06 would probably be aware of Ron Purse, Winchester's famous burping tramp.

Looking akin to Only Fools And Horses' Uncle Albert and smelling like evil on toast, Ron would while away his days pushing his push-chair filled with gnarly old cuddly toys and other filthy goodies from one end of the town to the other.

If you happened to catch his attention you would either be treated to an immense (and pungent) belch to the face or some form of platitude - usually "nevermind, soon be Christmas". If you were truly blessed you would receive both!

During the annual Hat Fair (festival of street theatre etc) he would decorate his push-chair beautifully, although admittedly with shit he had found in the gutter, and go around giving out syphilitic looking cuddly toys to the children.

Rumour has it that Terry Pratchett's character "Foul Ole Ron" was based on him, which seems plausible given the size of Ron's local celebrity and the fact that Mr Pratchett is from round these parts ... I've just been told they used to drink in the same pub (The Mash Tun if any of you know it, now another bloody tapas bar).

Ron died in December 2006 and Winchester is just not the same without him. Think about it, it takes quite a man to arouse affection by belching in your face.

Apologies for lack of punchline ... RIP Ron.
(Penguins_Made_Me_Do_It is a dolt ... and she don't care, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 14:24, 9 replies)

the Mash is a fucking what?????
When I first started drinking in there it was the crusty's pub of choice and the place to go for mediocre hashish. Quite a coup when you're only 15, mind...

Ron made my little sister cry by burping in her face. He once gave me a carrier bag full of rotten fruit - and a single shoe to my brother. With the sole slashed.

Legend.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 14:31, closed)

You heard right m'friend
It's a bloody tapas bar ... looks rather nice actually, but I refused to go in on principle.

The Mash was great - about a year ago, when it was still the Mash, they decided to broaden their horizons and advertised that they now offered a "Mexican restaurant". A sucker for Mexican, I thought I'd check this out.

Turned up, it was the same old scuzzy pub (and I mean that with nothing but affection!), vague, cheap beer-tinged scent of weed emanating from within, DJ decks in the corner with some art school reject posing behind, and one sad, little table poked in the corner, all set up for dinner.

Had a drink for old time's sake, but couldn't quite face eating there!
(Penguins_Made_Me_Do_It is a dolt ... and she don't care, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 14:37, closed)

It's characters like that that make life interesting
Where I grew up one of the tramps had no legs and would yell gibberish at people in Kentish Town high street pissed as a koot; which was quite funny to behold
( Jahled Three shades of black, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 14:39, closed)

Have a click
For 'smelling like evil on toast'
Love it!
(misspiggy In danger of having to get a job, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 14:42, closed)

Have another click!!
There used to be a lady in Leicester city centre named Connie, who had bags and bags of manky old teddy bears, and no volume control.. Not been seen in years, I miss her as well...
(Beer Elf Thought this was like a campfire, anyhow, on, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 15:07, closed)

Picture
Found a picture of him. www.hatfair.co.uk/2007/pics/ronweb1.jpg
Certainly looks like an odd fellow.
(The Artist Formerly Known As &c You can order curries ONLINE these days., Fri 31 Oct 2008, 15:35, closed)

I don't think
I ever saw him that clean, but that's definitely our Ron.
(Penguins_Made_Me_Do_It is a dolt ... and she don't care, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 19:36, closed)

I remember Ron the tramp for 2 reasons.
1. I lived in Winch for 3 years and saw him on many occasions. Sometimes he used to walk up Chesil street in the middle of the night which was quite good company for my mate who lived up there and had to walk back home after work in the dark alone often.

2. When I was at Uni, we had the student's union elections. Now we used to have a system where you would have to put your candidates in order of preference, including 'Re Open Nominations' (RON). When I was returning officer we had to print that in full and not just put the abbreviation. Why? Because, and I quote the then Winchester School of Art president, 'the WSA students will think that they are voting for Ron the tramp and we'll have to do a revote'. Absolute true fact.

RIP Ron. It won't be the same without you.
(Clarabelle is reverting to type on, Fri 31 Oct 2008, 17:20, closed)

I remember Ron
He used to come into Boots to buy stuff from the chemist part, and everyone would try to go really quick or really slow with the person they were helping to try to avoid serving him.

He was rather fond of Pepto Bismol and would come in for a bottle two or three times a week.
(lympicita_ie, Sat 1 Nov 2008, 1:18, closed)