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Hi Gary, I read through some early pages on this thread. A lot about the horse slaughterers, etc. Some pics. You say on another thread that something important might come from this. Specifically what?
Yours truly,
Tom WescottComment
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Tom,
It was just a throwaway line. I have found some intriguing coincidences between a particular Harrison, Barber man and the case, but they are very tenuous so far and not worthy of an airing on the boards at this stage. Research is ongoing, but the guy was just a 'Joe Bloggs' - an apparently unremarkable working man who didn't leave much of a paper trail, so the fruit may wither on the vine.
Gary.Comment
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Thanks, I thought I was missing something.Originally posted by Gary Barnett View Post
Yours truly,
Tom WescottComment
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I was just browsing this fascinating thread when I came across the image of the impesssive memorial to Tom Sayers, the prizefighter whom Jack Atchleler took under his wing. A casual tourist wandering through Highgate Cemetary might think it was the tomb of a son of the nobility. Not so. Just as Jack the Knacker belied his appearance (he looked like a better-groomed version of Gladstone but had the eloquence of Arfur Mullard), so Tom Sayers in death belied his humble origins.
Evidence? If you must:
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For anyone who has never 'eard of Arfur Mullard:
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For anyone who had never 'eard of Arfur Mullard but now wants to know more (?):
This may be a complete waste of time - what time is it? 17 minutes past... ooh I must get a little 'and on this watch...
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Feeling hungry? Here's a cure:
From The Islington Gazette, 26th August, 1871
THE HORSE BANQUET
The horseflesh dinner which has been so much talked about came off at the Langham Hotel on Thursday evening. The guests were numerous, and included many well-known names. Mr. Forsyth, Q.C., was in the chair. There were also present Sir John Lubbock, Sir H. Thompson, Mr.Maule, Q.C., Messrs. A.S. Bicknall, T. Hughes, Dutton Cook, Walter Thornbury, W. H. Russell, C. Dickens, jun., F.T.Buckland, W.B. Tegetmeier, "Argus", Herman Merrivale, &c.
The animal food served at the dinner, with the exception of soles fried in horse oil, salmon and poultry, consisted entirely of horseflesh. Three geldings, of the ages of four, twenty and twenty-two years respectively, were sacrificed for the banquet, having been killed for this purpose eight days previously; and copies of their photographs were handed round the room. Two were of the cart-horse breed and the other had been accustomed to draw a brougham.
The horse soup served was of two kinds, a clear soup and a puree. We tried the former and found it undeniably excellent, having a distinctive but withal very pleasant flavour. The puree, our next neighbour said, reminded him of hare. "Still more strongly of horse-hair", replied his vis-a-vis. The fish we did not indulge in, for, having paid our guinea and a half to eat horse, we declined all commoner fare. The "terrines de foie maigre chevaline," which we may describe as potted horse liver, was decidedly the most horsey food at the dinner; it had a strong and unmistakable flavour of horse sweat. The dried sausage "aux pistaches" was in no respect to be distinguished from the best sausage sold by Morel; in fact, we think we have tasted it before - but then it was not called "saucisson de cheval ". The "filet roti" was overdone and rather dry. The best dish, au naturel, was the " the baron," which weighed 280lbs., and was born in on the shoulders of four stout servitors, its advent being announced by a herald habited in a tabard, who sounded the praises of the joint to the tune of
Oh, the horse beef of Old England;
And Oh, the old English horse-beef!
Among the entrees we tried the "laungues de cheval;" but, as three horses could not furnish tongue for 160 diners, we presume the supply had been obtained from other sources. Our slice was remarkably like that sold as reindeer tongue; and as the tongues of Mr. Atcheler's horses are never by any chance seen on the one-wheeled vehicles that convey their animal food to our canine favourites, we have some suspicion that the resemblance is as real as it is apparent.
The horse-foot jelly "au marasquin" was not to be distinguished from the best made from calves' feet, and was, to our taste, superior to any concoction of prepared gelatine. The "gateau veterinaire," which may be described as a sponge-cake made with horse oil in place of butter, did not meet our views; it was far too sapid. The "collared horse head" was not equal to that of the boar, and the "boiled withers" we did not try.
It is needless to say that the dinner was well placed on the table and the wines were good.
Some speeches were made after the dinner, all tending to the recommendation of the new diet. Our own opinion is that, although really good, and somewhat gamey in flavour, it is not equal to prime beef, being quite dry and rather destitute of fat between the fibres. The meat is decidedly superior to second-class beef and mutton; and there can be no doubt that the utilisation of the flesh of sound horses would be a great boon to the labouring classes of this country - provided always you could ever get them to eat it. But when people otherwise so sensible as the Scotch refuse eels, and an Irish peasant prefers starvation to dining off conger, what hope is there of removing the prejudices of the English labourer, and inducing him to dine off a horse steak or a boiled wither? - THE FIELDComment
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The high livers would have seen they'd been duped when they couldn't even get their sleighs off the ground, let alone high.Comment
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Caleb Hunt
Caleb hunt was the resident 'horse coroner' at HB's yard in York Road/Maiden Lane, Belle Isle.Attached FilesComment
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Caleb Hunt
Poor old Caleb seems to have been an object of ridicule to the good folk of Islington. The playing of the Dead March as he paraded his banner couldn't have helped.
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I thought this was amusing:
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What was a knacker?
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