Meet Britain’s 19th century eccentrics, including the spinster with a love of giant bugs

The British are known throughout the world for many things, be it the language of Shakespeare, famous scientific discoveries or a national obsession with tea drinking.

But it is the country’s unmistakable eccentric characters that distinguishes Brits from the crowds across the globe, thanks to a host bizarre cultural habits.

The British eccentric touches every level of social life in the UK, from monarchs and politicians to artists and aristocrats.

With that in mind, here is a list of some of the country’s most famous oddballs in history. 

GERALD HUGH TYRWHITT-WILSON – BARON BERNERS (1883-1950)

Generally known as Lord Berners, he showed signs of eccentricity from an early age when he threw a pet dog out of the window in an attempt to teach it to fly – although the dog was ok.

Berners made his home at Faringdon House in Oxfordshire and transformed it into his own personal playground. He dyed the feathers of the estate’s pigeons bright pink, and displayed various bizarre signs around the place.

His most famous notice was placed upon a tall tower in the grounds, it read: ‘Members of the public committing suicide from this tower do so at their own risk.’

Berners would drive around wearing a pig’s head mask to scare the locals, kept a pet giraffe who he invited into the drawing room for tea and had a beer mug that played the National Anthem when lifted.

Fittingly, he was friends with Salvador Dali who visited Faringdon house. It’s unknown which of the two was quirkier.

Lord Berners (pictured in 1935)

Lord Berners (pictured in 1935 both left and right) would drive around wearing a pig’s head mask to scare the locals, kept a pet giraffe who he invited into the drawing room for tea and had a beer mug that played the National Anthem when lifted

JOHN ‘MAD JACK’ CHURCHILL (1906 – 1996)

John Churchill (no relation to Winston) is famous for having fought in World War II armed with a bow and Scottish broadsword.

A legendary quote attributed to him is: ‘In my opinion, sir, any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.’

In fact, it wasn’t just bizarre weapons that he brought into battle, Fighting Jack Churchill as he as also known, would bring bagpipes and use them to signal an advance.

In fact when he was captured by the Germans in 1944 he was playing ‘Will Ye No Come Back Again’ on his pipes before he was knocked unconscious by grenades.

John Churchill (left, in c1960)

He is famous for having fought in World War II armed with a bow and Scottish broadsword, while also marching into battle with his bagpipes

John Churchill (left, in c1960) is famous for having fought in World War II armed with a bow and Scottish broadsword, while also marching into battle with his bagpipes (shown right)

John 'Mad Jack' Churchill (far right) leads a training exercise, complete with a sword in hand, from a Eureka boat in Scotland

John ‘Mad Jack’ Churchill (far right) leads a training exercise, complete with a sword in hand, from a Eureka boat in Scotland

MURIEL HOWORTH (1881 – 1971)

Despite having no formal science training, Muriel Howorth taught herself the rudiments of nuclear physics at her home in the English seaside town of Eastbourne.

In 1948, she set up her Ladies Atomic Energy Club and wrote to the great physicists of the time, asking them to endorse her efforts. Einstein graciously sent some encouraging words.

In 1960, Howorth began irradiating seeds, knowing that one in a million could result in a ‘golden mutant’. Seeking help, she opened the doors of her society, asking for willing amateur gardeners to join her.

Seeds were posted to volunteers, along with instructions on how to nurture them, log their growth and report back on any interesting mutants.

Howorth herself made national news upon growing a two-foot-tall peanut plant after planting an irradiated nut.

Muriel Howorth presents a model of a Lithium atom to the Mayor of Eastbourne, 1949. Muriel founded the Ladies Atomic Energy Club to encourage gardeners to grow plants via irradiation

Muriel Howorth presents a model of a Lithium atom to the Mayor of Eastbourne, 1949. Muriel founded the Ladies Atomic Energy Club to encourage gardeners to grow plants via irradiation

Ms Howorth shows popular garden writer Beverley Nichols a two-foot-high peanut plant grown from an irradiated nut in her own backyard, circa 1960s

Ms Howorth shows popular garden writer Beverley Nichols a two-foot-high peanut plant grown from an irradiated nut in her own backyard, circa 1960s

DR WILLIAM PRICE (1800 – 1893)

In the mid-nineteenth century, in the heart of the Taff Valley in Wales, a respected GP, Dr William Price, shocked his local community by declaring himself to be a naturist, druid and vegetarian.

He even began dressing in what can only be described as an early version of the onesie, decorated in runic symbols. Truly eccentric for his time.

Price also believed that many diseases could be attributed to lifestyle; his ‘radical’ treatments included fresh air, exercise, cessation of all tobacco products, healthy food and natural medicines.

He settled down to family life at the ripe old age of 83 and had a son who tragically died after only a few months. Price chose to cremate the body – then an illegal act – leading to his arrest and a court case, which was reported across the world.

He was acquitted after an impassioned speech on the environmental impact of burials and the case paved the way for the Cremation Act of 1902.

A statue was erected in Llantrisant where he spent most of his life.

In the mid-nineteenth century, in the heart of the Taff Valley in Wales, a respected GP, Dr William Price, shocked his local community by declaring himself to be a naturist, druid and vegetarian

He even began dressing in what can only be described as an early version of the onesie, decorated in runic symbols

In the mid-nineteenth century, in the heart of the Taff Valley in Wales, a respected GP, Dr William Price, shocked his local community by declaring himself to be a naturist, druid and vegetarian. He even began dressing in what can only be described as an early version of the onesie, decorated in runic symbols (right)

HARRY ‘BRUSHER’ MILLS (1840-1910)

Harry ‘Brusher’ Mills was a hermit and resident in the New Forest of Hampshire who lived as a snake-catcher.

Mills became a local celebrity and attraction for visitors to the New Forest after he became an expert in snakes selling them to tourists and even the London Zoo.

His other job was to sweep a cricket pitch in between innings, hence the nickname ‘Brusher.’

He lived in an old charcoal burner’s hut for most of his life until he tried to build a bigger hut that was unfortunately vandalised just before completion.

He moved into an outbuilding of one of his favourite pubs, the Railway Inn where he died not long after. The pub was renamed The Snakecatcher in his honour.

Harry 'Brusher' Mills was a hermit and resident in the New Forest of Hampshire who lived as a snake-catcher

Mills became a local celebrity and attraction for visitors to the New Forest after he became an expert in snakes selling them to tourists and even the London Zoo

Harry ‘Brusher’ Mills was a hermit and resident in the New Forest of Hampshire who lived as a snake-catcher. Mills became a local celebrity and attraction for visitors to the New Forest after he became an expert in snakes selling them to tourists and even the London Zoo

LOUISA AND MADALENE PASLEY (Born 1848 and 1848)

In the 1850s, Madalene and Lousia Pasley used their active imagination to create a fantasy world where humans interacted with giant insects.

The girl were aged 12 and 13 when they began their drawings whilst being home-schooled in Devonport, Devon.

In their drawings they portrayed themselves as middle-aged spinsters pursuing and being pursued by unfeasibly large insects and giant bugs.

What is remarkable is how accurate the drawings of the insect are, the works are a classic example of entomology and how Victorians used the outdoors as a classroom to study the natural world.

The girls were the youngest children of Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley. It’s believed that both of them later married and had a family so abandoning their artwork and nature studies.

In the 1850s Madalene and Lousia Pasley used their active imagination to create a fantasy world where humans interacted with giant insects

In the 1850s Madalene and Lousia Pasley used their active imagination to create a fantasy world where humans interacted with giant insects

In their drawings they portrayed themselves as middle-aged spinsters pursuing and being pursued by unfeasibly large insects and giant bugs

In their drawings they portrayed themselves as middle-aged spinsters pursuing and being pursued by unfeasibly large insects and giant bugs

WILLIAM BUCKLAND AND FRANCIS BUCKLAND

William Buckland (1784-1856) was a geologist, paleontologist, zoologist, priest and a lecturer. But he is most famous for eating animals – lots of different animals.

He was mice, moles, crocodiles and cricket. He once hear a leopard had died at zoo and determined to taste it, had the animal exhumed.

His appetite wasn’t limited to animals, and once whilst observing the heart of a French King preserved in a silver casket. Dr. Buckland exlaimed: ‘I have eaten many strange things, but have never eaten the heart of a king before.’ Before anyone could stop him, he had gobbled it up, the precious relic was lost forever.

His son Francis (1826 – 1880) carried on the eccentricity of his father by founding the acclimatisation society.

William Buckland, circa 1850s. Buckland was famous for eating exotic animals and once had a leopard exhumed so he could eat it

Francus Buckland, pictured with a giant fish, circa 1870s

William Buckland (shown c1850, left) was famous for eating exotic animals and once had a leopard exhumed so he could eat it (shown right, a drawing of him entering a wolfs’ den)

HENRY BERESFORD, 3RD MARQUESS OF WATERFORD (1811 – 1859)

Known as ‘The Mad Marquess’, Beresford is responsible for the phrase ‘paint the town red’.

This was because Beresford and his fox-hunting friends arrived in Melton Mowbray in 1837 after they had been drinking heavily.

When the drunkards arrived at the tollgate, the toll keeper understandably wanted to be paid before opening the gate.

Unfortunately, that gate was undergoing work at the time. With ladders and red paint lying around which Beresford and his cronies seized and used to attack the toll keeper.

They then proceeded to rampage through Melton Mowbray painting doors red as they passed. Solitary policemen attempted to intervene but were beaten up and painted red for their trouble.

In 1988, a porch of an old pub in the centre collapsed and they found traces of red paint behind on the back of a carved swan.

Despite being reprimanded for the outrageous event, Beresford mischievousness didn’t end and was known for handing out large casks of gin to random passers-by just to see what would happen.

He also rode his horse at high speed through crowded streets, heedless of any injuries he may cause. Allegedly he turned up to a court hearing on horseback and demanded his steed be questioned in the dock – after all, he explained, ‘Only he knows how fast he was going’.

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