Departures of note

Ruxton Lionel Hayward, born in Hammersmith, London in 1930, was a British eccentric who, in the early 1950s, worked as a scoutmaster. While attempting to recruit acts for a stage show, he approached comedian Michael Bentine, who then recommended him to Peter Sellers. Sellers, struck by Hayward's tall frame, bushy red beard, and Boy Scout uniform with short trousers, adopted an imitation of Hayward's high-pitched voice for the character Bluebottle in The Goon Show. Bluebottle became a popular regular, often greeted with applause and cheers from the studio audience.

Hayward lived unaware of his influence until 1972, when Sellers described the events on television. Following this revelation, Hayward pursued a stage career, developing characters such as 'Bearded Schoolboy', 'Woolly Wolfcub', and 'Happy Sandboy'. He also appeared at meetings of the Goon Show Preservation Society and was an active member of the actors' union Equity, where he was elected as a representative at least once, according to The Guardian.

In 1999, Hayward pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child under 16. He died on 22 September 2011 at Charing Cross Hospital, London, as reported by the Goon Show Preservation Society.