My all-time favourite piece of graffiti were the words "Work - Home -Telly - Bed - Work - Home - Telly - Bed ... " painted in large letters on walls at the side of the railway line between Acton station and Paddington in west London. The sequence went on and on, repeated for well over a mile and ended with the final message "How long can you go on ?". Thought-provoking; particularly at the end a long boring week of Work-Home-Telly-Bed.
Somewhat less thought-provoking is the following graffiti painted on Farnhill quarry.
Quite when "Oddball" was painted is not known, but it's been there for at least 30 years; some reports say over 40. The first picture "Oddball is Happening" shows the very base of the quarry, protected from the worst of the weather, and with a tree growing right in front of it; the second, simply "Oddball", is higher up and is being worn away by wind and rain.
So the question is - who, or what was "Oddball", and who painted the graffiti ?
If you know anything, please email history@farnhill.co.uk.
Posted: 25/7/2020