'Old Chelsea' was the nickname given to a rather accentric old gentleman who was regularly seen around Sands End during the late 1950s and early 1960s. His real name was Reginald Grant. He was the son of a sergeant in the Grenadier guards, was orphaned and brought up in Chelsea Barracks. He moved to Hazelbury Road after serving in the 1914-18 War and drilled boys from Peterborough School. He died at the age of 75 in 1965. He is still remembered by former Sands End residents.

Below is a rather idealized portrait of a young Reginald Grant, portrayed as a drummer in military uniform and leading a group of admiring children. The portrait was painted in 1917 by Sands End based artist Archibald Hartrick*, who lived at 75 Clancarty Road. He presented it to Fulham Borough Council in 1938 and it was displayed in the Central Library for many years. The painting may now be viewed at the Hammersmith and Fulham Archive building in Talgarth Road.

Here are some of your memories of 'Old Chelsea'.

Maureen Hughes nee Elster (Wandsworth Bridge Road) felt sympathetic towards the man;

"His patch was South Park -Tall man and military bearing. Always wore an army great coat with a row of medals across the chest . Viewed as harmless and all the kids used to tease him by creeping up behind him and shouting "bang"and then run. He used to shout and threaten to have them "shot at dawn" but no-one was frightened of him because he never touched anyone. A very sad case now I look back."

Roy Lucas (Cranbury Road) and Norma Halford nee Rogers (Pearscroft Road) remember the old fellow selling newspapers outside the former 'Star' cinema in Wandsworth Bridge Road. "He used to wear his medals from the First World War." says Norma.

But Michael O'Donnell (Edenvale Street) writes;

"Anyone who lived in our part of London in the '50s knew Chelsea but few would have described him as a gentleman. He was small and scruffy and not very clean and wore a flat cap and had a club foot. Often, for no apparent reason, he would suddenly stop in the street and shout some nonsense. It could be a military-like order or some choice bit of profanity and  not directed at anyone particularly. I believe this is typical behavour someone suffering with 'Tourette Syndrome' but we just thought he was a nutter."

John Warren (William Parnell House) remembers a "tatty old guy" walking around in an "old army Greatcoat." And Keith Eyre (Lindrop Street) thinks the gentleman was also known as' Chelsea Charlie' whose last few years were rather sad.

"I remember him well, Chelsea Charlie who worked on the turnstiles at Chelsea Football Club and after that as a night watchman. He was a little old boy who wore an old coat and flat cap. Later in life he went a bit senile wandering the streets picking up anything. When he died and the Council went in the house it was almost filled to the roof with empty milk bottles old newspapers and general rubbish."

*Read more about Archibald Hartrick by accessing the following website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hartrickclan/article4.html