Saturday 18 April 2015

Dr Purlieus Pope . . . . The A to Z of Slightly Strange Unknown Victorian Inventors and Explorers



Dr Purlieus Pope

A tall and elegant explorer very much in the mould of what a Victorian explorer should look like so it was strange to many of his colleagues that he got on so well with Mr Newton Newton III. But they were both interested in the everyday wildlife around them, and it was Dr Pope’s interest in the humble pigeon that led him to make his most exotic and perilous trip to the undiscovered arid wastelands of Persia

After reading an old manuscript about a building of great elaborateness deep in the centre of the Persian deserts,  in which it implied it was built to house the worlds most beautiful and rare pigeon, the Poisonous Puff Pigeon of Persia. He decided that he must find out if this was true or not. No one else had undertaken the journey because it was thought foolish to travel across half the world in search of a pigeon loft full of fancy pigeons when there were loads in the suburbs of Bradford where pigeon fanciers were ten a penny.

But no one could have expected the sheer majesty of the building now known to everyone as the PERPLEXED PINEAPPLE PAGODA of PERSIA with its POLYMORPHIC PLEBEIAN PERPENDICULAR PITCHED PILLARED PIVOTING Staircase.



However Dr Purlieus Pope had arrived in Persia at a time of great unrest (yes it was ever such) and the various tribal factions were all convinced that Dr Purlieus Pope was some sort of western imperialist spy  (yet again it was ever such). So before he could return to Britain someone slipped a poisoned pigeon pie into his Harrods Explorers Luxury Hamper. He made it back but was extremely ill and never got to return. He also made sure that his good friend Mr Newton Newton III arranged that his ashes after his death were scattered at his place of birth at the source of the old hill road to Stockdale. Where even today you can find a plaque commemorating his achievements as an explorer, mounted on a small bronze of a pigeon at the side of the road near ancient woodland. . 

10 comments:

  1. I have been rather busy but luckily am still on schedule with this A to Z thing. I really need to make this the last one I think. I mean when you become the only person to comment on your own blog then times are getting bad. I will say though that despite the bad spelling and dodgy pictures drawn with a ball point pen I do quite like some of the stories that crop up from time to time and in general agree with most of the points made. . .

    Keep up the good work.

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  2. Ooh, I'm late Mr Z. It seems that the Lil man and technology DO NOT mix and I am forever having to fix my laptop.

    The blogging world is a fickle business, with people reading and commenting one minute and then leaving and never returning the next. Or people following but not bothering to read anything you post thereafter, once you've followed them back. But that is just the way that the blogosphere rolls lately Mr Z.

    In general, I am still enjoying the challenge and I am glad that in general, you agree that you agree with some of the points made in general. Now after reading all those P words, I think I need to go and lie down. And yes, do keep up the good work.

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    1. I do enjoy blogging but it has its frustrations, I am glad to hear you are having a good A to Z this year Miss Lily

      I sort of feel this year I have a nice Bucket of crystal clear cool water (OK it has a few bugs in it) and I am pouring it on a huge sand dune in a very large and hot desert. As you might expect the result of doing this is not making any mark whatsoever in the desert. I may be forced to leap about and flap my arms up and down.

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    2. I stiLL love you, Miss Lily

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    3. The feelings's mutual Mr E. :)

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  3. Your veRy first line cracked me up laughing when you mentioned what a Victorian explorer "should look like".

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    1. But Mr ESB those Victorians were very particular about their image they were the ambassadors of the British Empire and image was everything. . . . Like the old saying. . Mad Dogs and English Men go out in the Mid-Day Sun. . . . But I will admit every little laugh that my blog generates is a priceless bonus along the twisty road of life. :)

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    2. I have been so busy the last couple of weeks that I have not been able to read and comment like usual, so I am definitely looking forward to reading your entire AtoZ Victorious entries. I need more robots.

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    3. I was thinking of putting it all on its on page once it its complete so that it can be read properly.

      Although being busy is not always good, it generally is when its your own business.

      It is only a matter of time until the personal robot helper arrives in the average home to help us with life and stuff.

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