Edinburgh has been the stomping ground for many faces and characters over the years, however not all of them have been celebrities, politicians or artists.
In fact, one of the city’s most-loved individuals was known for sleeping on the streets and bringing a little joy to all who met him.
Cosmo the “Gentleman Tramp” was an iconic part of Edinburgh’s city centre for over 20 years after he came to the city and continued to live on the streets before his death in 2001.
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Passing away at the age of 71, Cosmo, whose full name was Cosimo Presutti, had come to Edinburgh in 1963 hoping to get a good job and send money home to his family in Italy.
To many who knew of him, Cosmo was simply a gentle soul who lived a solitary lifestyle and was always carrying his belongings in a Marks and Spencer plastic bag.
However, behind the quiet facade was a tragic life story, which saw him move hundreds of miles from his Italian farming village and family after believing they would be better off without him.
Following the war, Cosmo had struggled to make a living to support his pregnant wife, causing him to move to Scotland and leave both her and his two children behind.
It was only after his death in 2001 that his daughter, Rosanna, shared that Cosmo had never needed to sleep rough on the capital’s streets, but had chosen to live that way.
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A deeply religious man, both Edinburgh locals and tourists began to know Cosmo ’s face, and his regular appearances on the steps of St Giles Cathedral.
Only ever shopping for food at the M&S on Princes Street, he was also known to refuse handouts or help, but was always up for taking some holiday snaps with tourists in his tweed bunnet.
Sadly, it was only after his death that the true story of Cosmo’s family came to light, with the 71-year-old only ever returning to Italy once to find his family and friends had all moved on from the town they lived in.
Trying to trace her father years later, his daughter Rosanna had shared that when he returned it had only been her left in their small village, and despite her bests efforts to have her father stay there with her, he returned to Scotland days later.
In the last year of his life, Cosmo also suffered a horrendous attack, with a group setting him alight as he slept on the steps of St Giles, leaving him with serious burns.
However, the ‘gentleman’ tragically died months later after her was hit by a car while out walking on the outskirts of the city.
For a character that preferred to live a lonesome life, Cosmo had managed to impact and touch the lives of many across Edinburgh, with hundreds turning up at St Giles for his funeral.
A similar show of support had been seen before his death, with a huge wave of cards turning up for him in hospital when he was recovering from his burn injuries.
Speaking at his funeral, his daughter described her father as a “slightly mythical” individual, who although became estranged from those close to him, had had a huge impact on Edinburgh and the people who lived within it.
