Tuesday 7 April 2015

Ferdinand Fleabite . . . . The A to Z of Slightly Strange Unknown Victorian Inventors and Explorers



Ferdinand Fleabite

A master locksmith and a man with a suspicious past, Ferdinand Fleabite suddenly came into money and rapidly became a well know figure at all the important parties, mixing with very cream of British society.  His invention was the now infamous Fleabite Fixer a device that allowed almost anyone to open even the most secure locks of the day.

It was a device that in the wrong hands would make it almost impossible to secure buildings or safes or anything that relied on a decent lock and key. However Ferdinand Fleabite was not a fool and knew that many large banks and organisations would pay large sums to avoid the device becoming readily available to a mass market. So he was able to make a deal that made him incredibly wealthy. But Mr Fleabite’s past meant he had friends that were keen to get hold of the Fleabite Fixer device and so Ferdinand Fleabite had several hundred of the devices made in Hong Kong which he sold in the small advertisements of the Exchange and Mart knowing that it was not read by the high fly bankers and businessmen of the time.


Unfortunately the authorities became suspicious when the Bank of England was easily broken into four times in a month and arrested Mr Fleabite for questioning. He escaped the very same night and fled to the United States where he slipped his Fleabite Fixer into the case of a young lad called Harry Houdini in order to get through customs.  It was only several years later when he accused Mr Houdini of using the Fleabite Fixer that he was recaptured by the authorities.  Although again he escaped the following evening and was thought to have fled to Hong Kong setting up a company making tap dancing novelty clockwork toys that were able to escape from a locked toy box tied into a sack and sealed in a tank full of water.

10 comments:

  1. Hi, I am one of Lisa's Live Wires for the A to Z Blogging Challenge and when I read this I thought it was a great story.
    Then I wondered if it was true.
    Then thought 'no way' with a last name like that :-)
    This was so interesting to read and your writing has a certain graceful cadence about it (not sure if that makes sense?) I thoroughly enjoyed this blog post and look forward to reading more!

    www.heathermccubbin.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very kind words indeed, It is incredibly rare for anyone to use the word graceful when referring to my blog or for that matter me. Although I did once leap into a runaway truck in my twenties like a young gazelle, that was a very very very very long time ago and these days I would not be so silly and would watch the truck as it smashed into the low pedestrian bridge as the masses panicked and fled in all directions. It is why I leapt in the cab of the truck, it was either look brave or look like a panicking chicken. . . I chose brave (I was young and an idiot).

      Sorry I got side tracked it is rather warm today and I am not used to the heat.

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed these thoroughly -- pussyfooting through the fanciful world of crime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a feeling my post tomorrow will confuse all but the few British Bloggers on the A to Z because of the references. But with luck it will still amuse a bit

      Delete
  3. Ooh, I'm behind in my blog reading Mr Z. Having destroyed his laptop...again, the Lil man and I are having to share mine. I shall be glad when this half term business is over, so that he cannot covet thy laptop all day long.

    Still greatly enjoying these posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How is the Lil man destroying them is it a physical thing as in . . . . OK Laptop I have warned you for the last time, one more error message and its the earl bath for you.. . . . Or is it OOOoooooo I will down loaded this free software of a dinosaur riding a bicycle on a high wire, Ooooooo the scream has gone blank AH DAMN it was a virus. . . . .

      Delete
  4. That was quite an interesting post. There are thousands of stories around the world. Thank you for sharing one of those. Points To Ponder

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love a good story although I do love writing a good story even more. OK not all my stories are good but I do my best and practice makes Purr Cake (sorry perfect). I think I may need cake it was a long day in the office today PHEW

      Delete
  5. Ferdi Fell Fowl oF Fancy Foreign followers.... Seems to be a hard life for the extraordinary Victorians.

    I would have paid more attention at school if I'd have known.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Few (sorry I mean Phew) . . . . . . As it happens I never paid attention at school and left my slightly large (or so it seemed) Secondary Modern with almost no qualifications whatsoever. But I would not be the man I am today had I not gone there.

      Delete