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Location
Town Square, Ryde, Isle of Wight Description A stone carving, and plaque, in memory of Theodore Racine Searle, erected in October 2009. |
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Memorial
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Inscription
Theodore Racine Searle Born 1916 Died 1987 Very few tramps make their way to the island but one came in 1957 and stayed for 28 years. Theodore, known to most of his friends as Theo, was a tall, well built man, bearded, long haired and wearing several layers of clothing topped by a duffel coat. He always wore rolled down wellingtons. Well educated, nicely spoken and with good manners, he soon became a popular figure although rather a mystery to many. All sorts of rumours abounded about him. He was thought to have been born of wealthy parents and paid to stay away from home. Some said a failed love affair blighted his life. What we do know is that he was once a county and international trial hockey player. He was also a lover of music, played the piano and wrote poetry. He lived close to nature and often slept in woodlands and barns. Theo spent hours watching birds and animals. He never begged and always behaved like the true gentle giant that he was. A threat to no one. A real gentleman of the road. A few lines from one of his poems says it all about Theo "By the old open oak I lie Night after night, night after night, A wayfarer as time goes by." Carving Wording Glyn Roberts Derek Stirman Further Information
Theodore Racine Searle was born on 21 July 1916, the second son of the Revd. Gustavus Searle and his wife Edith (nee Waterworth). The birth was registered in Newport, Monmouthshire.
The family appear to have led something of a wandering existence, as his parents were married in Kingston, Surrey, in 1910.
An older brother, Gustavus, was born in 1912 in Amesbury, Wiltshire, while a younger sister, Joan, was born in Colchester in 1920. According to some sources the Revd. Searle also travelled
to Hong Kong, Mauritius and Africa.
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