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Home > Victorian People > More... > Curious, Eccentric & Notorious Victorians
- The Inventor of a New Language, by J. Churton Collins
(Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)
- A brief account of George Psalmanazar, who claimed to come from the island of Formosa and invented a complete culture and language to support his hoax.
- The False Prophet of Arcidosso: David Lazaret
(Cassell's Family Magazine, 1879)
- On the founder of a 19th century cult.
- A Gallery of Eccentric Women: The Ladies of Llangollen, by Nanette Mason
(Girl's Own Paper, 1888)
- Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, who fled from their families to live together in a cottage on Llangollen, Wales, where (for at least the latter part of their lives) they dressed as men.
- A Gallery of Eccentric Women: Nine Odd Women, by Nanette Mason
(Girl's Own Paper, 1888)
- "It is praiseworthy for a girl to have individuality, but not eccentricity, which is nothing but individuality run mad." This article includes the tale of a woman who would "dress in male attire, and go about captivating her sisters and marrying them," defrauding them of their money and clothes.
- The King of Misers
(Pictorial Museum of Sport & Adventure, ca. 1890)
- John Elwes, a parsimonious fellow who died leaving an estate of over £800K - yet who managed to lose a great deal through unrepaid loans and lack of record-keeping.
- An Earth-Girdler, by George Dollar
(The Strand, 1897A)
- Promising to "travel round the world" on a bet was becoming commonplace, but this "earth-girdler" had a bit of a different "spin" on the process.
- The Ladies of Llangollen, by Helen Marshall North
(Century Magazine, 1897A)
- Lady Eleanor Charlotte Butler and the Hon. Sarah Ponsonby built a cottage for themselves in North Wales, where they dressed as men and were considered a tad eccentric, but well loved.
- A Living Idol by Framley Steelcroft
(The Strand, 1897A)
- Bava Luchman Dass, a Brahmin Yoga.
- Foolhardy Feats 1: The Niagara Fools, by George Dollar (The Strand, 1897B)
- "The last thirty years has witnessed an unending procession of fools to Niagara," to jump, walk a tightrope over the falls (Ingalls' Home Magazine, imitation of Blondin, who cooked an omelette on a stove balanced on such a tightrope), and, of course, to attempt the falls in the ever-famous barrel.
- Foolhardy Feats 2: Other Fools, by George Dollar
(The Strand, 1897B)
- Daredevil stunts involving bicycles, balloons and boats.
- A Champion Orange-Peeler, by A.B. Henn (The Strand, 1899B)
- An ocean-going chef's unusual hobby.
- Paying an Election Bet
(The Strand, 1899B)
- The author, having lost his bet, was to ride a donkey from New York to San Francisco, without a dollar in his pocket, earning his keep along the way. One method he used to accomplish the feat was to sell pictures of his journey!
- The Burgess Twins
(Strand, 1901B)
- A pair of identical twins in New York.
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