Folklore Frontiers - No 057

Magazine Overview

Title: FOLKLORE FRONTIERS
Issue: No. 57
Year: 2007

This issue of Folklore Frontiers is a miscellany of articles covering folklore, modern legends, forteana, conspiracy theories, and contemporary culture. It is edited and published by Paul Screeton from Hartlepool, UK.

Cover Story: Richard Dawkins

The cover features Richard Dawkins with the headline: "DAWKINS: 'IRONY DICK' - MAD? BAD? OR JUST SAD?". The article "Gullible's Travels: Richard Dawkins, God, evolution and Galapagos" critically examines the evolutionary biologist. It highlights ironies surrounding Dawkins, suggesting his atheism is fundamentalist and his media earnings on those he derides make him a 'snake-oil salesman'. The piece questions his stance on religion, his definition of natural selection, and his views on the paranormal. It also touches upon his visit to the Galapagos Islands and a contemporary legend about boobies going blind.

The Diary

This section covers a range of brief items:

• McCann Case: The missing daughter Madeleine McCann case is noted, with a reference to Jan Harold Brunvand's observations on legendary abduction stories involving dark minorities.
• Thomas Harris's 'The Ghost': A political satire/thriller is reviewed, with a comment on a newspaper's reporting of alleged affairs.
• Steven Pinker's 'The Stuff of Thought': A reviewer muses on the process of naming and impersonation, referencing Paul McCartney.
• Blue Peter Phone-in Scandal: A reader's question about the naming of a Blue Peter cat (Socks vs. Cookie) is discussed, with a mention of a Seventies joke.
• Record Collector: A copy of Mighty Baby's 'Hold Your Fire' is noted for sale at £260, with a reflection on past record collecting.
• Don Arden and Chuck Berry: An anecdote from Roger Fairhurst recounts Don Arden's meeting with Chuck Berry, highlighting an awkward discussion and Arden bringing his mother.
• Beer and Dehydration: A Spanish study suggests beer can help dehydrated people retain liquid, with a humorous commentary on the research.

Readers' Letters

• ATM PIN Security: A letter shares an email about a supposed method to notify police of a robbery by entering a PIN number in reverse. The contributor expresses skepticism about its practicality and effectiveness.

Strange Brew - London Publore

This article, by Antony Clayton, explores the folklore of secret tunnels in London, particularly those associated with pubs:

• General Folklore: Stories of secret passages are common in mystery novels and films, often linking monasteries, inns, and pubs. Many are considered folklore or misinterpretations.
• The Hoop and Grapes: Located at 47 Aldgate High Street, this ancient pub is said to have passages linking to the Tower of London or the docks.
• The Crooked Billet: A now-vanished inn at 340 Cable Street was reputed to have an underground passage to the Tower of London.
• The Tiger Tavern: Situated on Tower Hill, this pub legendarily had a tunnel to the Tower of London, possibly used by Princess Elizabeth.
• Harrison Ainsworth: His novel 'The Tower of London' is mentioned for fueling fantasies of dungeons and tunnels.
• The Olde Wine Shades: This pub in Martin Lane, EC4, dating back to 1663, is said to have had a tunnel leading to the river, possibly related to smuggling.
• The Old Queen's Head: Local legend suggests this pub was built for clandestine meetings by Elizabeth I and the Earl of Essex via a subterranean passageway.
• Nell Gwyn: Two pubs are named after her. A plaque at Nell of Old Drury mentions a secret passage beneath the road connecting the pub and theatre for Charles II to meet her.
• The Red Lion: This tavern in Crown Passage is said to have a secret tunnel for Nell Gwyn to meet her royal lover. The cellars show evidence of possible tunnel entrances.
• Other Pubs: Several other pubs are mentioned in connection with Nell Gwyn and Charles II, including the Hand and Racquet, the Orange Tree, and the Dove.
• Bagnigge Wells: This former pleasure garden is linked to Nell Gwyn and Charles II, with a discovered subterranean passage near the site.
• The Old Swan: This Battersea pub, now demolished, reportedly had smuggler's tunnels leading to a neighbouring church.

Update

This section provides brief news items and observations:

• Global Warming: Evidence of abrupt climate change predating industrialization is discussed, suggesting the British climate is less stable than previously thought. Studies indicate significant temperature drops in the past, potentially linked to shifts in the Gulf Stream.
• French Maid: A detail about the burning of Joan of Arc is presented, noting that the French supplied the firewood.
• Dubious Transmissions: The band Air Traffic reportedly named themselves after picking up air traffic control signals.
• Drug Craze: A practice called 'Rubbish Sniffing' involves inhaling smoke from burning rubbish in wheelie bins, raising health concerns.
• Wet T-Shirts: Health and safety officials have expressed concerns about wet T-shirt contests, citing risks of chills and potential lawsuits.
• Stag Weekend Kilt Ban: Scots revellers are warned against wearing kilts on stag weekends in Eastern Europe due to widespread bans in venues.
• Raleigh Good!: A new potato variety, Mayan Gold, is introduced, claimed to be bred directly from primitive tubers and closest to those Sir Walter Raleigh brought back.
• Camouflage: Research suggests hunters wearing bright orange jackets are less likely to shoot each other than those wearing camouflage.
• Mobile Phones Hazard: Studies indicate an increased risk of brain tumours for long-term mobile phone users, prompting calls for precautionary measures.
• Pulpit Puns: An award for Britain's best 'wayside pulpit' signs is launched, celebrating humorous and pun-filled religious messages.
• Invizikids: Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor discusses her imaginary childhood companions.
• Wikigate: The CIA is accused of tweaking Wikipedia entries, including those for Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Branches Out: Park wardens are using grease to stop people from hanging dogs from trees, a practice used to toughen dogs for fights.

Did you miss?

This section presents a collection of short, often anecdotal, items:

• Binge Drink Panic: A comparison is drawn between the 18th-century 'gin craze' moral panic and contemporary concerns about binge drinking.
• Hamilton Academic: Information about the historical figure Merlin, his supposed birthplace in Scotland, and his assassination is presented.
• Wart A Way To Go: A personal account of a wart disappearing after a radio segment discussing toad folklore for wart cures.
• Toad LQ: Simon Barnes is quoted on the intelligence of toads and their ability to secrete poisons and irritants.
• Destiny's Snapper: A tale about a photographer hired to photograph the 'true' Stone of Destiny being moved, involving Scots Nationalists and the Knights Templars.
• Piers' Pisstake: A humorous observation about Piers Morgan and the length of a red carpet is shared.
• Sinead O'Ignorance: An excerpt from an interview with Sinead O'Connor about her children and dating is presented.
• Batmageddon: A critique of an article about redevelopment affecting bats, with a personal anecdote about observing bats in Portugal.
• Loch Ness Scepticism: Concerns are raised about declining Nessie sightings and tourism, with a quote suggesting a 'strange sanity' is prevailing.
• Pilate Scheme: The legend of Pontius Pilate being born in Scotland is discussed, with similar myths in Spain and Germany.
• Employees' Revenge: Several anecdotes of employees seeking revenge after being sacked, including planting blooms, altering product lettering, painting zoo animals, and hacking electronic road signs.
• Condoms: John Lennon's use of a condom-covered microphone for a recording is mentioned.
• Paul is Dead: The enduring 'Paul is Dead' hoax is revisited, with details of its origins and supposed 'evidence'.
• Ruth Kelly: A 'tabular estimate' of Transport Minister Ruth Kelly's characteristics is presented, with a concurring opinion implied.
• Did/Didn't: A reference to the film 'Don't Look Now' and explicit acting is made.
• Hardened Criminals: A gangland figure, Gilbert Wynter, is rumoured to be part of the O2 Dome's foundations.
• Beowulf: A comparison of Beowulf to modern sports figures and a mention of the Hollywood film adaptation are included.
• Evolution: A Chilean study on black widow venom's contraceptive properties is noted.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of folklore, modern belief, and skepticism. It often presents anecdotal evidence, historical accounts, and contemporary news items, frequently with a critical or questioning stance, particularly towards perceived 'moral panics' or uncritical acceptance of scientific or media narratives. The editorial stance appears to favor a Fortean perspective, open to unusual phenomena and skeptical of overly dogmatic pronouncements, whether from religious or scientific quarters. There is a recurring theme of debunking or questioning sensational claims, while also acknowledging the enduring power of folklore and legend in shaping perceptions.

This issue of Fortean Times, number 233, dated November 2007, presents a collection of "Oldies but Goodies," focusing on curious anecdotes, urban legends, and historical oddities. The cover features the magazine title and a striking black and white image of a woman's head, with the headline "Oldies but Goodies."

Key Articles and Features

Celebrity Snippets

The issue opens with a quote from Courtney Love, who claims to alter her DNA through Buddhist chanting, aiming for a perfect life, though she admits to medication effects and "mad episodes."

Marianne Faithfull is mentioned in relation to a tedious account by Jasper Gerard about Keith Richards and drug busts, though Faithfull denies being busted and disputes a confectionery tale.

Actress Joan Collins offers skincare advice, advising against drinking tap water and mentioning a beauty treatment involving bull sperm.

Political and Social Commentary

A section on "Mushy Peas" highlights political gaffes, including a remark attributed to Peter Mandelson in a fish and chip shop. The story is deemed "apocryphal" by The Times.

An "Earthquake Appeal" controversy is detailed, where an Ulster-born editor resigned after a Cornwall County Council official claimed his magazine was racist for its "Murphy and Paddy jokes," particularly concerning an "Essex earthquake appeal."

Unusual Incidents and Anecdotes

"Boobs 'n' Booze" recounts a barmaid being told her 34B breasts were too small for a bikini bar job, and separately, a woman fined for crushing beer cans between her breasts in Australia.

Under "Toilet Paper," Miles Kingston shares jokes about misheard requests for Bovril and "lavatory pepper."

A "666 Bus Route" in Kent sparked a debate over renaming due to its perceived satanic imagery, with drivers petitioning to keep the number.

The "Badger Cull" section notes that proposals for widespread culling to limit bovine tuberculosis have been ruled out by the government's Independent Scientific Group.

"Oldies but Goodies" Section

This extensive section compiles various dubious or amusing historical "facts."

• Unplugged: A story about a 17-year-old German boy who switched off a life-support machine for an elderly man, with online discussion suggesting a failsafe system.
• Bitter Blow: A tale of thieves stealing a faulty barrel of beer and police warning they would be ill if they drank it.
• Heavy Metal: A mention of comedian Bill Bailey discussing cult film "This is Spinal Tap" and an apocryphal story about Ozzy Osbourne.
• Zoo Dunnit?: An investigation into animals being slaughtered and their meat sold in Erfurt, Germany.
• Dog Shit Snatch: A Chinese woman had a parcel of dog poo wrapped in newspaper snatched by a robber on a motorcycle.
• Findusgate Revisited: Comedienne Ruby Wax recalls putting sardines under lights at school, causing the school to close due to the smell.
• Colemanballs: Sandi Toksvig recalls linguistic gymnastics in sports commentary and the story of Dora Ratjen, who competed as a woman in the 1936 Olympics but was later revealed to be male.
• Bin Rescue: A homeless man was rescued from a rubbish container in Austria.
• Sewer Rat: A story from "Loose Women" about a couple who befriended a homeless dog, only for a vet to identify it as a sewer rat.
• Campbell's Scoop: A story about Alistair Campbell's diaries being misplaced in a bookshop's fiction section, and an anecdote about a Booker judge preparing for holiday conversations.
• Love Story: An anecdote about Gordon Brown getting stuck in a lavatory, and a discussion of Alistair Campbell's diaries, described as containing rumour, trivia, and tantrums. The piece also touches on Campbell's belief that Princess Diana had a crush on him and quotes Andrew Gilligan's description of Campbell as an "odious, manure-mouthed bully."

Proto-Legends

This section presents dubious historical claims:

• 1780 The Origin of Quiz: A tale of Mr Daly in Dublin inventing the word 'quiz' by scrawling it on walls.
• 1940 Run, Rabbit, Run: The claim that only a rabbit died after an air raid on Scapa Flow, Orkney, inspiring the song.
• 1944 Publisher Rejects Animal Story: George Orwell's "Animal Farm" was rejected by an American publisher for being an "animal story."
• 1946 Nazi Legacy: Mrs Irene Graham's reminiscence of a German POW whose garden crocuses spelled out "Heil Hitler."
• 1969 Bloody Delia!: The cake on The Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed" album cover was by Delia Smith.
• Indiscipline: A review of David Stafford's book "Endgame 1945" questions a tale of a Royal Marine shooting a German general, with subsequent letters providing alternative accounts and identifying the general as Luftwaffe officer Erhard Milch.
• Prank: A story about rugby players sticking a mouldy pasty under a car bonnet.
• Maplin's: A theatre legend about Jude Law playing Hamlet and a joker shouting "Hi-de-Hi!"
• Eggstra: A story from Terry Wogan's column about a "Senior Citizen Special breakfast" with raw eggs.
• Alter Egos: A German therapist accused of exploiting a female patient with a split personality.
• Pinnochio Syndrome: Plastic surgeons claim those seeking nose jobs are more likely to be habitual liars.
• Swallows or Spits: News about Marcus Sedgwick's novelisation of Arthur Ransome's career facing publicity issues.
• New (Bad) Light On...: A piece about Sheffield's industrial smog hindering cricket, possibly generated by Yorkshire supporters.

Books Reviews

• Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction by Helen Morales is praised for its comparison of classical myths with modern culture, including Xena: Warrior Princess, and its psychological core.
• Phantom Black Dogs in Latin America by Simon Burchell is seen as an adjunct to "Explore Black Dogs," detailing the Black Dog familiar in British folklore and its Latin American cousin, possibly originating with the Spanish Conquistadors.
• Spirit Roads: An Exploration of Otherworldly Routes by Paul Devereux is a reprint of "Fairy Paths & Spirit Roads," covering American ritual roads, European death ways, Australian songlines, and Irish fairy paths.
• Explore Vampires by Bob Curran is described as a dull exploration of the vampire myth throughout history and cultures.
• Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend by Alan Lupack is a comprehensive guide to Arthurian themes, characters, and influences.

Magazines

Several magazines are reviewed:

• Northern Earth: Covers topics like Orkney dowsing, megaliths, shamanism, and ufology.
• Magonia: Discusses contemporary vision and belief, ufology history, the Warminster 'flap,' and Britishness in ufoology.
• Touchstone: Focuses on Watkinsian and dowsing ley hunting, with articles on Lundy, earth energies, and stone circles.
• Amskaya: Features a 1950s case of sisters supposedly meeting Space People and a reprint about Prince Philip and ufology.
• Fortean Times: Reviews include a new cosmological oscillation theory, urban legends, George Adamski's veracity, Egyptian trade with Australia, and a horror-fest themed issue.

Gullible's Travels

This section critiques Richard Dawkins, referring to his trip to the Galapagos as a "freebie" and his host as the Centre for Inquiry, an organization devoted to secular humanism.

Crossing the Line

This section discusses the "Ruler Legend" of Tsar Nicholas I and the St Petersburg to Moscow railway line, citing Richard Mowbray Haywood and Donald M. Fiene. It also mentions Bonnie Taylor-Blake's advice to reject such "petty stories."

Rumour Mills

• A critique of a Daily Mail article about Ronnie Biggs, arguing that the train driver he injured, Jack Mills, continued working and died of unrelated causes.
• The closure of "The Greyhound" pub in Redhill, Surrey, where the Great Train Robbery was planned.

Title Blunder

Criticism of the book title "Flying Scotsman: The Extraordinary Story of the World's Most Famous Train," arguing it should be about the locomotive, not the train, and that "Mallard" is the more famous locomotive.

Originality

Discussion about the originality of the "Flying Scotsman" locomotive, with discoveries about its wheels and frames.

Maniac on the Platform

This was a proposed book title that was deemed unsuitable after the 7/7 terrorism, referencing a case where a patient pushed someone onto the Tube tracks.

Mastermind Fibber

A note questioning Chris Hughes's claim about giving up number-snatching.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include urban legends, historical oddities, folklore, mythology, and paranormal phenomena, particularly UFOs. The magazine maintains a critical and skeptical stance, often debunking sensational claims or presenting alternative explanations, as seen in the critiques of the "Ruler Legend," the Ronnie Biggs story, and the "Title Blunder" section. There's a consistent interest in the unusual and the unexplained, but always with an eye for factual accuracy and a healthy dose of skepticism. The editorial stance appears to favor rigorous investigation and a questioning of accepted narratives, often highlighting the gap between sensationalized stories and verifiable facts.