Duke of darnall

anyone remember the duke of darnall in the 40s& 50s dressed in bowler hat,cane& spats strolling through the city centre

See this thread Michael.

I remember being downtown with my dad in the vicinity of Fitzallan Square around 1953 and seeing this well dressed guy walking down the middle of the road. I think he was shouting something. I asked my dad about him and he said "Oh, that's the Duke of Darnall". It took me a while to realise that he was not a real duke, just an old nutter.

I remember the duke of darnall I used to see him out side the pub at the at the bottom of Prince of wales rd at darnall 1948 Long time ago now

Here's a link to a photo on the picturesheffield.com site..

That's not a very pleasant way to describe what was, basically an eccentric old man, Eccleshall.

That's not a very pleasant way to describe what was, basically an eccentric old man, Eccleshall.

No, probably not. It's what I called him back then, before I had heard of PC. And I'm sure his relatives would not like to hear him described so. I was not meaning to give offence, just speaking out of turn (and time).

I rather think it's the eccentrics that give flavour to life. It's funny really, how often, over the years I have remembered him when I forgot so much else. One old chap directing the traffic had much more effect on my consciousness than thousands of others walking past. There must be a lesson there somewhere.

In the 50's I was the office junior at Makins on Darnall Road and had to walk from Attercliffe Baths onto Darnall Road to work I was 15 at the time and if I saw the "Duke" walking towards me I used to panic because he always carried a pair of leather gloves and as he walked past he used to slap you with his gloves. Many times I was late for work because I used to turn round when I saw him and hide until he had passed.

That's not a very pleasant way to describe what was, basically an eccentric old man, Eccleshall.

PT, had he been around today he would most probably have been found beaten to death by mindless idiots. It was pure slapstick to see him standing behind a police officer directing traffic, the duke normally lent his assistance, albeit by signalling the traffic to go in a different direction to the one that the policeman had in mind

theres a feature length film about him, it was on telly a couple of months ago