“Old Bob”, a well known Amersham character
“Old Bob” lived in a shack in the graveyard at the top of The Platt with his dog and numerous cats for many years until he died in 1978. Before that he lived in a barn at Wilson’s Farm in Whielden Street where he worked. He could be seen around the town pushing a pram because he couldn’t walk unaided.
Click here to see more photos of Bob and Wilson’s Farm.
Listen to Peter Haswell’s boyhood memories of Old Bob:
ZOOM0013 Bob lived in a barn of a farm off Whielden Street where he worked as a part-time farm labourer.
ZOOM0013 Bob had two allotments and knew how to grow prize marrows.
ZOOM0013 “He was like a God to us.” Bob’s story of the mandrake roots in the hedgerows.
ZOOM0013 He made money when not busy on the farm by cutting props for washing lines and by catching and selling rabbits.
ZOOM0013 Bob used to carry a bag of potatoes in his teeth for a bet. Peter used to collect Bob’s beer for him.