Good point Graham, although in relation to Topham i think the dictionary definition below probably doesnt fit:
"an unprincipled, dishonorable person; villain." Topham was known as a purveyor of the truth and as a magistrate that description doesnt really fit so perhaps i mis used the term 'scoundrel' Maybe lovable rogue is a better term? Cheers Martin On 10 February 2012 11:50, Graham Ensor <[email protected]> wrote: > And of course these days there are no scoundrels about in the > meteorite world at all ;-) > > Graham > > On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 11:32 AM, Martin Goff <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hi Doug, >> >> He was certainly not all starchy white in reputation and was >> definitely a bit of scoundrel at times, in a very British way of >> course. >> >> You wrote >> >> "Anyways, he was definitely one of the most colorful characters of >> early meteorite enlightenment, and as a publicist actuallydeserves in >> my opinion even more credit than he gets" >> >> You also wrote >> >> "Wonder what Prof. Pillinger thinks of this?" >> >> Well, i know that Professor Pillinger is currently researching a book >> all about Edward Topham so we will have to wait and see what his >> conclusions are! :-) >> >> >> Cheers >> >> Martin >> >> On 10 February 2012 11:22, MexicoDoug <[email protected]> wrote: >>> "Edward Topham was not a Sir" >>> >>> Hi Martin, >>> >>> Thanks for the kind reply; Someone else also said he was a Sir, I'm trying >>> to remember. Maybe there really is more to the story. But, even if he were >>> to have been knighted, wasn't George a bit too mad by that time, or are >>> there others who have that power I wonder... >>> >>> Topham didn't even earn his title of "Major", he was just a captain, and >>> upon retirement I think the policy was just to bump Captains up to Majors so >>> they got bigger pensions. The newspaper he founded, as far as I can tell, >>> was the very first widely circulated tabloid newspaper in the world >>> (coincidently named 'The Globe'). However, he got into all kinds of legal >>> troubles just before the meteorite fell and had to close it down, since he >>> apparently has offended a well-respected recently dead man. If I recall, he >>> pulled through the episode by the skin of his teeth and set some common law >>> presicents in England saying a dead man's estate can't sue for libel. >>> >>> While he may have been respected in certain circles, I think he just sponged >>> off Mrs. Wells during fair weather, made a business out of her with benefits >>> (after this blew over she became a nun) and then as her superstar status >>> began to wane, let her rot in jail and took her children away from her for >>> himself. I'm sure it was a bit more complicated than that (she had a >>> brother or brother in law who was a scoundrel), but still, IMO he was just a >>> fancy-pants socialite. I really don't mean to offend since we like to give >>> as much respect as we can to those great men and women in the history of >>> meteorites, but the respect he got was probably more like a straight Perez >>> Hilton of today (and many people live for that stuff in the USA!). So I >>> think it is worthwhile mentioning. >>> >>> When you think about the circumstances of the exhibition of the meteorite, >>> it sort of fits together in my opinion, but I'm sure there are alternate >>> interpretations out there that make him a hero instead of one of the King's >>> yes-men ;-) >>> >>> Anyways, he was definitely one of the most colorful characters of early >>> meteorite enlightenment, and as a publicist actuallydeserves in my opinion >>> even more credit than he gets. Wonder what Prof. Pillinger thinks of this? >>> >>> Kindest wsihes >>> Doug >> >> >> >> -- >> Martin Goff >> www.msg-meteorites.co.uk >> IMCA #3387 >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Visit the Archives at >> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html >> Meteorite-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list -- Martin Goff www.msg-meteorites.co.uk IMCA #3387 ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
