Naked Norman
Do you remember "Naked Norman" of Ruislip
In the late 1960's reports of a naked man in Ruislip Woods began to circulate and he was somehow coined to be "Naked Norman".
Nobody reported any sexual encounters, but whilst in folklore it seems it was just a chap who liked to wander (or run) around the woods with no clothes on with so many reportings it seems that there was probably more than one and in a number of cases he was a plain and simple "Flasher".
This was many years before the 1970's craze of doing this at public events etc. appeared.
If you have any memories of hearing of, or even seeing, Naked Norman please share them here via our contact page
Memories of Naked Norman in Ruislip Woods
Paul Matarewicz
Naked Norman was the generic name for any flasher in the Ruislip and Northwood area, there were quite a few. Any woman walking in Mad Bess Woods was guaranteed an appearance.
Naked Norman was the generic name for any flasher in the Ruislip and Northwood area, there were quite a few. Any woman walking in Mad Bess Woods was guaranteed an appearance.
Paul Wise
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Paul Wise
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Margaret Purcell Kirwan
I remember him also, part of my growing up in Northwood in the 60s.
Sara Ann
Yes can tell you..he existed...not only did he flash several times to me my mum and sister...but we saw him flash enough times to recognise his face.
Christina Critelli
Oh yes, he most certainly did exist. He “flashed” himself to my friend and I in Ruislip Woods
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Paul Wise
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Margaret Purcell Kirwan
I remember him also, part of my growing up in Northwood in the 60s.
Paul Wise
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Michelle Rickson
Got flashed by him in the 70's
Sarah Reynolds-Smith
I was flashed by him as a child in late 60s
Susan Meldrum
I saw him. He exposed himself to me. I was only very young at the time.
Yes I remember him back in the early 60s, Naked Norman the naked flasher who allegedly prowled the woods ready to jump out in front of unsuspecting children.
Michelle Rickson
Got flashed by him in the 70's
Sarah Reynolds-Smith
I was flashed by him as a child in late 60s
Susan Meldrum
I saw him. He exposed himself to me. I was only very young at the time.
Sara Ann
Yes can tell you..he existed...not only did he flash several times to me my mum and sister...but we saw him flash enough times to recognise his face.
Christina Critelli
Oh yes, he most certainly did exist. He “flashed” himself to my friend and I in Ruislip Woods
Josie Harper
Saw a naked man with socks on running away through the common as a child on the way to the Lido
Saw a naked man with socks on running away through the common as a child on the way to the Lido
Miles Gillman
We lived down Hills Lane, that leads to the woods, and were always warned about him as kids, but never saw him.
We lived down Hills Lane, that leads to the woods, and were always warned about him as kids, but never saw him.
More Memories of Naked Norman in Ruislip Woods
Keith Knight
Our parents told us not to go to far away, we never saw Naked Norman
Miles Gillman
We lived down Hills Lane, that leads to the woods, and were always warned about him as kids, but never saw him.
Clancy Ellis Neé Favell
In all the years he was supposed to be about I never saw him once.
Carol-ann Bovard
We lived with the Woods backing on behind our house my mum saw him once he didn’t scare her.
Sharon Elliott
Yes I heard of Naked Norman he was supposed to be in the woods by the lido. There was a Hippy bloke we did used to see in the woods but he was ok.
Linda Tempest
I remember it being reported but I never saw him.
Baz Glenister
Yes, I remember reading reports about him. The police were not concerned because he never bothered anybody.
We lived with the Woods backing on behind our house my mum saw him once he didn’t scare her.
Sharon Elliott
Yes I heard of Naked Norman he was supposed to be in the woods by the lido. There was a Hippy bloke we did used to see in the woods but he was ok.
Linda Tempest
I remember it being reported but I never saw him.
Baz Glenister
Yes, I remember reading reports about him. The police were not concerned because he never bothered anybody.
Brian Crowe
My Dad told me about the legend that was Naked Norman. Never encountered him myself.
Jean Allen
I remember when I was a child my friend who had an older married sister used to walk her dog in the woods and he came and walked beside her briefly then ran away?
Lisa Davies
Yep I came across him whilst riding through Park Woods. Several of the horse riders saw him!
Kevin Sartain
Yes I saw him he disappeared quickly when he saw us, he had a rabbit in his hand that was bound for the pot.
Suzanne Allgood
Yes I saw him in Park Woods whilst I was riding. Then a couple of years later I saw another naked guy who was wearing a balaclava, standing at the start of the woods, in Joel Street, he was peeing on some plants, I nudged the friend I was talking with but they didn't have their glasses on and couldn't see him!
Les Newman
Yes I saw and stories became real, thought they were just myths like Mad Bess....
Les Newman
Yes I saw and stories became real, thought they were just myths like Mad Bess....
Sally Roberts
He existed. A friend had to go and have a word with him for parading naked in full view of his residence.
Anne Edwards
As I have posted before, my friend and I had him appear in front of us on a path through Ruislip Woods in late 60's. He had been hiding in the bushes. We screamed turned and fled, met some people and told them, they informed us it was Naked Norman and laughed. We didn't think it was funny! We were about 15 at the time.
He existed. A friend had to go and have a word with him for parading naked in full view of his residence.
Anne Edwards
As I have posted before, my friend and I had him appear in front of us on a path through Ruislip Woods in late 60's. He had been hiding in the bushes. We screamed turned and fled, met some people and told them, they informed us it was Naked Norman and laughed. We didn't think it was funny! We were about 15 at the time.
Anna Sims
Nope, never while walking through or riding through the woods. Several school friends and fellow riders had claimed to see him, one or two of them might be telling the truth , maybe.
And yet more Memories of Naked Norman in Ruislip Woods
Sarah Langford
My mum saw him in Ruislip Woods. He was dressed up as Batman! Our dog ran away and left my mum on her own.
I also saw him when I was about seven. He was in a green mini and was completely naked. I actually thought he was holding a gun- the police had to explain that it wasn’t! But in all seriousness it was a horrible experience and affected me dreadfully. Ruislip was well known for dirty men exposing them selves in the 70s and 80s.
Lara Emi
As it was the 70s, us kids saw nothing remotely dangerous in whiling away the summer holidays by setting out to find Naked Norman! If the flasher wouldn't come to us - we'd go to the flasher. We must have thought we were in Scooby Do and thank God, our searches were fruitless. I seem to remember the plan was to find him in Ruislip Woods, hurl abuse like a normal 7 year old does and run. Run for our young lives from a sex offender that we had tormented and lured into the open!
Lynda Griffiths
Fact! Flashed regularly!
Martyn Mahy
My friend chased him in the woods, at the Lido, in the direction in Northwood in the mid 70s.
I lived on Elmbridge Drive, and I remember the stories of naked Norman in the woods. I think my friends and I saw him once and ran like heck to get out of the woods. I used to ride through those woods all the time.
Camille
I lived in Sherwood Avenue and my friend in Park Avenue. We had a close encounter with Naked Norman when he jumped out from behind a tree! My friend’s father took us to Ruislip Police station where we were told that he was harmless! I have told this story here in Italy many times. I wonder what happened to poor old Norman.
Candia
I lived at no 2 Broadwood Avenue during 60s & early 70s as a child & teenager. My friend Pam Cole (died Feb 2021) lived at no 8, saw Naked Norman loads of times as the woods were our playground.
Once on a push bike, he was partially naked and leapt naked below the waist, off his bike and took off into the woods as our friends Robert & David Jackson who lived at no 6 ran up behind us when they heard us scream!
Another time he was crouched by a tree just off the path through the woods and again ran off, totally naked. One time I was with my family walking to the Lido and he suddenly appeared behind my parents in front of me and strolled as bold as brass in front of me with a creepy smile and ran off.
We became a bit blasé about our resident woodsman naked Norman. As far as we knew he was harmless.
I lived at no 2 Broadwood Avenue during 60s & early 70s as a child & teenager. My friend Pam Cole (died Feb 2021) lived at no 8, saw Naked Norman loads of times as the woods were our playground.
Once on a push bike, he was partially naked and leapt naked below the waist, off his bike and took off into the woods as our friends Robert & David Jackson who lived at no 6 ran up behind us when they heard us scream!
Another time he was crouched by a tree just off the path through the woods and again ran off, totally naked. One time I was with my family walking to the Lido and he suddenly appeared behind my parents in front of me and strolled as bold as brass in front of me with a creepy smile and ran off.
We became a bit blasé about our resident woodsman naked Norman. As far as we knew he was harmless.
Janie
My late mum, Anne Gordon, worked at Dennis Brooke Estate Agents in Ruislip High Street. A lately widowed woman called Mrs Blennerhassett lived in Park Avenue and would walk her dogs in Park Wood. She was selling her house and came to the office to list the details of the property etc.
My mum recalled 'the incident'. Mrs Blennerhassett was of the tweeds and twin-set generation. Seems she was made of tough stuff. Naked Norman flashed at her. She pointed to the phallus with her walking stick and said "It's quite alright my man, I have seen one of those before!'
When Barbara Buckman and our mutual friend Jane were walking round the Lido, adjacent to Park Wood. The chain link was between them and creepy naked Norman. I think Babs and Jane just laughed at him when he flashed at them. Probably belittling the offending appendage!