I’m surprised that no- one has yet mentioned the case of the
Tichborne Claimant.
Thumbnail: In 1854 the wealthy heir to the baronetcy of Tichborne was lost at sea off the coast of Brazil, having been packed off on a three-year round the world trip to knock out of his head his passion for a cousin.
Mum refused to believe he was dead, and published newspaper appeals promising that anyone who could provide info as to his whereabouts would be able to trouser a hefty wedge.
Amazingly -
- she received an answer. A man claimed to be her little Roger. Except that he was a butcher in Australia. And was several inches shorter, and stones fatter, than the missing aristo. And he’d apparently forgotten how to speak French. And had changed his handwriting, like you do.
Obvs, mamma believed him!
Then mamma died, and
the lardy Ozzie butcher Baronet Tichborne initiated a court case to establish his
bona fides.
Did he win?
maximus otter