LOCALS have been paying their respects to Henry the Mini Man, who was sadly found dead at his home on the Kilgetty roundabout this weekend (Nov 28).
Henry Edwards, 68, was known locally as the Mini Man because he slept in his Mini car next to the A477 roundabout near Kilgetty.
Police cars and ambulances had been spotted after concerns had been raised for his welfare, with people speculating on social media after spotting a forensic tent on the site, and he was sadly found deceased at the outdoor home which he had occupied for the best part of 30 years.
A common sight around the county on his bicycle, which he never pedalled but pushed with his feet, he could often be spotted around Pembroke Dock or on the A477 heading for home.
He had been offered accommodation many times, but rumour has it that he was the victim of a house fire when he was younger in which a relative perished, and he vowed to never live under a roof again.
He lived for a while in a mini car, which he eventually replaced with a makeshift home on the side of the roundabout. He was an accepted member of the community, with many locals giving him gifts over the years to help him live more comfortably in his chosen place of habitation.
Messages of sympathy have been filling social media, with people sharing stories and memories. One lady spoke of her daughter being upset when she saw him hanging his clothes out in the rain, and worried how he would ever get them dry. Another stated that they’d seen his fire glowing a few days ago, and commented on how cold it had been. His body was found after one of the coldest nights of the winter so far, although there are no clear details as yet as to how he died.
Suggestions have been coming in for fitting tribute ideas for Henry, including a five- minute silence at the roundabout and the erection of some art or a statue in tribute to him and his bicycle. Some have suggested naming the roundabout Mini-Man Roundabout, or the place where his dwelling was “Henry’s Corner”.
As part of the Pembrokeshire landscape for such a long time, he will be sorely missed.
Sleep well, Henry.
