Laurie Bamford
Encyclopedia
Laurence "Laurie" John Bamford (27 October 1947 – 9 December 2005) was a popular British Numismatist also known as the 'smartly dressed tramp'.
He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift
in Croydon
, London
. His interest in coins started at a very early age (around 12 or 13). His fascination for old bronze and copper pennies started when he went on a family holiday to Herne Bay
and was captivated by the coins in the amusement arcade machines situated on the sea front. As far back as 1961, Laurie attended the Sunday morning coin market in East London in Cutler Street along with colleague, Hiram Brown.
By 1966 Laurie had established himself as one of the Cutler Street collectors alongside Ted Swift, Ted Barnard, Eva Hardy, Jim Hardiman Sr, Ken Lovell, James Leonard and the poet David Nash. Cutler Street was then a well known location for buying and selling small antiques, coin and medals. It was located near the other famous Sunday market - Petticoat Lane.
In the mid 1960s Laurie attended St. Stephen's Church over 18's youth club at Thornton Heath
and later worked as a Computer Programmer for Prudential Assurance (now Prudential plc
) where he was one of the very early users of the programming language COBOL
. He worked for the 'Pru' as it was more commonly known for just over eight years. He left to become a full-time coin dealer, at the same time adding to his collection of Victorian Pennies from such dealers as James Leonard, an Australian-born dealer who lived near him in Streatham, London. He also augmented his collection from the coin dealers Stewart Ward based in Bond Street
, London.
In 1982, Laurie teamed up with Graeme and Linda Monk to establish Croydon
Coin Auctions with the business making its first sale on 4 March 1983. Between them, they ran 196 auctions in total over a 22 year period.
He held responsibility for promoting music concerts at the Gun Tavern in Croydon, Surrey featuring such artists as 'Tatty Ollity' and 'Bill Posters Will Be Band
' formed in 1983 which was a jazz vaudeville offspring of the famous Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
for whom he was publicity manager.
He was the unofficial booker for the band called Ivor Biggun headed by Doc Cox
and the Vulgar Band, often appearing as vocalist (although he preferred the term heckler). He was also a regular and doorman at The Cartoon which was Croydon's main venue for new bands yet to sign for a new record label.
Bamford was considered the bulwark of the main collectors, despite working in a narrow field of numismatics but he must be considered important just for that. Therefore his place in the hall of fame derives from this originality. He was a pioneer in popularising the hobby of coin collecting in the UK. He has been accredited with suggesting that the reason the English sixpence
, a small silver coin, was nicknamed a 'simon' was because of the famous 17th century engraver at the London Mint, Thomas Simon
.
Bamford died suddenly from a suspected heart attack in December 2005 aged just 58.
He was founder member of the Croydon Real Ale Preservation Society which held a 'session' in his honour after his death in December 2005. He leaves behind his brother Richard and his nephews and nieces.
His coin collection (204 lots) was sold on 20 June 2006 at auction in London. It contained an extensive collection of rare Victorian 'bun head' pennies dated 1860 to 1894 (his specialist collecting arena) and realised £110,030.
He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift
Trinity School of John Whitgift
The Trinity School of John Whitgift, usually referred to as Trinity School, is a British independent boys' day school with a co-educational Sixth Form, located in Shirley Park, Croydon. The current building was constructed in 1965 on the site of the former Shirley Hotel...
in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His interest in coins started at a very early age (around 12 or 13). His fascination for old bronze and copper pennies started when he went on a family holiday to Herne Bay
Herne Bay, Kent
Herne Bay is a seaside town in Kent, South East England, with a population of 35,188. On the south coast of the Thames Estuary, it is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government district...
and was captivated by the coins in the amusement arcade machines situated on the sea front. As far back as 1961, Laurie attended the Sunday morning coin market in East London in Cutler Street along with colleague, Hiram Brown.
By 1966 Laurie had established himself as one of the Cutler Street collectors alongside Ted Swift, Ted Barnard, Eva Hardy, Jim Hardiman Sr, Ken Lovell, James Leonard and the poet David Nash. Cutler Street was then a well known location for buying and selling small antiques, coin and medals. It was located near the other famous Sunday market - Petticoat Lane.
In the mid 1960s Laurie attended St. Stephen's Church over 18's youth club at Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
and later worked as a Computer Programmer for Prudential Assurance (now Prudential plc
Prudential plc
Prudential plc is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.Prudential's largest division is Prudential Corporation Asia, which has over 15 million customers across 13 Asian markets and is a top-three provider of life insurance in mainland China, Hong...
) where he was one of the very early users of the programming language COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
. He worked for the 'Pru' as it was more commonly known for just over eight years. He left to become a full-time coin dealer, at the same time adding to his collection of Victorian Pennies from such dealers as James Leonard, an Australian-born dealer who lived near him in Streatham, London. He also augmented his collection from the coin dealers Stewart Ward based in Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
, London.
In 1982, Laurie teamed up with Graeme and Linda Monk to establish Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
Coin Auctions with the business making its first sale on 4 March 1983. Between them, they ran 196 auctions in total over a 22 year period.
He held responsibility for promoting music concerts at the Gun Tavern in Croydon, Surrey featuring such artists as 'Tatty Ollity' and 'Bill Posters Will Be Band
Bill Posters Will Be Band
Bill Posters Will Be Band is a comic musical group formed by musicians who were members of The Bonzo Dog Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band.The band was formed in 1983 by Biff Harrison, Jim "Golden Boots" Chambers, Evil John Gieves Watson , Sam Spoons, Hugh Crozier and Roger Ruskin Spear.They still...
' formed in 1983 which was a jazz vaudeville offspring of the famous Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band are a band created by a group of British art-school denizens of the 1960s...
and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, also billed as Bob Kerr and His Whoopee Band, is a jazz band which started in 1967 and continues to perform today. It was an offshoot of the eclectic Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and shared many similarities with other outfits of the time such as The New Vaudeville Band and The...
for whom he was publicity manager.
He was the unofficial booker for the band called Ivor Biggun headed by Doc Cox
Doc Cox
Robert "Doc" Cox , also known as Ivor Biggun, is a British musician and former television journalist...
and the Vulgar Band, often appearing as vocalist (although he preferred the term heckler). He was also a regular and doorman at The Cartoon which was Croydon's main venue for new bands yet to sign for a new record label.
Bamford was considered the bulwark of the main collectors, despite working in a narrow field of numismatics but he must be considered important just for that. Therefore his place in the hall of fame derives from this originality. He was a pioneer in popularising the hobby of coin collecting in the UK. He has been accredited with suggesting that the reason the English sixpence
Sixpence
Sixpence may refer to:*Sixpence *Sixpence *Sixpence *Flat cap, also called a sixpence*Sixpence None the Richer, an American pop/rock band...
, a small silver coin, was nicknamed a 'simon' was because of the famous 17th century engraver at the London Mint, Thomas Simon
Thomas Simon
Thomas Simon , English medalist, was born, according to Vertue, in Yorkshire about 1623.He studied engraving under Nicholas Briot, and about 1635 received a post in connection with the Royal Mint...
.
Bamford died suddenly from a suspected heart attack in December 2005 aged just 58.
He was founder member of the Croydon Real Ale Preservation Society which held a 'session' in his honour after his death in December 2005. He leaves behind his brother Richard and his nephews and nieces.
His coin collection (204 lots) was sold on 20 June 2006 at auction in London. It contained an extensive collection of rare Victorian 'bun head' pennies dated 1860 to 1894 (his specialist collecting arena) and realised £110,030.