Have Some Madeira, M'Dear

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Could this be MJD's father endorsing the drinking of Madeira?

The Times, November 8th 1880 [and other dates]—



Regards,

Simon

[Tom_Wescott]

I was just thinking to myself, 'Umpteen active Druitt threads just isn't enough. I hope someone starts another one soon, preferably about a totally uninteresting and unrelated topic.' Thanks for coming through, Simon!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[The Grave Maurice]

The new thread is worth it just for the Flanders & Swann reference. Can't get enough of those guys, me.

[aspallek]

I was just thinking to myself, 'Umpteen active Druitt threads just isn't enough. I hope someone starts another one soon, preferably about a totally uninteresting and unrelated topic.' Thanks for coming through, Simon!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

No one is forcing you to read any of them, Tom.

Simon, yes I would think it is. There's a later version of the advert referring to "the late Dr. Druitt."

[plang]

Ah yes... Madeira, California. Fine wine and loose Latina women.
That's it! I'm going back!

[Sam Flynn]

The new thread is worth it just for the Flanders & Swann reference. Can't get enough of those guys, me.

Have some more of 'em!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OW_zi8n4HDQ

Priceless stuff

[Johnr]

Yeah hello Simon and all,
Actually, this advertisement is using a quote from Montague Druitt's uncle's
book on the Healthful Use of Wine. That is Robert Druitt of Strathmore Gardens.
Not only did the book praise Spanish Sherry it also praised some Australian wines too. Possibly information obtained through Robert's brother, Archdeacon Thomas Druitt out in New South Wales.
Come to think of it, Archdeacon Druitt actually married Helena Purvis in Lisbon
in August 1845. So he probably informed his brother about the jolly good sherry and Madiera sponge cake available in Spain.
Some interesting obscure references to Druitts are turning up now aren't they? Keep'em coming. JOHN RUFFELS.

[Christine]

I see two problems with this advertisement. First problem is that I'm fairly sure wine is not really all that good for the "aged or convalescent." Second problem is that when I'm shopping for wine, "good for convalescents" is not real high on the list of what I'm looking for!

More to the point, Druitt's life seems full of fascinating tidbits, almost none of which point to a violent serial killer. He'd be a classic quaint Victorian gentleman were it not for Macnaghten's "private information." There must have been something we don't know about, and it's one of the most tantalizing mysteries in a field of enigmas....

[aspallek]

Thanks, John, for clearing that up. It does make sense now that I think about it.

[Johnr]

Just To Be Thoroughly Boring..

Finally Simon,
Noticed when Googling that a copy of Dr Robert Druitt's treatise on wines is available for sale.
The full title is:" Report on the Cheap Wines from France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Greece, Hungary and Australia.Their Use in Diet and Medicine".
This copy Second Edition completely re-written by Dr Robert Druitt.and printed by Henry Renshaw 356 Strand, London. 1873.
Of course, he was better known as the Editor of a Medical Journal and author of the extremely popular ( amongst medicos) " Surgeon's Vade Mecum ". Which also came out in multiple editions.From 1858.
In my opinion Dr Robert Druitt was the best known of the Druitts circa 1880's.
And so it was understandable persons not immediately familiar with MJD would have connected him with medicine.
The Druitts had been practising medicine in Wimborne for three hundred years!
JOHN RUFFELS.

[Simon Wood]

Hi John,

Yaaaawn. Completely and thoroughly boring. Tom'll love it.

Well done! It's all the peripheral stuff like this that brings the whole subject to life.

I raise a glass of Madeira to boredom!

Regards,

Simon

[plang]

Simon, go to Madeira, chat up the Spanish American ladies with your knowledge of fine wine (and buy them good wine) and miracles happen!!!
Now how boring is that?












(p.s. it helps to be stud-like too)

[Mayerling]

In an age when they openly discussed the "water cure" (such as Dr. James Manby Gully of the Bravo Case, or Dr. Thomas Smethurst in the Isabella Banks mystery, or Dr. Edward William Pritchard, before he moved to Scotland), they could equally push wine. Doesn't the bible say something about "a little wine" for you own good sake, or something to that effect?

Besides, I like the reference to Flanders and Swan too in the thread's title.
So, what's gnu with all of you? While thinking of the "water cure" or wine, let's hear it for the recuperative powers of "mud, mud wonderful mud!".

Jeff

[Simon Wood]

Hi Plang,

Not boring at all.

But stud-like? Me? Damn, fallen at the first hurdle.

Still, thanks for keeping the thread going. As I said to Ruffels, it's peripheral stuff like this that helps keep the subject alive.

And as for mud—

There's nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.
So follow me, follow, down to the hollow,
And there let us wallow in glorious mud.

Regards,

Simon

PS. Has anyone got a copy of "The Slow Train"?

[Sam Flynn]

PS. Has anyone got a copy of "The Slow Train"?

I have on CD, Simon. One of their most poignant and reflective songs. Not sure Hammersmith or Blackheath are mentioned, but Openshaw is