September 07, 2003
Out there
Where is Lord Lucan ? The missing aristocrat disappeared after he murdered his family nanny (it was suspected that he actually intended to murder his wife). Since his car was subsequently found at a bathing spot on the coast, it was assumed that he had drowned himself. However, the good people of Castlebar never gave up hope and never believed his death - though that might have had something to do with the fact that Lucan was entitled to ground rent on about 150 holdings in the town (and you thought we had got rid of all that landed gentry stuff when we got independence). While he was not officially declared dead, no rent had to be paid. Not that the missing lord did much but gamble - but some of his ancestors were more enterprising. Mind you, one of them was also responsible for the Charge of the Light Brigade.
The reason that it is back in the news is that there is a new book out which claimed that an old bearded hippy who died nine years ago was actually Lord Lucan. The basis of their thesis was that if you take a picture of the missing lord, draw a beard on it, and scrunch your eyes up when you're staring at it, GASP, it looks a bit like the old hippy. The old fellow was cremated so it conveniently leaves no DNA evidence. Arrange the words 'shit' 'crock, and 'of' in any way you like.
Posted by Monasette at September 7, 2003 10:41 PM | TrackBack