England is famous for its eccentricities. From strange culinary preferences to quirky traditions, the English have a long and proud history of kookiness. Get ready to meet some of the finest oddballs England has ever produced!
John Ruskin—The Coy Wonder
The story of John Ruskin, a notable art critic and writer, begins with him marrying his cousin in 1848. Ruskin’s genius was clear, but he lacked charisma, especially with women. He was reportedly disgusted by the fairer sex. His marriage to Effie Gray was never consummated because Ruskin refused. His distaste for women was so profound that when he founded the Ruskin School of Art in 1871, students couldn’t sketch, paint, or sculpt nude females, which is quite odd for an art school.
William Beckford—Lord of ‘(fall)Downton Abbey’
William Beckford was a real-life billionaire. He inherited a staggering £1 million in 1770 at the age of 10. With his wealth, Beckford indulged in the finer things. He was an art collector, a literary mind, and had a penchant for young boys. He loved gothic architecture and decided to build himself an abbey to live in with his 11-year-old cousin, William Courtenay.
After employing 500 local men for six years, ‘Fonthill Abbey’ was completed on his estate. Builders were given plenty of beer to keep them working, so it wasn’t surprising when the 300ft spire collapsed. Seven years later, the tower was rebuilt, allowing Beckford to live in peace with his Spanish dwarf servant.
Mary Amelia ‘Emily Mary’ Cecil, Marchioness of Salisbury—Mistress of the Hunt who was Gone in a Flash
Most people opt for comfortable clothing as they age, but not Mary Amelia Cecil. The Marchioness of Salisbury refused to go gentle into that night. She loved fox hunting and continued this hobby into her seventies. Due to failing eyesight and balance, she had to be tied to her horse while leading the hunt. She was known for her fashion sense, continuing to wear the highly decorated wigs popular in her youth. This fondness led to her death when her wig caught fire from a candelabra, causing severe damage to her manor and taking her life. Only charred bones and dentures remained of the eccentric octogenarian.
Henry Cavendish—Make it Rain-man
Jean Baptiste Biot described Henry Cavendish as “the richest of all the savants and the most knowledgeable of all the rich.” Cavendish was an influential experimental chemist of the 18th century.
Cavendish made important discoveries and inventions, created astrological instruments, uncovered the chemical composition of air and water, worked out the properties of electrical resistance 50 years before Georg Ohm, and calculated the effects of gravity on light rays over a century before Einstein. Most incredibly he accurately calculated the mass of the Earth, and his conclusion has barely changed. He was reclusive and unaware of the worth of money. When a staff member fell ill, colleagues asked Cavendish to contribute to a collection. He pledged £10,000—an astounding amount even today!
Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, Lord Berners—Typifier of the Bizarre
Lord Berners was a strange and eccentric child who grew into a strange and eccentric adult. He planned and served meals according to the color he was in the mood for. He built a folly tower on his estate, Faringdon, in 1935, against local planners’ wishes. A sign near the tower read: ‘Members of the public committing suicide from this tower do so at their own risk’.
Lord Berners loved playing tricks. He dressed strangely on trains, inviting strangers to sit with him, but few did. Those who did soon left, as he checked his temperature every few minutes with a rectal thermometer.
Here lies Lord Berners
One of the learners
His great love of learning
May earn him a burning
But, Praise the Lord!
He seldom was bored.”
– Epitaph on gravestone of Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners
David James, MP for Brighton Kemptown—In Search of Nessie…and his Seat in Parliament
David James, the Member of Parliament for Brighton Kemptown, went on a three-week hunt for the Loch Ness Monster during the 1964 general election instead of campaigning. He lost his seat to the Labour Party. It was a really stupid plan.
Admiral Algernon Charles Fieschi Henage—Cleanliness is next to Godliness, Sloppiness gets you Punished
Admiral Henage was honored with a knighthood after his retirement. He believed a clean ship was the ultimate weapon. Henage would inspect his ship with white kid gloves, accompanied by a coxswain carrying fresh gloves on a silver platter. He’d run his finger along surfaces, looking for dirt. Any grime found could end an officer’s Navy career. That is how Britannia ruled the waves.
Lady Diana Cooper—Beyond Leisure
Lady Diana Cooper, a socialite, muse for Evelyn Waugh, and the “most beautiful girl in the world,” lived an extraordinary life. During World War II, Lady Cooper suggested placing giant magnets in London’s parks to save the city from bombings, but the War Office didn’t adopt the plan.
At a reception for Sir Robert Mayer’s 100th birthday, Lady Cooper chatted with a well-dressed lady, unaware it was the Queen. She quickly curtseyed and apologized for her informality: “I’m terribly sorry ma’am. I didn’t recognise you without your crown on.”
Justice Sir Melford Stevenson—A Terrifying Wit
Justice Sir Melford Stevenson was known for making inflammatory comments. He called bookmakers a “bunch of crooks” and Birmingham a “municipal Gomorrah.” During a divorce hearing, he described living in Manchester as a “wholly incomprehensible choice.” He ran for parliament in 1945 and promised not to mention his opponent’s “alleged homosexuality.” He holds the record for having the most decisions overturned by the Court of Appeal in a single day, to which he commented “a lot of my colleagues are just constipated Methodists”.
Kenneth Cecil Gandar-Dower—Not quite the Sport of Kings
Kenneth Cecil Gandar-Dower was an excellent sportsman, traveler, and aviator. He also invented the stupidest spectator sport in history: cheetah racing.
Greyhounds are fast, but cheetahs are faster. Gandar-Dower had the idea to make cheetahs race. It didn’t work because cheetahs weren’t greyhounds; they wandered around searching for food. Locals feared hungry cheetahs roaming West London. Despite the lack of interest, Gandar-Dower’s craziness can be saluted.
These eccentric Englishmen and loony ladies showcase the unique spirit of England. From bizarre hobbies to outrageous behaviors, they remind us to embrace our individuality and find joy in the unexpected.
Which of these eccentric personalities surprised you the most? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
