Tom Wooldridge, better known as Tom Leppard and also as Leopard Man or the Leopard Man of Skye, (14 October 1935 – 12 June 2016) was an Englishman[1] who was noted for previously being considered by Guinness World Records to be the world's most tattooed man[2][verification needed] and later recognized as the most tattooed senior citizen.[3][verification needed]
Tom Leppard | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thomas Wooldridge 14 October 1935 |
| Died | 12 June 2016 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | English |
| Other names | Leopard Man, Leopard Man of Skye, |
| Occupation | Soldier |
| Known for | Formerly being considered by Guinness World Records "The World's Most Tattooed Man" and "The World's Most Tattooed Male Senior" |
He is said to have spent £5,500 on his extensive body modifications, which covered his skin nearly entirely with a leopard-like colored pattern. He stated he did not feel any affiliation with leopards, and selected spots solely because they were easy for tattoo artists to do on a grand scale. Leppard was a Roman Catholic.[4]
Leppard, a soldier spent 28 years’ in the armed forces, including stints with the Royal Navy and then as a color sergeant in the Rhodesian Special Forces,[5] he moved from London to a small derelict bothy (hut) without amenities on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, where he lived for the next 20 years as a hermit until 2008.[6] He would travel by kayak to the mainland to buy supplies and pick up his pension and groceries once a week. He then moved to a larger house in Broadford, Skye, followed by sheltered accommodation in a retirement home on the outskirts of the city of Inverness.
Record successors
editLeppard was surpassed by Guinness as the Most Tattooed Man by New Zealander Lucky Diamond Rich, Leppard also had been given another distinction having been named the Most Tattooed Male Senior Citizen. He died aged 80, on 12 June 2016.[5]
After his death, his title of "The World's Most Tattooed Male Senior" was given on December 9, 2016 to American man Charles "Chuck" Helmke (died March 12, 2023), of Melbourne, Florida whose body was 97.5% covered in tattoos, Helmke also attained another Guinness World Records for the most tattooed skulls on a male.[3] Additionally, his wife Charlotte holds the title for "Most Tattooed Female Senior"; her body is 98.75% covered in inkings. She also hold the title for most feathers tattooed on the body by a female. Between the couple, they were said to have undergone 2,000 hours being tattooed.[7]
Notes
edit- ^ Interview with Neil Stephen "The cat who came in from the cold". The Guardian. 28 October 2008. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ Guinness World Records. "Most Tattooed Person". Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
Lucky Diamond Rich is now acknowledged as the world's most tattooed person
- ^ a b "Most tattooed senior citizen. (male)". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
- ^ "Tom Leppard, tattooed man – obituary". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
- ^ a b "The Leopard Man of Skye Dies". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ^ "Tattooed Leopard Man leaves hermit lifestyle behind". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ^ "World's most tattooed senior man Chuck Helmke dies at 81". Archived from the original on 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-08-15.