Lots of Sunderland love for the legendary Little Waster
WE ASKED IF YOU’D SEEN LITTLE BOBBY ON STAGE ... LOADS HAD AND LOVED HIS TOTALLY CLEAN HUMOUR
He was the North East star who packed out venues and raised laughs galore. And when we asked for your memories of Bobby Thompson and his Sunderland visits, you had plenty to tell us. We shared a photograph of the Little Waster at the Empire in 1981. Our photographers caught him sharing some time with his fans backstage. It seems Echo readers loved him, especially because of his clean humour and his uncanny ability to have fans crying with laughter. Angie Maw had special reason to remember. She said: “My grandad should have been in this pic. He was Bobby Thompson’s best friend. “He used to get him dressed and get all his clothes ready before every show. He was at my nanas house when either me or my brother was born.” John Harvey remembered taking his wife, who was from Wales, to see the great man on stage. “Wor Bobby. Took my mrs to see him, she could not understand one word.”
Many of you went to see the Little Waster perform including Katharine Anne Craggs who said she saw him “a couple of times at Crimdon Caravan club, brilliant”. Dee Milner told us: “Seen him in the clubs. Served him at the race courses, he loved his horse racing.” Thanks also to Lilian Kelly who said: “Saw him at Balbramas Music Hall which was bottom of the Big Market.” Sheila Manning saw him “at Penshaw Club years ago. Good night”. Sheila added: “We had a photo taken together which I still have.” Linda Willis was another who loved “Wor Bobbie”. She said: “Brilliant. Saw him lots of times in the clubs. Always had a good laugh.” Charlotte Christine Robinson said: “Very funny fella, saw him at Steels Club in the 70’s.” Shaun Orrell Henson saw him at Bentley night club and said: “Worked on the bar. Served him a pint while doing the show in 80s.” Dorothy Phillips commented: “I saw him lots of times around the clubs. Still remember some of his jokes. Always enjoyed his shows.” Our post on social media attracted the interest of more than 15,000 Echo followers, and Nicola Jane Ellis, Barbara Remmer, Susan HockSusan ridge, Tayand lor Michele Hope were among those who loved it. Others who liked it included Sandie Richardson, Jill Campbell, John Matt Ward, Linda McDermot, David Pallister, Lorna Button, Joanne Perry, Karen Mcdonald, Janet Lamb and Colin Shaw. Sam Henry performed with the Little Waster and added: “I was in a pub in Malta a few years ago, and found this poster on the wall. Brought back lots of memories.”
Kathleen Smith described Bobby as a “very funny man. No bad language or rude jokes. Got his CD.” Linda Armstrong Cairns said: “Seen loads of time. He had the same show but always a great laugh.” Joan Marghani told us: “Saw Bobby at Thorney Close Club in the 70s. Very funny.” Janet Witty admitted she “cried laughing” when she saw him at Westoe Club. Alan Nichols recalled “impromptu performances in the Willow Pond pub in Hylton Road during the 1950s”. Liz Embleton said: “I saw him late 70’s at the La Strada”, and Kevin Stephenson posted : “Farringdon Clurrrb about 1980.” Peter Simmons said: “My dad used to be his driver,” while Carol Holliday told us: “Saw Bobby Thompson many times and he never failed to entertain.” Kathy Winston Cobb “saw him lots times”, and Dave Preece admitted: “Got his DVD, still laugh at it.” Thanks as well to Monica Warnaby who said: “Seen him many times at the club. Good old fashioned clean fun.” Bob Doran commented: “Seen him lots on the clubs great funny man.” Julie Nash reminisced: “First turn I seen in Castletown Club on my 18th, loved Bobby.” Marie Carr’s claim to fame, she said, was that Bobby bought her a drink when she worked “at the Jubilee Social club in Walker as a floor waitress in 76”. And Muriel Harrison said: “My dancers were on the show with Bobby. Very funny man both off stage and on.”
Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their memories of the legendary funnyman, Bobby Thompson.