Kultur- & Freizeit-Highlights unter der Lupe

Wer war eigentlich Harry Bensley? (1)

…mit der Eisenmaske

nachdem wir von dieser unglaublichen Geschichte gehört hatten, nahm Harry Beiersdorf direkten Kontakt zu Harry Bensleys Großenkel Ken McNaught auf, der in West Yorkshire (GB) lebt. Dadurch sind wir in der Lage autorisiert zu berichten und Fotos "Des Mannes mit der Eisenmaske" zu veröffentlichen.
Es ist schwer zu sagen, was an dieser Geschichte, die der BBC schon mehrfach sendete, der Wahrheit entspricht. Da die Harry Bensley-Story durch und durch "very english" ist, sollte man sie in der Original-Version genießen:

The website of Ken McNaught chronicles the story of Harry Bensley, who had an interesting period in his life, as he reputedly took up the challenge to walk around the world for a 100,000 dollar bet (then £ 21,000), the largest ever recorded bet on record at the time.
The bet was between John Pierpoint Morgan and Hugh Cecil Lowther Lonsdale. Lonsdale said it would be possible for a man to walk around the world, without being identified, whereas Morgan said it could not be done. So Morgan put his money where his mouth was and proposed bet, promising to pay the 100,000 dollars to the man who completed the challenge. In the site of Ken Mc Nauhgt you will find the official story of how the bet came about, and how Harry took up the challenge to be the man who would walk around the world, without being identified. There were many extreme conditions placed on the challenge, and he had to visit a very specific list of places within England and also the rest of the world. Morgan also financed a "minder" who was appointed to traveled with him to ensure all the conditions were met.
Evidence of the journey in the form of pictures, postcards and pamphlets are presented in this web site. The BBC has covered the story on several radio broadcasts over the years, and Harrys incredible journey has made it into many books and newspaper references. Ken Mc Naught documented all those that he knows about. If you have any other pictures or know of other references to the journey, please contact him. Some film companies have also been in contact about making a short film. But as yet, none of these has resulted in a film being produced.

Besuchen Sie die Website von Ken McNaught:

Mc Naught Orpheusweb

Harry Bensley had a very interesting episode in his life:
He was reputedly a West-end playboy, a "bit of a rouge" and a womaniser. He had plenty of money, through investments in Russia, which allegedly earned him around Pound 5,000 a year.
This particular story goes like this: At a dinner one evening in 1907, at his club "The National Sporting Club, London", two gentlemen, John Pierpoint Morgan and Hugh Cecil Lowther Lonsdale (5th earl of Lonsdale and of whom boxings Lonsdale Belt is named after) were arguing whether it would be possible to walk around the world without being identified. Lonsdale said it could be done, where Morgan said it could not. Morgan put up a 100,000 dollar (then £21,000) challenge, and Harry, on hearing the argument, took it up. At that time, it was the largest ever recorded bet! Many conditions were also placed on the bet, including that he was never to be identified, he had to finance himself (starting off with only one pound sterling), only take a change of underclothes, and he had to find a wife on his journey, without letting her know who he was. A particular route was planned consisting of 169 English towns and cities, plus 125 others in 18 counties around the world. Morgan also financed an escort to travel with him to ensure the terms of the wager were kept! At this time, the name of the escort is unknown (can someone help here?) but the mother of Mc Naught has an article which suggests he was an American. He is pictured on many of the postcards that Harry sold to finance himself.
One report lists most of the countries that he had to visit in order:
England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, USA, South America, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Japan, China, India, Egypt, Italy and France. An article in the Times the day after he started the journey stated that he had to "...touch every county in England, Scotland and Wales..." which adds Wales to that list. The Guardian covered the story on 29th July 1998 and mentions Persia, Turkey and the Balkans as well. He had an iron mask made from a suit of armour, which weighed 4 and a half pounds, and began his journey from Trafalgar Square amongst cheering crowds, pushing a spindly wheeled pram (totaling 200lb) on 1st January 1908 (aged 31), accompanied by the "minder". The pram and a placard described his task, and the helmet had another placard with "Walking around the World" written on it. On the pram was an A-board upon which he displayed postcards of himself, that he sold to earn money.

Bilder:
Ausschnitte von Postkarten, die Harry Bensley auf seinem Trip verkaufte

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