New City Centre Mural Pays Tribute to Peterborough Legend Walter Cornelius.
A new mural honouring one of Peterborough’s most colourful characters, Walter Cornelius, is now underway in the city centre.
Commissioned by Peterborough Positive, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), the artwork will transform the back of the former TK Maxx and Woolworths building on Wentworth Street, facing the Park Inn by Radisson hotel.
Painted by local artist Nathan Murdock, the mural celebrates the life and eccentric spirit of Walter Cornelius, the Latvian born strongman, a lifeguard at Peterborough Lido, entertainer and local legend whose exploits earned him national attention and a permanent place in the hearts of Peterborians.
Cornelius was known for a long list of extraordinary feats, from pushing a peanut with his nose through Cathedral Square, to attempting to fly across the River Nene in homemade wings. But beyond the stunts, Walter was known for his kindness and generosity, often performing for charity and working tirelessly to bring joy to others.
The mural includes an excerpt from a poem penned by local writer Toby Wood, simply titled Walter Cornelius.
Pep Cipriano, Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, said:
“I’ve always wanted to create a mural in tribute to Walter, he was a true icon in our city. Many of us have very fond memories of his kind soul and high jinks. Whether you knew him personally or just heard the tales, Walter left a lasting impression and gave us all something to smile about. This mural is a celebration of that legacy, a joyful reminder of the people who make our city extraordinary.”
Work on the mural begins today, with progress shared on Peterborough Positive’s social media channels throughout the week.
This tribute to Walter Cornelius follows a series of murals across the city centre, commissioned by Peterborough Positive, celebrating Peterborough’s heritage, which include pieces in Cowgate, Priestgate and Hereward Cross.
Walter Cornelius
I’ll tell you a story about a man
Who lived without frippery or fuss;
A man with the heart of a lion
And the frame of a double-decker bus.
He was originally a son of Latvia
Then later one of us.
I speak of course of a character
Called Walter Cornelius.
He was famous for being eccentric
Unkind citizens called him a fool;
He spent a great deal of time living in a Ford Transit
Behind the Lido swimming pool.
A place where he gained employment
Teaching children to swim and dive
And he even appeared on Blue Peter
In the year after 1975.
He bent coins, metal posts and steel railings
And reputedly appeared in a song
And on telly (who remembers Opportunity Knocks?)
All for being strong!
He held various world records
Pushing peas or even a bus;
Skipped for 90 minutes with a 48 pound chain
All for the amusement of us.
Devouring three and a half pounds of onions in two minutes;
Huge numbers of sausages he would eat
Not for gluttony but for charity,
These masticating gastronomic feats.
His attempt to fly across the Nene
Fascinated the nation.
Had the Birdman of Peterborough stunt succeeded
He’d have been frazzled in the electricity sub-station.
But in September 1983
This king of oddity and quirk
Sadly departed this mortal coil
So he did not turn up for work.
A heart attack had taken him;
Perhaps one too many sausages I fear
And his death caused many a Peterborian
To shed a private tear.
We now live in a time of austerity
Of blandness and minimum fuss
But our lives were made cheerful and colourful
By Walter Cornelius.
Toby Wood
