Sir Norman Wisdom's iconic 'Gump Suit' set to fetch £3,500 at Midlands auction

The tatty tweed suit that helped transform Norman Wisdom from a homeless teen into one of Britain's most beloved comedy stars is set to fetch up to £3,500 at auction.

The comedy legend's famous "Gump suit" is the star attraction in a major sale of memorabilia charting his incredible rise from sleeping rough on London's streets to a knighthood from the Queen.

The original outfit, consisting of a baggy brown tweed suit, cotton shirt, tie and flat cap, is expected to make £3,000 to £3,500 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers.

A second Gump suit, made by W. Snape & Son of Wolverhampton in 1953 to replicate the original for his films, is also tipped to fetch between £2,500 and £3,500.

Norman acquired the now-iconic costume in 1948 and it became the trademark look that helped turn him into a household name.

But long before fame arrived, Wisdom's life was a world away from the bright lights of showbusiness.

Hansons sale manager Victoria Sheppard said: "Having run away from home at the age of 11 and following a time in a foster home in Kent, 14-year-old Wisdom was living rough in London when someone suggested he join the army.

"While he couldn't play a note, he was posted to Lucknow, India, in 1930 as a young bandsman and soon discovered a talent for music and sport.

"He learned to play an amazing array of instruments including the trumpet, saxophone and sousaphone – all of which are in the sale."

The auction sheds light on the little-known story behind one of Britain's greatest comic talents.

While serving with the 10th Royal Hussars in India and later the Royal Corps of Signals during the Second World War, Wisdom began honing the skills that would make him famous.

Victoria said: "Even then, with his fitness and sporting prowess, Norman was laying down the foundations for his trademark physical comedy style."

She added: "It was here that many of the ingredients of the future Norman Wisdom act began to emerge: the physical comedy, the carefully practised falls, the expressive mime, musical interruptions and the hapless little man who somehow managed to turn failure into triumph."

Among the lots is a collection estimated at £80 to £120 featuring a photograph of Norman in uniform playing the saxophone, a souvenir programme and a handwritten comedy script.

The group also recalls a life-changing encounter with actor Rex Harrison, who watched him perform before going backstage and telling him he would be "utterly mad not to" pursue a career in entertainment.

After leaving the Army, Wisdom landed his first professional engagement at Collins Music Hall in Islington on December 17, 1945.

His act, The Successful Failure, earned him £5 and a week's work.

An original advertising flyer and handwritten script from that performance are expected to make £200 to £300.

His big break came with Trouble in Store in 1953, winning a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer and launching a hugely successful film career.

Then, in 2000, the former homeless youngster completed one of showbusiness's most remarkable rags-to-riches stories when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Victoria said: "In 2000, the boy who had once slept rough on London's streets was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. True to form, he managed to incorporate a trademark stumble into his investiture ceremony, making the Queen laugh."

Norman's son, Nick Wisdom, said: "I am treating the sale as another exhibition but, in this case, the pieces won't come home.

"It will be sad, but I am happy to share his comedy genius with a wider public.

"Most people know Norman Wisdom and the famous Gump suits, I'd love to bring the whole story of his life to light."

The Gump suit will go under the hammer at Hanson's saleroom in Derbyshire, on November 27.