Claim to fame?

Not exactly a claim to fame but in my previous life I used to guard a lot of VVIPS which, I won’t name drop as that would be crude, but it did make me laugh one day when, during the Edinburgh festival, a certain HRH brought his family in to see one of the shows. They then decided they wanted to exit with all the commoners instead of the backstairs route we’d prepped, so there I am, having a laugh and a blether going up the public escalators with the blue-blooded wonders in the morning, then by the evening I was dealing with the drunken crackheads again :woman_shrugging::rofl: All walks of life in my job!! :joy::joy::joy:

4 Likes

You should have said when you came in, I’d have made myself known.

Pete Waterman visited Doncaster railway works and I took him for lunch in the canteen. Very friendly chap, but he gets a bit excited and he talks pretty blunt. Afterwards I had to apologise to the canteen ladies for some of his language.

2 Likes

I sold my NA Merlot to Leonardo DiCaprio’s cousin.

4 Likes

Used to play in a Skiffle group as fill-in during the main program of our local jazz club. Appeared with Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Terry Lightfoot and various others popular at the time. The Group went on to become Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers playing early rock and roll. Bought my first drum kit from Ted Woods, brother of Ronnie, who lived around the corner from our lead guitarist. When Nat, Service happened, formed a group in Germany playing in the NAFFI clubs. Made a lot more from that than the 25/- a week the Army paid!

Alf

7 Likes

Sold Industrial Laundry Equipment to Watford Football Club…and in Elton John’s own home at the time…

1 Like

I discovered two new genera of bacteria, Methylosulfonomonas methylovora and Marinosulfonomonas methylotropha, which provided the missing link to James Lovelock’s CLAW hypothesis. I know that doesn’t mean much to most here, but I felt it was a pretty big deal.

James Lovelock is the polymath behind the Gaia hypothesis. Genuinely belongs up there with the pantheon of scientific greats. Pleased to have made my contribution to it all.

7 Likes

…I was in "the cage"on Tiswas…sorry, that’s 2 from me…

2 Likes

In a McDonalds BigMac perchance?

Second one was more impressive than the first.

I’ll go for a second. My granny was in service for Sir William Tritton. Inventor of the tank. I was christened in the Tritton family christening gown.

3 Likes

Should have just said ‘My lad sang the theme to Star Trek Enterprise’.

4 Likes

Star Trekkin’ ??

1 Like

Is that the tat shop with the “interesting” artworks? If so, I know it well! Went on a few family holidays to Oban, and we always ended up driving over the Clachan Bridge onto Seil, and then got the tiny ferry over to Easdale.

2 Likes

I am father to a ‘Storm Trooper’ yes that is really my son Don, and Grand father to his children…


1 Like

Won ‘The Weakest Link’, 2007. Anne Robinson charming - and filthy - off camera. Money spent on a Mk1 MX-5 for my wife’s Christmas present.

7 Likes

We rented near Balvicar a few times, and just went to the sea food restaurant in Easdale a few times but SWMBO has this unnatural addiction to Jockhanistan Tat ( made in Taiwan).
Diana’s (estranged) mother was often there filling some of her time but you’d not really know unless you were a Royal-follower. It was not beneath Mrs. Shand Kydd to serve out the local made tablet & toffee samples.
I’ve known the place since little as my Uncle owned cottage in the 50’s & 60’s along that row of cottages you see before you turn off for Easdale.
Had a few breaks there in the 60’s, hired bikes in Oban.
If I could retire (again!) and choose where to spend the rest of my time, it’d be around there.
Wonder how much it’s be worth now?
As for the “art”…least said the better!
Hoots mon… :zipper_mouth_face:

1 Like

Don’t know if any of you have heard of Sophie Ellis Bextor but I have her very first autograph. Met her at the very start of her career when she was in a support band and I chatted to her in the interval. She was surprised when I asked her to sign the ticket and said she had never done an autograph before.
Lovely friendly girl just like you see on the telly. And very tall.

5 Likes

While filming All Creatures Great and Small I lent Christopher Timothy (James Herriot) a WW2 Gas Mask I got from my Office and sneaked it to him , he was filming in a Pig Pen and put the mask on while hidden behind the pen only to move into shot once Action was shouting out. No doubt this ended up on the cutting room floor !

4 Likes

I once delivered a motorcycle to the home of Uri Geller, and had tea with him. Lovely chap.

2 Likes