Listen to the episode here: https://weirdinthewade.podbean.com/e/25-old-ragbones-biggleswades-unidentified-man/?token=c07da198503677dc355fd9ff2f4da4a8
Below is some key information about the case from Locate International the Missing Person’s charity, including images of Biggleswade Man with and without his beard. There’s also an image of his tattoo.
NEW COLD CASE APPEAL
Mystery of the Travelling Knife Sharpener
Who is this unidentified man found near Biggleswade 28 years ago ?
On 6 th February 1997, the body of a white European male was found by a group of boys playing truant from school, lying in a makeshift shelter adjacent to the A1 at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. Believed to have been deceased for up to two weeks, police found no identification on the body or clues as to who he might be. Foul play is not suspected, but the full Coroner’s report has yet to be released. We now understand the cause of death to be the result of a brain tumour.
Described as being in his 50’s, 5’4” tall and of slim build, he had grey collar length hair, a full beard and blue eyes.
He was known locally to be a homeless man regularly seen pushing a ladies’ green bike around the area, and rumoured to have visited properties, particularly farms, sharpening knives and tools and doing other work in return for food.
He did not share his name with anyone, largely kept to himself and was known around Biggleswade to be polite and well spoken. One of the schoolboys who later found the body occasionally chatted to him in Biggleswade and remembers him saying he once worked or lived in London.
He could have visited the following locations:
Biggleswade
Sutton
Langford
Astwick
Clifton
The man had a tattoo on his right arm of a female on top of a heart with a name in the centre. It is not recorded whether this was his upper or lower arm, but the image suggests lower arm. The name on the tattoo appears to have five or six letters, possibly starting with a P or B and ending with a Y or S. Perhaps Betty, Betsy, Patty, Patsy or Phyllis?
He was wearing a black blouson zip up jacket with a grey woollen lining, a black crew neck jumper, a black T-shirt and black trousers. He had with him an Accurist Chronograph watch with a broken silver strap, and a yellow metal signet ring.
Commenting on this new appeal, Mark Greenhalgh, Locate International’s CEO said:
Someone may have information, however small it may seem, which could be the missing piece of
this puzzle. Please help put a name to this unidentified man and solve the mystery after 28 years.
Images of the man and tattoo produced by the University of Dundee Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification
The investigation team are now appealing to the public in the Biggleswade area for information
which may help solve this mystery. Can you help?
Do you remember
Seeing the distinctive ladies’ green bike in the area?
Someone matching this description offering knife and tool sharpening?
Anyone working on farms in the area who may have known him?
Anyone that might remember him from local cafes or homeless shelters?
Someone working in a local post office in 1996 where he may have collected forwarded mail, payments, or a pension?
If you have any information, please contact Locate International by emailing
appeals@locate.international or by calling 0300 102 1011 or by visiting: https://locate.international/appeals/biggleswade-man
The site of Old Ragbones’ camp
The boys who found Old Ragbones, passed away under his makeshift shelter say it was near to the cow tunnels at the A1 at the back of Franklins Recreation Ground. It would have been just to the left of this image which shows a track leading up to the A1 and the water meadows and fields that flank it.
Apparently in the 1990s these fields did have seasonal workers camping in them. Old Ragbones’ shelter would have been on the far edge of such a camp.
Weird In The Wade 