Who was Charlie the Hermit Sunnyside, Cullen?

[Calleva]

Charlie (think his surname was Orsoni?) lived on Sunnyside beach, east of Cullen in Banffshire apparently for some 13 years from 1920. He was thought to be a deserter from the French Navy.

He built a hut in a cleft in the rocks with areas of garden. He made a living by selling postcards of himself, and a number of sources state he snared and sold rabbits, possibly fish as well although a vegetarian himself.

In 1933 he was charged with being an alien and fined £5 I believe by the court in Banff. He then left Sunnyside to try and get back to France but some sources say he died in an internment camp in England in 1937.

The location of his hut can still be seen with smoke blackened rock faces which formed the walls apparently burnt by the tenant farmer of the adjacent land after he left - presumably the tenant had objections to Charlie or the visitors who came to see him whether as sightseers or customers.

It would be wonderful to see if his birth, death and background could be traced. Sincerely hope I’ve recalled his surname correctly which  I was told years ago when I lived about a mile from Sunnyside beach.

Many thanks!
Stuart

[JenB]

Various online articles suggest that his surname was Marioni.

[Calleva]

Thanks JenB - my memory clearly playing tricks.

[GR2]

There is an article on a visit to him by Jean M. Gordon published in the Press and Journal on 5th August 1932. She says he was very evasive about his nationality.

This was followed by a letter (dated 5-8-1932) published in the Press and Journal on 12th August 1932. The correspondent, John Murray from Rothiemay, says he visited him seven years earlier and learned he was a Welshman by birth.

Jean M. Gordon's reply to this letter (dated 12-8-1932) was published in the Press and Journal on 18th August 1932. She says that a genuine Welshman had greeted him in Welsh earlier in the summer and drew a blank.

The following letter was published in the Press and Journal on 27th September 1933.

            The Cullen Hermit
   Sir, - A subscription has been started to
help Charles Marionie, the old Frenchman
who lived in a cave at Cullen for thirteen
years. He had not registered as an alien on
his arrival at Cullen, and he has had to leave
his cave and return to France.
   I have heard from Charles Marionie from Leith.
He had to proceed by boat to London in order
to see the French Consul before he could re-
enter France. He intends looking for work
on his arrival in France, but I fear it may
be some time before he succeeds in getting a
job. - Yours, etc.,
                         (Miss) S. G. Smith
6 Marchmont Terrace,
   Glasgow, W. 2,
      Sept. 16, 1933.

He is not on the 1921 census for Cullen.

[brigidmac]

i
i dont think census recorders would include caves in their list of addresses

if he did go back to france there could be a shipping record

if he died in england he may be one of the deaths registered as unknwn

good luck with your search

btw not all welshmen could speak welsh

my great grandfather returned to his child hood village of llanorman after many years in birkenhead + he didnt speak welsh

[Kay99]

An article in Aberdeen Press and Journal  on 28 Nov 1974 stated that Charlie had not known he had to reregister as an alien in Cullen as he had already registered as an alien when living in Pembroke 

An 1933 paper dated the Pembroke registration as Nov 1920

Kay

[GR2]

An article in Aberdeen Press and Journal  on 28 Nov 1974 stated that Charlie had not known he had to reregister as an alien in Cullen as he had already registered as an alien when living in Pembroke 

An 1933 paper dated the Pembroke registration as Nov 1920

Kay

That would account for John Murray's comments about his "Welsh" origins.

[MonicaL]

This is a description of the contents of an alien registration card on www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/aliens-registration-cards-1918-1957/

They only seem to hold the records for those aliens registered in London in that period.

I wonder if Pembrokeshire Archives hold similar records for aliens registered there?

Monica

[Calleva]

Thank you to everyone for such brilliant research and leads, I’ll follow up Monica’s suggestion to investigate Pembrokeshire archives.

Charlie’s surname is spelt variously Moroni, Maroni, Marioni or Moonie. Hopefully this is not a problem assuming these versions were reasonably close to his actual surname, and he didn’t use an alias.

Will report back.

Stuart