K is for Knotty Ash

It's only a real place, somewhere near Liverpool [and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!], home of the late, great Ken Dodd . . . that's Sir 'Doddy' to you! Who was also responsible for the Diddy Men, except, err . . . he wasn't! But he did give them form, and the form is the subject of this box-ticker.

Covered a while ago by Colin Penn in Plastic Warrior magazine (issue 147/2012), from who's article I discovered that they are actually a part of local folk-lore in the area, and that these figures (manufactured by Cherilea) don't represent any specific/named-character from TV or the stage shows . . . for more than that you'll have to read the mag'. As it happens - I think they are at least partly-based on the vinyl 6"-single's artwork?

What I would also add though, is that I don't think these are quite as rare as some prices would have you believe. Having seen a fair-few sets over the years, there's usually at least one full group being offered at the PW show - for instance; I feel they turn-up pretty often, usually as a full set of four.

 Mine were a cheapie (50p each I seem to recall) from a charity shop back in 2011, where they were for sale with the ornaments and nick-nacks, not the toys, presumably because they'd come into the shop with a job lot of such 'white elephant' stuff?  It's my suspicion that many survive in precisely that role? It's the same area of the shops I find my larger Fontanini's or Carrara statuettes when I see them.

Note also: they are quite dapper gentlemen, with each wearing some kind of neck apparel and a hat, along with either-and-or a waistcoat n' braces, and they are all in possession of a pair of spats, very-much 'the men about town'!