Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Calls to remember Fred
Wednesday 31st October 2007, 11:47AM GMT.
A temple in Wolverhampton is holding a special memorial service to give ring road tramp Fred a proper send-off amid calls for a permanent tribute to him, it emerged today.
Wolverhampton City Council is arranging the funeral of Fred, real name Josef Stawinoga, but Sikhs in the city want to be involved.
Many Sikhs and Hindus treated 86-year-old Fred, who lived on Ring Road St John’s for more than 30 years, as a holy man.
They believed he lived an enlightened life because he spurned material possessions in favour of a simple existence.
Leaders at Wednesfield Sikh Temple in Well Lane have now arranged to hold a holy service around the time of the funeral, which does not yet have a date.
Other temples of different faiths are also believed to be arranging their own services.
They and others have also called on the council to put up some form of lasting memorial to Fred.
Suggestions put forward include a bench, a tree or even a statue or plaque on the central reservation which he called home.
Avtar Singh, from the temple in Wednesfield, said today: “We have asked that there be a funeral procession for Mr Stawinoga which would pause at his camp site. We are also asking that a small plaque or plate to remember Mr Stawinoga be erected at the ring road.
“It would be fitting if he is cremated that his ashes were buried where he lived for so many years.”
Council chiefs say they will consider any suggestions for a permanent memorial. Deputy leader Peter Bilson said any plans for a memorial would be discussed after the funeral.
How should Fred be remembered? Post your ideas and comments below.
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
To be buried where “Fred” lived could be a problem, what if the ring-road was to be widened at some future time, what would happen to the place of burial? A more permanent place should be chosen with access for all who wish to visit, maybe in St. John’s churchyard which is close to where “Fred” lived?
Report abuse
i think that his ashes should be put in the place he lived for many years if no family comes forward
Report abuse
i agree sprinkle his ashes at the place he loved then he would be here forever they should definetely pu a plaque or a bench up
Report abuse
I think it would be fitting to scatter his ashes on the site of his former home. I read in one of the many articles about him recently that a bank account was set up for him so that his pension could be paid in, which he never touched. Surely after all these years there’ll be enough in there to pay for quite an extravagant memorial? A statue of him with his broom has been suggested, and I think that’s a lovely idea – it needs to be something visible when passing in a car – a plaque or something smaller will only encourage people to try to cross this busy section of the ring road to get a better look, which probably isn’t a great idea. Anything left over, and the money that people are donating in his memory could possibly be used to help set up/maintain some kind of shelter for the homeless, which could bear his name.
Report abuse
I think a statue should be put where fred lived for so many years also his ashes could be scattered around the place he called home.
Report abuse
I think his ashes should be scattered on the site of his former home. I read in one of the many articles about him recently that a bank account was set up for him so that his pension could be paid in, which he never touched. Surely after all these years there’ll be enough in there to pay for quite an extravagant memorial? Some people have suggested a statue of him with his broom, sweeping the leaves, which I think would be lovely. It needs to be something which can be viewed from a passing car – a plaque or a bench would only encourage people to cross the ring road to get a closer look, which probably isn’t a great idea. Anything money over, including the money that people are donating in his memory, could possibly be used to help set up/maintain some kind of shelter for the homeless, which could bear his name.
Report abuse
I think freds ashes should be placed on the ringroad and also a statue of him place there.what a sad loss. i always looked out for him when going past.will be missed by so many people.
Report abuse
Please dont tell me yet again tax payers are going to foot the bill for all the touching tributes.
I have heard comments like we should have a statue errected. WHY?The guy wanted a simple life and be left alone do you really think this is what he would have wanted?
There have been many good people in W-Ton who did many unselfish acts for others lets remember them.
Report abuse
fred will be sadly missed if they are going to do something like a plate or a bench on the central reservation for him so every on will alway remember him so people know cannot forget him because he done a lot of sweeping up for the council so they must alease do something for him
Report abuse
I agree with Colin.
If you all want to put a plaque up or a statue, start a collection. Why should the taxpayer foot the bill ?
Report abuse
i think there shud be something there to mark his life where he lived R.I.P fred :(
Report abuse
I think a statue on the site of his tent would be a lovely idea and I would gladly make a donation towards it if a fund was set up to pay for a permanent memorial. I’m sure that we could raise enough money for something special and avoid upsetting the mean-spirited people who are moaning about the “misuse” of their taxes!
Report abuse
lets face it he didnt cost anyone anything for over 30 years. I think a statue or memorial in the area where he lived is perfect, cant see why we shouldnt do that.
Just think he saw the same things everyday for over 30 years. When the news showed the diggers moving his things I found that quite upsetting…everything about him is now gone…lets have a statue and not forget him..please
Report abuse
Nobody said they were going to actually bury the body Graham. Just the ashes! There wasn’t going to be a hearse etc!
I think scattering old Fred where he had lived and placing a plaque there is a good idea.
In this consumer age, Fred served as a reminder of how little we really need to survive.
Namaste Fred.
Report abuse
i agree with graham frm penn, make freds resting place st.john’s churchyard. in god hands you are at peace you will be. god bless our hero of wolverhampton rest in peace.
Report abuse
I believe the Council had to move fast to move the tent and goods otherwise vandals would of done it.
At least some kind of memorial for him should be erected, perhaps from an art student in the area, they could donate instead of the Council paying thousands for a bit of tat, like what goes around the City. At least he cleaned up his mess on the patch of land, the paid Council workers can’t even get that right. Sadly missed by all i’m sure.
Report abuse
Make sure he is remembered. I believe the Council had to act quickly to move the tent and goods before vandals did.
Art students from Wolverhampton should donate their time and efforts for a memorial.
He cleaned up his mess, perhaps the younger people of the City should do the same. At least he did a better job of a cleanup than the paid Council workers ever did.
He will be sadly missed..
Report abuse
I think he should have his ashes scattered on the ring road he called home for so many years, im a tax payer and i would be the first to say use the money to pay for his funeral and place a memorial where he once stood
Report abuse
Sadly Missed?
How many of those posting actually took the time to do something for him when he was alive?
Yet more examples of the “Diana Grieving” generation.
Get a life people.
He was a tramp who stuck his two fingers up to the world and wanted to be left alone.
Respect his wishes in death as you respected his wishes in life when you stayed far away from him.
Report abuse
i would like to see a statue there of the old josef, i remeber as a child driving past and my dad saying to me, ”you see that tent well theres a man living in there etc etc” well i would like to be able to drive past with my children/grandchildren and say”see that statue that is of josef, he lived there in a tent for more than 30 years etc” plz set his memory in some solid form not a plack, hows anyone going to read it there? we want something everyone can see as they drive past
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
Report abuse
Josefs life stirs up many mixed emotions.
Why did he choose to live like that?
What happened to him during the war?
How easily we ignore people like Josef, as Mike Boys says above “How many of those posting actually took the time to do something for him when he was alive?” I for one did not.
But this was a rare life that awakens uneasy emotions and i think it would benefit us all to commemorate him.
I suggest a bronze sculpture of a tent and echo the views above, would be willing to contribute.
There is an opportunity here. Express and Star are in an ideal position to start and publicize a fund.
Report abuse
Not sure why everyone is going so crazy about this man. I will have to partly agree with Colin what did he do for the community to deserve such huge praise? How about people who give there lives to serve people and work hard for the community they live in. They die and noone does anything!!! OK he deserves a funeral like every human being does but please lets not go over the top. He lived the life he wanted to on his own.
Report abuse
If he was a SS officer then do we want a reminder of him. I would rather be reminded of the people who lost there lifes defending us.
Report abuse
Sadly missed, the ring road wont be the same with out you, u wont get cold anymore, n theres guna b leaves every where now you aint there do your job
R.I.P Fred
love jill x
Report abuse
A simple man – a simple cremation. Did anyone making comments on him actually meet the man. 1 homeless in Wolverhampton, thousands in London – plaque for all? Surely a humanitarian life is one where one can live in harmony with society, contribute to that society so why are temples seeing him as a holy man.
Report abuse
I am only young,but wen my dad used to drive past his tent i always used to look out for him
RIP josef stawinoga
Report abuse
Sadly missed,
How can you people b so horrible?
he was a human being at the end of the day jus like us
yh he had more money than any1 of us but he chose the way he wanted 2 live so i respect that.
Any of u people who are moanin wuoldn’t survive a week never alone 30 years like he did .
n the people moaning abot taxes should jus get a life would you rather it got spent on a piss head who never helped the community or fred who swept the roads clean and did a better job than the paid council.
so shut up moaning
n yh there should b a memorial for him
R.I.P Luv sarah (aged 14 from wolverhampton) xx
Report abuse
they should let he be buried where she lived so knowone will ever have to past the ring road where he lived and where he is buried and people can pay there repect to him when they what to
Report abuse
I am writing from India where there are plenty of Freds around, holy and unholy, who still get respect because even if they seem to do nothing actively for society they represent something that many of us are fascinated with: the human soul in isolation. It’s like this, you come into this world naked and leave the same way: and a person like Fred who has renounced his former life, his pride and social ego, repressents what all of us are deep down inside. Whether or not you accept “soul”, the phenomenon of Fred in the Ring Road (and boy do I remember the old A5 through W-ton and the mud-covered windscreen during the rainy traffic jams up the hill in the1960s!) stirs a kind of archetypal memory of who we are”: living in nature, and going back to her one day.
For the Sufi saints who were loners but who preached brother/sisterhood of all there are dargahs in their memory, why not such a shrine for what Fred represented symbolically? Maybe the Hindus and Sikhs could set one up on some purchased land and we could revive the roots of true relicious feeling once again.
Report abuse
Why not build a samadhi or dargah for Fred?
Report abuse
Fred represents the human being in nature, no pride, no public socialised ego and yet important for us on the terrestrial social plane to know about, as Amanda implies, as a reminder of who (or what) all of us really are deep down.
Report abuse
R.I.P FRED
Report abuse
R I P FRED
Report abuse
What a great loss to Wolverhampton, he was almost a part of Wolverhampton and his loss to us will be felt by all. Ring Road will never be the same, neither will Wolverhampton. I agree with most of the comments above, definately a big statue of him with his broom should be erected with a plaque saying some things about him. This will be seen for generations to come, as I saw him when I was young and my parents, it will become a symbol and feature in Wolverhampton! I beg and humbly request the Wolverhampton Council to erect this statue and memorial for him!
R.I.P. JOSEPH – We will never forget you!
(P.S. Anyone know when the funeral is going to be and where can we donate for his funeral as well as memorial?)
Report abuse
as a child myself and my family used to go past feds tent on the way to my nan and grandads each week and looking for fred was the best part of our journey, we will be sure to tell our daughter about him in the future to keep his memory alive.
RIP Fred x
Report abuse
fred i am righting to u today because evrey day i went passted your tent and i did that from 4 to 10 and fred its hard to forget about you and when i die i will not for get that man who evrey day swept up the lefes and never said plez to food or money and food to fill his tumey and fred why did u not use your money to fill up your tummy and bye a house or go some where safe to help you but nufin can be done as you are dead oh fred i hope u will r.i.p.we will miss u fred as you are dead we miss you fred now u are dead xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx r.i.p fred
Report abuse
Mark Antrobus must be mistaken as he remarks on the old A5 going through Wton. It doesn`t go anywhere near Wton but Cannock, Brownhills and Telford.
I have been trying to raise money for a statue in Burntwood for 2 years to remember the 1000`s of miners who worked there in a 100 year span, 100s were killed or maimed, but have only yet raised less than a 10th of the money needed despite fundraising dances and events. If money can be spent on a statue for a tramp who never worked for 50 years, and the blood, sweat and tears of the miners discarded then God help this country!
Report abuse
Ronald Bradbury might be right, but we used to take the A5 from London to Dolgellau in what was Merionethshire (now Gwynedd) and this lead us right up to that horrendous hill in Wton with our windshields covered in mud during the rain. what was this dreaded road?
Anyway is Fred getting a proper pagan shrine or what?
Report abuse