The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Nobody’s quite like our Nobby
If you put the term “famous Peterborough people’’ into aninternet search among the results as well as the likes of pop star Aston Merrygold and poet John Clare you will find Nobby the Tramp.
Peterborough people took Nobby, whose real name is believed to be Michael Ross, to their hearts after he set up home in a bus shelter on Oundle Road.
Residents regularly left food and clothing for himand, as his fame spread, the shelter was even given its own post code.
With his bushy beard, he was a regular sight in the city centre for many years, andwas often pictured by ET photographers.
He was found a proper home and dropped out of sight but he was back on the front page of the PT a few weeks back as one of the ‘stars’ of Paramedic Paparazzo Chris Porsz’s Reunions book.
Nobby previously hit the headlines after somebody left him some golf clubs and he was spotted showing off a rather impressive swing.
Cheekily he told the now defunct Herald & Post newspaper he had been invited to play in a professional tournament in Ireland. He hadn’t!
But Peterborough people continue to be fascinated by him to this day.
A play has been written about his life, he’s been the subject of portraits by painter s and there’s even a Facebook group dedicated to him.
Today’s pictures from the PT archives show him in his former home – the Oundle Road bus shelter – showing off his golfing technique and enjoying the music at the Willow Festival.