As another year draws to a close, let us look back at some of the most memorable stories we published over the past twelve months. From curious episodes of forgotten history to remarkable human lives and unlikely inventions, these posts captured our fascination and, we hope, yours as well.
Richard of Pudlicott’s Audacious Heist of The King’s Treasury
In April 1303, a man named Richard of Pudlicott pulled of one of the most daring burglaries in English history. Thieves broke into the treasury of King Edward I’s Wardrobe in the Westminster Abbey and made off with nearly a year’s worth of tax revenue collected over the entire Kingdom of England. Richard was hanged for his crime, but did he acted alone, or was there a larger conspiracy behind the theft?
The Strange Death of James Price
In 1783, a chemist named James Price supposedly achieved what many alchemists before him had tried and failed—the transmutation of base metals into precious ones, such as gold and silver. Price shot into fame, but when the Royal Society insisted that he perform a demonstration before learned men, he found himself trapped. The fear of being exposed and the shame of public humiliation drove Price to a terrible end.
Robert Coates: The Greatest Bad Actor
In the glittering world of 19th-century theatre, where talent was prized and ridicule could end a career, one man defied convention and became a legend—not for brilliance, but for flamboyant failure. His name was Robert Coates, a wealthy amateur who believed that he was destined for the stage. And while audiences came in droves to see him, it wasn’t for his skill. They came to witness the greatest bad actor who ever lived.
The Jumping Frenchmen of Maine
In the late 19th century, a rare and highly unusual neuropsychiatric condition was observed among a group of French-Canadian lumberjacks living in the Moosehead Lake region of northern Maine. Those affected exhibited an extreme and exaggerated startle reflex. When startled by a sudden movement or loud noise, they reacted with dramatic involuntary responses, such as leaping into the air, screaming, repeating words, or instantly obeying shouted commands. It was reported that the "jumpers" were primarily of French descent, born in Canada, and worked as lumbermen in the Maine woods.
Timothy Dexter’s Curious Business Ventures
Timothy Dexter was businessman, but he had few business sense. He attempted to sell coal to Newcastle and bed warmers to the tropics. Yet, despite his seemingly strange ventures, Dexter often managed to turn a profit. Dexter rose from humble beginnings to amass a considerable fortune, not through careful planning or education, but seemingly by sheer luck and outrageous confidence. What makes his story truly fascinating is not just his financial success, but the bizarre, often comical manner in which he lived and spent his fortune.
Johann Bessler’s Mysterious Rotating Wheel
In the early 18th century, a German inventor named Johann Bessler designed a wooden wheel that could turn perpetually without supplying energy—a perpetual motion machine. He conducted many demonstrations throughout Europe and managed to convince learned men and even the most curious of investigators. When Bessler died of a freak accident in 1745, he took his secret to the grave. Bessler’s wheel is possibly one of the finest and most convincing illusions anybody has ever pulled. Exactly how he managed to achieve it, however, remains a mystery.
Paige Compositor: The Invention That Bankrupted Mark Twain
In the late 19th century, a New Yorker named James W. Paige invented a very complicated mechanical typesetter that fully automated the process of typesetting, closely mimicking the actions of a human typesetter. Although the machine was rather clumsy, it worked well. American writer Mark Twain was so impressed with the machine’s complexity and potential that he dropped a significant chunk of his savings into its development with disastrous results.
The Poyais Scam: A Nation That Never Was
In the early 19th century, a Scottish soldier named Gregor MacGregor pulled off one of the most audacious frauds in history. Styling himself the “Cazique” or prince of a fictional Central American nation, MacGregor seized upon the era’s feverish interest in colonial opportunity and foreign investment by convincing hundreds of people to invest in and even emigrate to a country that did not exist. His elaborate web of forged documents, fabricated maps, and persuasive lies led to the financial ruin of thousands and the death of over a hundred would-be settlers.
The Kauri Gum Diggers of New Zealand
In the middle of the 19th century, New Zealand’s South Island struck gold. Gabriel Read, an Australian prospector who had previously searched for gold in California and Australia, discovered the precious metal in a creek bed near Lawrence. News of the find spread quickly, drawing thousands of prospectors from the dwindling goldfields of Australia, as well as from Europe, the United States, and China. Boomtowns such as Dunedin, Lawrence, Hokitika, and Thames expanded rapidly, with some populations quadrupling within just a few years.
Aqua Tofana: The 17th Century Husband Killer
Aqua Tofana is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless liquid that could be mixed with the victim's food without detection. When administered gradually, it mimicked symptoms of common illnesses such as cholera or influenza, slowly debilitating the victim until the final, fatal dose was given. This poison, whose principal active ingredient was arsenic, quickly gained notoriety in southern Italy, particularly among women seeking to rid themselves of their husbands and claim their inheritances.
Hua Tuo And The Mysterious Mafeisan
During the late Eastern Han dynasty, a brilliant Chinese physician named Hua Tuo is said to have perfected a powerful form of anaesthesia centuries before similar developments in the West. Known as mafeisan, this herbal concoction was made entirely from plant extracts and was so potent that it could render a patient unconscious for more than 24 hours—long enough for Hua Tuo to perform highly invasive surgical procedures, such as the removal of diseased intestines.
John Taylor: The Oculist Who Blinded Bach
Legendary German composer and musician Johann Sebastian Bach suffered from weak eyesight for much of his life. His handwriting—beautiful in his youth—became increasingly shaky and sometimes difficult to read, likely reflecting vision problems. As he grew older, his condition worsened, and he eventually developed cataracts. In the final year of his life, Bach’s vision declined so severely that he agreed to undergo surgery. A traveling English eye surgeon, John Taylor, performed two operations on him, both with disastrous results.
Yoshie Shiratori’s Remarkable Prison Escapes
Yoshie Shiratori was a Japanese prisoner whom no jail could hold. Between 1936 and 1947, the man known as the “Harry Houdini of Japan” pulled off four daring prison escapes, earning a legend’s status among escape artists.
Penny Sit-up, Two-Penny Hangover And Four-Penny Coffin
In the slums of Victorian England, poverty was so pervasive that even sleep came with a price tag. Among the poorest of the poor, including homeless labourers, beggars, and itinerant workers, there existed an entire economy of cheap lodging known as “doss-houses.” These establishments offered minimal shelter in a hierarchy of misery at equally minimal prices, catering to those who could not afford a proper bed. The poorest could choose among the penny sit-up, the two-penny hangover, and, if they could stretch their means a little, the four-penny coffin.
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