I’m very lucky in my job to meet the rich and famous, the glamorous and the glitzy and Paul Daniels. For example, yesterday I touched the Sugababes and avoided arrest. I didn’t squeeze any bottoms but in retrospect, I wish I had, as I think I would have got away with it. (FYI it would have been Amelle, whom I’m currently in love with-this will last 24 hours and will wear off).
However, something happened to me last week but even gazumps the cheek of a babe. And it happened whilst I was off work. Imagine my surprise! I was on holiday last week with the family. We had a few days in North Wales (avoid) and the rest of the week in the Lake District (go see).
Whilst in the Lakes, we saw some lakes and we went to a zoo. There’s probably much more to do but any ambitious plans went out of the window when I found out something very exciting about one of my all time heroes.
Stan Laurel was born in the Lake District.
Slapstick Central
On hearing this news, I did a wee. And this was not a planned wee.
Laurel and Hardy and Stan in particular, are in my all-time heroes list; right up there with Freddie Mercury and my Mum. And Stan Laurel, as it happens, was born in the front room in a house in Ulverston. I’m a huge fan and was initially quite disappointed that I didn’t know this already. I knew he was English but I had it in my mind that he was born in the North-East. It turns out he moved there, soon after he was born in the Lakes. There’s a statue there and everything. But I think there’s a statue everywhere he went, to be fair.
Back in Ulverston, there’s a Laurel and Hardy museum (and statue) to commemorate this amazing feat of being born in an English town and going on to be a Hollywood superstar and all round comedy genius. It’s well worth a visit, with loads of unseen photos and letters and they play their films throughout the day.
If you take a short ten minute walk from the museum you’ll come across the house Stan Laurel was born in. It has a plaque outside to prove that this is no ordinary house. There’s a 92 year-old lady living inside, probably sick of twats like me, taking photos of her humble abode.
It was a moment though. And I can honestly say, I’ve never been more excited to see a house in all my life. I don’t think even Graceland could top it.
Go seek the house of your hero. It’s highly recommended.