Swarb on Radio 4

[Nick]

And if you are lucky Dennis, they say Really Nice Things about you. As in the case of dear Swarb who was alive all the time and lucky enough to read what people said.

Alfred Nobel was another famous person who accidentally got to read his own obituary. His brother died but the newspaper editor got the wrong information.

Interestingly it wasn't a nice obit. It was very critical of the fact that he had invented Dynamite: "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday." The headline referred to him as The Merchant of Death.

The mis-published obit changed his life. He left the bulk of his fortune to found the five Nobel Prizes (physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace) awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."

As a story, it's positively Dickensian...

Cheers

Nick

[Jules Gray]

Alfred Nobel was another famous person who accidentally got to read his own obituary. His brother died but the newspaper editor got the wrong information.

Interestingly it wasn't a nice obit. It was very critical of the fact that he had invented Dynamite: "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday." The headline referred to him as The Merchant of Death.

The mis-published obit changed his life. He left the bulk of his fortune to found the five Nobel Prizes (physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace) awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."

As a story, it's positively Dickensian...

Cheers

Nick

Great story there Nick!

Jules

[Edthefolkie]

Colin Irwin owned up to writing said Swarb obit in his splendid book In Search of Albion. Worth a read that is, my handsomes.

[Ollie]

Colin Irwin owned up to writing said Swarb obit in his splendid book In Search of Albion. Worth a read that is, my handsomes.

Reading it ATM. Great book. As is 'The Magic Spring' by Richard Lewis.

[Edthefolkie]

As is 'The Magic Spring' by Richard Lewis

Yer right there Ollie, it is indeed. Both those books say a lot that I've been trying to get me head round for years. I mean I KNOW our music/tradition/capering about/making arses of ourselves is valid and important but it's nice to get confirmation from people wot write books (and younger people like yourself - and I'm not being patronising).