You may have seen him. For two years he lived down the side of Sainsbury’s on Werter Road, briefly noticed by hundreds of shoppers every day as they walked past the supermarket’s delivery entrance and spotted his makeshift cardboard home halfway down. On Saturday, as temperatures hit 30°C, he collapsed from heat stroke and died later that night in hospital.
Tony was the subject of repeat complaints and efforts by both residents and the police to move him on, but Sainsbury’s was content to leave him be on its private land and resisted efforts to put a gate across the entrance, even when Tony’s presence would occasionally lead to a gathering of other homeless people.
The truth, as business owners came to find out, was that Tony was a kind and caring man. He was smart, he knew more than anyone what was going on in Putney. His life and his situation were complex. He became such a feature of Putney life that he appears in situ on Google Maps. A Sainsbury’s employee spotted him on Saturday and called an ambulance.
Ten days before he died, Tony was again the subject of conversation at the ward Met meeting. Residents wanted to know why he was still there. The police officers explained that they had again tried to persuade Sainsbury’s to move him on: the alleyway posed a fire risk and a welfare risk. But the land is private and neither the police nor the council had the power to act unless he broke the law or caused problems. Sainsbury’s was content to leave him alone.
His full name was Anthony Lawson. He had children. They did not know where he was. They came to Putney the day after he died. An inquest will follow.
If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough in Putney, you can report them to StreetLink at streetlink.org.uk or call 0300 500 0914.
Correction: 2 May, 9am: In our initial story, we said that the Sainsbury’s was on Putney Bridge Road when it is of course on Werter Road.
I think your photo caption of Werter Road is more accurate than Putney bridge road. Please clarify (no offence).
Any history on Tony? What I mean is, just how did he come to become homeless? Judging by one of the inset pictures, he’s wearing a suit so presumably he had a job, a home and a life prior to his homelessness status? Also how old was he? Thanks