http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: PY - Big Issue John (OT) en Fri, 22 May 2026 09:50:49 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164330 Fri, 05 Sep 2014 10:13:39 +0000 SRD 164330@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always got 'Morning young lady" :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164325 Fri, 05 Sep 2014 09:48:17 +0000 jdanielp 164325@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This certainly is not "good news" as I remember that he would shout along with his usual catchphrase and I also received a healthy number of "morning"s over the years, which I would respond to with a "morning", smile or nod when I wasn't busy negotiating the MMW junction traffic.</p> <p>I don't think I ever stopped to talk to him I'm afraid to say, although I had noticed his absence in the last week or so and it's sad to hear the unexpected news :( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164321 Fri, 05 Sep 2014 09:26:06 +0000 I were right about that saddle 164321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, Gembo, the gentleman known to me as Huppacup used to be very much more eloquent. Listened to test cricket on the radio and engaged you in conversation before inviting you for tea. Went downhill, became monosylabic after a beating that left his head twice the usual size. I still miss him a bit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164316 Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:52:30 +0000 SRD 164316@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It just isn't the same cycling through with him not there. </p> <p>Was thinking that one problem with that spot is that it's not got a good name. we call it 'intersection of NMW and MMW' but most people don't know NMW. Or we say 'bottom of MMW' which people understand, but which is actually incorrect. </p> <p>So, how about we rename it 'John's Spot' ? or Pitch? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164314 Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:27:35 +0000 fimm 164314@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>Councillor Donald Wilson, the Lord Provost, said he was sorry to hear of the popular vendor’s death.</p> <p>He said: “It is clear that John’s spirit boosted Big Issue sales in the Meadows, and through his role he raised countless funds <u>for its charities</u>.”</em> " (emphasis mine).</p> <p>A bit of a misunderstanding of how the Big Issue works there - it isn't raising money for charity. The vendor buys the magazines for £1.25 and sells them for £2.50. They are responsible for what they do with the profit. The idea (to quote the Big Issue) is "a hand up, not a hand out".</p> <p>I buy the Big Issue from a chap outside Haymarket station. A couple of weeks back there was someone different on the pitch - I was quite relieved when the usual chap reappeared! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164306 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 23:01:05 +0000 LaidBack 164306@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>He was rightly very proud of the fact he made it onto the 'your vendor' page in the mag. He got some cards made up of the page - still have one.<br /> Recently he wasn't out at his spot as much but shrugged off enquiries last time I saw him. Guessed things were not so good. He also tried another short term pitch up at Lawnmarket near court a few months ago but his home was that corner of the Meadows. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164302 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 22:24:32 +0000 minus six 164302@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A very early riser, was John...</p> <p>Often saw him stoically punting the issue on an empty high street before 7am </p> <p>So it goes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164294 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 19:34:21 +0000 chdot 164294@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"The 69-year-old"</p> <p>Didn't look it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164293 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 19:14:05 +0000 algo 164293@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://m.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/meadows-plaque-bid-for-big-issue-seller-john-white-1-3531007" rel="nofollow">http://m.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/meadows-plaque-bid-for-big-issue-seller-john-white-1-3531007</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164228 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 22:38:23 +0000 LaidBack 164228@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My earlier post went missing.</p> <p>I bought Big Issue every week from John. In fact I sometimes paid in advance if he didn't have change. That way I could cycle down and he'd hand as I went by on way to shop (no I didn't get discount!).</p> <p>He was a decent guy once you got to know him. End of an era. John RIP. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164205 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 19:02:40 +0000 gembo 164205@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sad indeed, I was coming along the meadows heading to a PY meet and he said to me disparagingly - They are all up there. </p> <p>He was certainly more verbal than the previous chap who did not sell the big issue but said to you - Have a cup. Indeed that was all he ever said. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164203 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 18:23:16 +0000 Snowy 164203@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So sorry to hear that. </p> <p>He had a good dry wit. I was once out jogging round the meadows in an edinburgh university t-shirt; he watched my slow, middle-aged approach and his opening line was "You must be staff"...</p> <p>He'll be missed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164196 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:08:17 +0000 neddie 164196@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sorry to hear that too. Our kids used to like him. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164191 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:37:53 +0000 DaveC 164191@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sad news. :O( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164190 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:03:57 +0000 fimm 164190@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm sorry to hear that. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164188 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 15:17:12 +0000 Min 164188@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh that is a shame. He has been such a fixture in the meadows for such a long time I will miss him. RIP. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164187 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 15:03:14 +0000 algo 164187@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That is indeed sad news - he was always very friendly and it was only very recently I had a chat with him where he gave me advice about how best to secure my bike… I can't remember his other rhyme now, but he did have another with the same scansion starting "Don't be a …, ….., buy the big issue" - so perhaps IWRATS you gave him inspiration which he chose to tone down.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164185 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:52:14 +0000 I were right about that saddle 164185@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Shame indeed. He used to call me 'Colonel' as I regularly traipsed between Tolcross and Dalkeith Road in office kit.</p> <p>He declined my suggestion of a new catch-phrase (Don't be a c***, give it a punt!) as amusing but unsuitable for his customers. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164184 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:47:37 +0000 SRD 164184@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>friend of mine who is a QC and, like John, had been in the territorials, said that John always called him 'Judge' as he went past. Much to his discomfiture when walking with female colleagues, who actually were judges.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164183 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:44:03 +0000 mgj 164183@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Och, that is a shame. I hadnt noticed that he wasnt there this morning, but agree he was a lovely friendly guy. Did like his pipe though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164182 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:40:52 +0000 SRD 164182@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>what a shame. I had noticed his absence and been meaning to ask if anyone knew where/how he was. </p> <p>He had also highlighted the missing drain cover and issues regarding lighting on MMW. </p> <p>i'll miss him. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164180 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:34:33 +0000 steveo 164180@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thats a shame, seemed like a nice chap.</p> <p>More than once prompted my that my dynamo light was still on... And on one occasion did remind me to turn off my battery light. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13388#post-164178 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:29:50 +0000 kaputnik 164178@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I just saw a tweet linking to the Big Issue which announced that John the Big Issue seller on the Meadows who frequented Peters Yard in the morning had passed away after a short illness.</p> <p>For those of you who don't recall him, his usual cry was "don't be shy, give it a try" and he always said hello as I cycled past. He's the one who referred to any cyclist with a helmet cam "camera boy" and who could engage you in a 40 minute discussion about the best way to use bicycle parts to customise his walker so it didn't tip over.</p> <p>Slightly OT but I think relevant as he is a familar face in the Meadows and around PY and was always pleasant to us even when having a grumble about cyclists going too fast (which I generally sympathised with) and would ask what "we" (cyclists) could do to try and have something done on the MMW junction to help reduce conflict on it. </p>