The Mysterious Fred

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Is this the man who sent Donald Sutherland Swanson a copy of Sir Robert Anderson's "The Lighter Side of My Official Life"?



Regards,

Simon

[Mayerling]

Hi All,

Is this the man who sent Donald Sutherland Swanson a copy of Sir Robert Anderson's "The Lighter Side of My Official Life"?

[ATTACH]18713[/ATTACH]

Regards,

Simon

Why do you suppose this is that man?

[Simon Wood]

You sound as though I shouldn't suppose that it was this man.

[Mayerling]

You sound as though I shouldn't suppose that it was this man.

Hi Simon,

No, I just don't know enough background to wonder why this figure may be the man you say it is. It's a matter of my own ignorance.

Jeff

[rjpalmer]

I am starting to suspect that Simon has a cryptic streak. It was suggested in some quarters that the 'Mysterious Fred' who presented Anderson's book to Swanson might have been none other than Fred Abberline, which would at least imply that Fred and Don were chummy, or that the old Inspector didn't think Anderson's book should be burned outright.

It was a rather thin line of argument.

I don't think it's Chopin, Deeming, or Flintstone, and having read Simon's thoughts on the Marginalia, I am even a little surprised that he is posting this under 'Non-Fiction.'

[Simon Wood]

Hi Jeff,

I was hoping by now that somebody might have been sufficiently curious to ask his name, but apparently this is not the case.

Anyway—

His name is Colonel Frederick Charles Keyser, CB [1842-1920], a fellow Freemason who lived not a million miles from Swanson.

In a number of letters to The Times and in other newspaper and masonic references he went by the informal moniker of 'Fred'.

I don't believe he is listed in Swanson's address book.

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi RJ,

That you of all people should buy the Swanson Marginalia is alarming. I always thought you were fairly rational.

Actually, Keyser is a thinly disguised Frederick Delius

Regards,

Simon

[rjpalmer]

Rest easy, Simon; I am by no means married to the marginalia.

[Simon Wood]

Phew! That's a relief. You had me worried for a moment.

[Sam Flynn]

Actually, Keyser is a thinly disguised Frederick Delius

He doesn't look like Delius, Simon. Perhaps he was thickly disguised?

[Simon Wood]

Yes indeed, Delius was a master of disguise.

[Sam Flynn]

Yes indeed, Delius was a master of disguise.

Ah, that would explain it

[Wickerman]

Yes indeed, Delius was a master of disguise.

A pilot was he?

[Simon Wood]

Is that like an Egyptian being in denial?

[Sam Flynn]

A pilot was he?

Delius was a composer who was practically paralysed - and blind - by the time he was 60. I don't think the chap in the photograph on p1 was Frederick Delius; if he was, the photographer must have caught him on a very good day.