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Fred the Tramp’s memory lives on
Friday 10th April 2009, 9:00PM BST.
A tribute to Wolverhampton’s famed ring road tramp caused drivers and passers-by to do a double-take.
Wearing a bronze latex face mask, a straggly beard, shabby overcoat and holding a broom, a Wolverhampton artist stood on a wooden plinth next to a painted rat and banana to pay homage to the tramp at his former home on the central reservation of Ring Road St John’s.
Greg Rudevics, aged 31, is trying to win support for a lifesize bronze statue of 86-year-old tramp Fred, real name Josef Stawinoga, who died from pneumonia in October 2007 after three decades of living in a tent on the ring road.
Mr Rudevics, who has Polish roots, said of his stunt: “People have been slowing down and doing double-takes. The response has been good.
“A couple of council workers have said it looks good and they even brought me a hot flask and a brolly.”
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Wow… Wolverhampton… celebrating the life of a tramp!
I guess we will also be having statues made of The Cowboy, the bloke who stands there and wet’s himself and the Pigeon man when they pass on.
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It brought tears to my eyes, seeing Fred. This is great for a War Veteran. God rest his soul.
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This world needs characters and ‘Fred’ was one.
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Got nothing better to do. Get a job you wastrel.
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WE WILL BE ALL LIVING IN TENTS IF THE GOVERNMENT HAVE THIER WAY
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How Embaressing.
Maybe even worse than yesterdays half time music at the Mol’
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A FITTING TRIBUTE TO FRED. WELL LOVED BY THE PEOPLE OF WOLVERHAMPTON.CARRY ON THE GOOD WORK.
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Hide behind the bushes never do a tap for yonks,and some folk think its good ‘I dont believe it’
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It’s such a shame that this much interest was not taken during the years he was alive. There are many more homeless in this country, hard to believe in this day and age, they are treated more as a nuisance than members of society!
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well it nearly cased alot of accidents on a busy main road…
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If the people of Wolverhampton loved him so much why didn’t they provide him with some proper accommodation rather than allowing the poor sod to live and die under a damp canvass roof on a roundabout?
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Yes, the poor man has died, however it is ridiculous to think that a memorial in the ring road should be erected in his honour.
Does this mean that when anyone dies we should have a statue of them made and also placed on the ring road!?
If there is going to be this memorial for a second world war veteran, is it not only fair that all of the WWII veterans from Wolverhampton should be honoured in the same way?
Do we really want a statue of a tramp to symbolise Wolverhampton???? Is that the image we want to portray to the rest of the world??
As for the “artist”, does he think that the people of Wolverhampton are ignorant? His tenuous link to Josef Stawinoga is that he is of polish descent. From his “quote in the E&S saying that he has never met “Fred”, nor did he know him or did he ever speak to him!
This is purely a publicity stunt to try and earn him some fame. Shame on you for using the death of this known character for your own gain.
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