Names on the buses

 20 Sir Norman Wisdom

421 Sir Norman Wisdom

Connections with Brighton and Hove : The comic legend, who died in 2010 aged 95, first came to fame in the Fifties through the film Trouble in Store, His career spanned a full half century. Wisdom lived for many years in Sussex, including a spell in Ditchling, and was a director of Brighton and Hove Albion between 1964 and 1970. He rewrote the words of Sussex by the Sea for football; fans and would stand on the pitch at the Goldstone ground before matches to sing it. He was an honorary member of the famous Winkle Club in Hastings. As a comedian, he adopted his own uniform for films of a crumpled suit and a cloth cap, usually playing a little, downtrodden man. Charlie Chaplin said he was the best clown in the business. Wisdom's popularity reached a peak in the Fifties but declined in the following decade although he always had a devoted following in Albania. He was also a competent singer, his best-known song being Don't Laugh at Me 'Cos I'm a Fool. Wisdom performed before the Queen several times and she had a soft spot for him. When he received his knighthood in 2000, he did his trademark trip for her. He moved to the Isle of Man in his later years although his family stayed in Sussex, one son running a sports shop in Haywards Heath.

20 Dennis Dart carried name since September 1999, on METRO Line 7, originally Norman Wisdom, Sir added in January 2000, Metro removed March 2004, Brighton & Hove names added April 2004, name stayed until May 2004 when bus was repainted into new livery. April 2011 name reappeared on new bus 421 Volvo Gemini. Name removed April 2015. Name back again on ADL 322 in November 2019.