History Challenge & Journal

[Jimbob]

so at least two are American writers. #4 isa typical Sandman stumper! Hmm

[PeteC]

I think the second thing we can add in common is that the 2 I spotted were also adventurers/explorers as well as authors. Pete

[Jimbob]

Pete,
Clemens and Hemingway had premature obituaries published which is an interesting connection but not enough to spark more connections

[Jimbob]

Geez, I can't let go of this challenge!
OK, Photo 1 is Rudyard Kipling. He read his obituary in a magazine. The story goes he wrote to the magazine and stated, “I’ve just read I’m dead. Please delete me from your subscription list.”
That discounts an exclusively American connection but the premature obituary link is 'alive'

Mark Twain in a news reports had mixed Twain up with his cousin. An obituary was not published, but in an article published June 2, 1897 Twain stated, “The report of my death is an exaggeration.”

Hemingway, having survived a plane crash in Afric,a is said to have read his obituary at breakfast every morning with a glass champagne.

Who is no.4?

[sandman67]

Hey you guys are not doing too badly here....there are elements floating about in the test tube that are winners.

1) is Rudyard Kipling
2) is Sam Clements aka Mark Twain
3) is Ernest Hemmingway

4.....well he is a famous Brit, he died pretty recently, and was well known for upsetting people.

And yes....one of the three common factors linking all four is that all of them famously were declared dead and/or read their obituaries whlst still alive.

So.... onwards and upwards my HHADer chums.

[STEVE G]

Knowing Sandman, I think #4 could be a young Christopher Hitchens.
If it is, I can see a link with Journalism.

[Siani]

Knowing Sandman, I think #4 could be a young Christopher Hitchens.
If it is, I can see a link with Journalism.

It's an old picture then.. Thought he was an American.

[STEVE G]

Yes, it would have to be an old photo as I can't find it on the net but there is a resemblance and he was born in Britain.

[dtaai-maai]

From the British atheism advocate's real-life obituary, after he had died in December 2011: "Hitchens had quotable ideas about posterity, clarified years ago when he saw himself referred to as 'the late' Christopher Hitchens in print."

[sandman67]

Yes....number 4 is the late and inestimably great Christopher Hitchens

Now....one common link....all were publically declared dead before their actual deaths.

and between the players you got the other two links already, albeit on a partial who is who basis.

All four of them are famous writers/authors

All four of them were at some point in their careers JOURNALISTS or writers for newspapers. Mark Twain, when he was simple old Sam Clements, wrote travel reporting for a small US paper that later became a book. Kipling worked for and wrote for two Empire period Indian papers. Hemmingways journalism is famous, as is The Hitch's canon of reportage especiially his work in war zones and pre-Glasnost E Europe/FSU.

A final link that isnt obvious at all is I am a major fan of all four writers. Kiplings "If...." is the sort of manifesto I try to live by. My granddad read it to me a lot when I was a wee nipper and as he recommended Ive tried to live by it ever since. I guess my success will be measured the day they send me up a chimney. "If...." is one of my favorite bits of poetry.

[Jimbob]

The city I live in was visited by Sam Clements on one of his international speaking trips to escape bankrupty.
He wrote: 'This town has a cemetery at each end of the main street and a Gentlemen's Club with no gentlemen.'

for a lighter challenge,
Who was he?
Served the cabinet offices of Margaret Thatcher and John Major with a distinguished career. Very popular with civil servants but disliked by Mrs Blair. Accused of murder but provided innocent eventually.

[dtaai-maai]

The cat?

[Jimbob]

Humphrey_mouser.jpg (14.87 KiB) Viewed 312 times

Yes D-M.
Humphrey! From Wiki:
Sex Male
Born c. 1988
Died March 2006
London, England
Nation from British
Occupation Mouser
Employer Cabinet Office
Title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office
Term 1989-97
Predecessor Wilberforce
Successor Sybil
Owner Cabinet Office
Appearance black and white fur
Named after Humphrey Appleby

Humphrey (c. 1988 – March 2006) was a cat employed as the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from October 1989 to 13 November 1997. Arriving as a one-year old stray, he served under the premierships of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair, but retired 6 months after the Blairs moved in to Downing Street.[1] He was the successor to Wilberforce.[2] He was frequently referred to in jest by the press as an actual employee at Number 10.

just a cute story for animal lovers proving again the quirkiness of the English mind

[dtaai-maai]

1. Liverpool, 1830

2. Bishop's Stortford, 1890

3. Hounslow, 1916

4. Kazakhstan, late 1950's

What is significant about each of the above places/dates?
(The first 3 are all in the UK)
If you can get two, the link should become clear and help you get the rest.

[Terry]

I thought that Kazakhstan was part of Birmingham