Club Life of London, Vol. 2 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th CenturiesTimbs, John
History
Club Life of London, Vol. 2 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries
Timbs, John
Clubs -- England -- London; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
By the strength of his fingers, he rolled up a very strong and large
pewter dish, which was placed among the curiosities of the British
Museum, marked near the edge, "April, 3, 1737, Thomas Topham, of
London, carpenter, rolled up this dish (made of the hardest pewter) by
the strength of his hands, in the presence of Dr. John Desaguliers,"
etc. He broke seven or eight pieces of a tobacco-pipe, by the force of
his middle finger, having laid them on his first and third fingers.
Having thrust the bowl of a strong tobacco-pipe under his garter, his
legs being bent, he broke it to pieces by the tendons of his hams,
without altering the position of his legs. Another bowl of this kind
he broke between his first and second finger, by pressing them
together sideways. He took an iron kitchen poker, about a yard long,
and three inches round, and bent it nearly to a right angle, by
striking upon his bare left arm between the elbow and the wrist.
Holding the ends of a poker of like size in his hands, and the middle
of it against the back of his neck, he brought both extremities of it
together before him; and, what was yet more difficult, pulled it
almost straight again. He broke a rope of two inches in circumference;
though, from his awkward manner, he was obliged to exert four times
more strength than was necessary. He lifted a rolling stone of eight
hundred pounds' weight with his hands only, standing in a frame above
it, and taking hold of a chain fastened thereto.
But his grand feat was performed in Coldbath Fields, May 28, 1741, in
commemoration of the taking of Porto Bello, by Admiral Vernon. At this
time Topham was landlord of the Apple-tree, nearly facing the entrance
to the House of Correction; here he exhibited the exploit of lifting
three hogsheads of water, weighing one thousand eight hundred and
thirty-one pounds: he also pulled against one horse, and would have
succeeded against two, or even four, had he taken a proper position;
but in pulling against two, he was jerked from his seat, and had one
of his knees much hurt. Admiral Vernon was present at the above
exhibition, in the presence of thousands of spectators; and there is a
large print of the strange scene.
Topham subsequently removed to Hog-lane, Shoreditch. His wife proved
unfaithful to him, which so distressed him that he stabbed her, and so
mutilated himself that he died, in the flower of his age.
Many years since, there were several signs in the metropolis,
illustrative of Topham's strength: the last was one in East
Smithfield, where he was represented as "the Strong Man pulling
against two Horses."
THE CASTLE TAVERN, HOLBORN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account