Mr Boag (pronounced 'bo-agg')

[Keith Young]

As a child in the 50s I spent all my holidays with my grandparents who lived in Conqueror Road, St Leonards. We would regularly go for a walk along the golf course off Harley Shute Road and at that time there was a character known as Mr Boag who lived in a copse in his tumble-down shack by the railway line. Does anybody know more of this polite and charming gentleman. Where did he come from? How long did he live there? Thanks.

[bernie adams hastings east sussex]

hi keith i remember the gentleman very well big fella long hair and beard wearing a herringbone over coat we as children were told at some time in his life he worked as a doctor or surgeon a person that loved people and always very nice to us as children he was known to us from the old town kids as walking jesus a fella liked by all

[keithyoung89]

[quoted]
bernie adams hastings east sussex wrote:
hi keith i remember the gentleman very well big fella long hair and beard wearing a herringbone over coat we as children were told at some time in his life he worked as a doctor or surgeon a person that loved people and always very nice to us as children he was known to us from the old town kids as walking jesus a fella liked by all
[/quoted]

Bernie,
Thanks for the reply and sorry to have taken years to return to the forum! It was interesting that the old chap may have had a medical background - very odd that he ended up living rough. The last I heard was that he had a fall, broke a hip and was hospitalised and died. Thanks again

[david_russell]

His name was Everard George Boag and there is an account of him in:-

'Victoria Seymour 'Court in the Act' 2004 p39-40

[antony_may]

Hi all,

Does anyone know exactly where the shack that Old Boag lived in was? I write regularly for Hastings Town and I would love to do an article on him.
If anyone has any info or personal memories of him please e mail me.

All the best!

[victoria_seymour]

Thank you David for the reference to my book. He was not a doctor but a former professional soldier- fought in the Boer War. There is good picture of him in my book and more about his life and death.

[david_russell]

Antony,

If you want the real story of Everard Boag and many like him, listen carefully to the words of the song 'Al Bowly's in Heaven' (and I'm in limbo now) sung by Richard Thompson.

A bit maudlin but very apt.

[david_russell]

I quote the first verses from the song 'Al Bowlly's in Heaven' by Richard
Thompson.

"Well we were heroes then, and the girls were all pretty
And a uniform was a lucky charm, bought you the key to the city
We used to dance the whole night through
While Al Bowlly sang "The Very Thought Of You"
Now Bowlly's in heaven and I'm in limbo now

Well I gave my youth to king and country
But what's my country done for me but sentenced me to misery
I traded my helmet and my parachute
For a pair of crutches and a demob suit
Al Bowlly's in heaven and I'm in limbo now

Hard times, hard hard times
Hostels and missions and dosser's soup lines
Can't close me eyes on a bench or a bed
For the sound of some battle raging in my head"
Al Bowlly's etc etc

[tfoster]

Hi,
I am Everard's Grandaughter, and I have some information, and more pictures of him that could be handy for your article, if you would like to contact me, you could do so at t-foster@hotmail.co.uk

Also after he had fought in the war, he worked shortly at an all girls school as a PE teacher, and was arrested many times for leaving his children; (my mother and her sisters)

And i hear there was a large oil painting of him in the photographers shop in Hastings? I was just wondering if it was still there?

[tfoster]

Hi,
I am Everard's Grandaughter, and I have some information, and more pictures of him that could be handy for your article, if you would like to contact me, you could do so at t-foster@hotmail.co.uk

Also after he had fought in the war, he worked shortly at an all girls school as a PE teacher, and was arrested many times for leaving his children; (my mother and her sisters)

And i hear there was a large oil painting of him in the photographers shop in Hastings? I was just wondering if it was still there?