the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tichborne_Claimant wz an enormously fat imposter -- up to 24 stone at one point -- who wz also enormously popular with londoners especially (largely they felt his claim, to be a dead man quite unlike him, was so FABULOUSLY ABSURD that it wz only fair his claims were met)
anyway as a result of his size and notoriety, much music-hall material was generated -- and in particular there was a small gentleman who took the name "little tichbourne" as his act (which wz BEING SMALL hurrah for music-hall!)
anyway after a while he wz just known as little titch -- and ever after that, anyone small is called TICH or TITCH, and all bcz of a giant big fat imposter!
http://www.titch.net/faq2.jpg
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:00 (eighteen years ago)
(the judge in the case, sir alexander cockburn, is a direct ancestor of the US lefty polemicist of the same name)
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:03 (eighteen years ago)
was he called cockburn because he had an act too?
― StanM, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:04 (eighteen years ago)
no yr thinkin of the infamous underground star DONKEY COCKBURN
(checkin that last a bit more carefully AC must be an INDIRECT ancestor as he had no sons)
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:07 (eighteen years ago)
Aside from some facial resemblance to Tichborne, he did not fit the description at all. Instead of sharp features and black hair, he had round features and light brown hair. He was also fat and did not speak a word of French. His first letter referred to facts Lady Tichborne did not recognise. However, Lady Tichborne was desperate enough to accept him as her son and sent him money to come to her.
Hah, its like Seymour Skinner!
― Trayce, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)
On the Simpsons Season 9 commentary, the writer vehemently confirms that the story is based on the true story of the Tichborne Heir, not Martin Guerre as many thought.
― energy flash gordon, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)
Martin Guerre is the first thing I thought of when I read that Tichborne story.
― Tuomas, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:35 (eighteen years ago)
well he "READ NO FRENCH" so put it from yr mind
i think he actually put on 10 stone DURING the trial, which is kinda awesome
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:37 (eighteen years ago)
Little tich - small music hall geyser photo up there^ - was born in Cudham in Kent. If you go to the Blacksmith Arms in Cudham they still have a pair of his outsized shoes in a cabinet on the wall.
Worth a visit just for this (and not a bad pint either).
― Guilty_Boksen, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:39 (eighteen years ago)
On the Simpsons Season 9 commentary, the writer vehemently confirms that the story is based on the true story of the Tichborne Heir
Well, learn something every day.
― Trayce, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:44 (eighteen years ago)
i'm sure i've seen a pic of him up just like that one except he's up on the toes of the boots, on tiptoe
yr learnin LOTS OF THINGS today trayce!
("vehemently confirms" is a weird turn of phrase)
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:47 (eighteen years ago)
Wait what else did I learn? I'm so confused. Its late.
― Trayce, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:49 (eighteen years ago)
they're all in this thread! it is a goldmine of new facts
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:52 (eighteen years ago)
Many of you've probably heard this story before, but the setup for this football match (see section "1994 anomaly") surely seems too perfect to be true...
― anatol_merklich, Monday, 6 August 2007 13:55 (eighteen years ago)
here's a weird one - the web site of the tichborne claimant's law firm: http://www.nortonrose.com
― Tracer Hand, Monday, 6 August 2007 14:00 (eighteen years ago)
haha that football thing...
― CharlieNo4, Monday, 6 August 2007 14:04 (eighteen years ago)
Ooh it is on youtube! Sadly not the mental part after 2-2 in regular time, but.
― anatol_merklich, Monday, 6 August 2007 14:46 (eighteen years ago)
'Anomaly' understates.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 August 2007 14:53 (eighteen years ago)
The Tich Bourne Claimant.
COMING 2013.
― Frogman Henry, Monday, 6 August 2007 15:10 (eighteen years ago)
Very good. Of course there's already a film about it, made by Harry Potter's very own David Yates:
http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0127933/
― Mark C, Monday, 6 August 2007 16:18 (eighteen years ago)
I'm fairly certain there's a Borges short story about the Tichbourne Claimant which might be where I first heard the story.
― Stone Monkey, Monday, 6 August 2007 16:21 (eighteen years ago)
borges story yes, he calls him TOM CASTRO i think
film yes -- it's rawther lame
― mark s, Monday, 6 August 2007 16:27 (eighteen years ago)