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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2318
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 2:26 pm: | 
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The Extraordinary Case of the Manufactured Macedonian Talking Head.
The Times. February 3rd 1886.
Part of my searches through the archives involves tracking the behaviour of lunatics ‘at large’ in the East End of London during the LVP, and then attempting to gain a wider picture and understanding of just how these lunatics ‘at large’ behaved and how that behaviour affected society.
Obviously this is in an attempt to reach a better understanding of Thomas Cutbush as a suspect for Jack the Ripper, for Thomas was considered to be a lunatic ‘at large’, and his behaviour certainly gives pause for thought.
However I have long held the belief that we do not yet understand either his behaviour, or his motives, simply because we tend to look back from a more advanced age at what we assume is a more primitive phase of our evolution as a sophisticated species, and perhaps see these lunatics ‘at large’ from the LVP as dribbling idiotic maniacs waving knifes about and without much purpose, motive, intellect or even sophistication.
Therefore it is pleasing to find a case which perhaps turns our conceptions about lunatics from the LVP on their arse.
George Traganndis, a Macedonian who spoke many languages, and was directed to carry out the orders of God by his light, no matter what those orders ordered, ended up in the Chelsea Workhouse, St Luke’s, lunatic ward, because he was a lunatic ‘at large’ who had invented and manufactured what he termed a ‘polyglot’, which was a machine much like a ‘talking head’ which translated languages automatically.
I am hoping that Robert might be so kind as to post the original report, as I’m wondering whether Thomas might have been commissioned by George to supply the body parts for his ‘talking head’?
At some stage between 1886 and 1888 I think it possible that Thomas too was confined to St. Luke’s, Chelsea, as his relations practically ran the place. |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 4721
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 2:58 pm: |
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They could do with one of those at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Here you go, AP.
Robert |
Howard Brown
Chief Inspector
Username: Howard
Post Number: 731
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 4:05 pm: |
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A.P. and Robert Chas...
The guy may have also been the inspiration for that maxim of.. " D'Oyley bird gets the worm..
He also sounds a bit like a televangelist or two..
Interesting find. |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2319
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 4:12 pm: |
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Thanks Robert, much appreciated.
How, perhaps more interesting when one contemplates that under the normal lunacy laws in operation at the time, the inventor of the Macedonian Talking Head would have been released from St Luke's in Chelsea in late February or early March of 1888.
One wonders what orders his 'spirit' might have given him to instantly obey? |
Howard Brown
Chief Inspector
Username: Howard
Post Number: 733
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 5:15 pm: |
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A.P.
I don't know..maybe, "Polyglot to go to the East End !"
This is one scary dude. The running around naked in his house talking to his imaginary friend...okay,thats not so bad. I do that.
But to release him into the mainstream because of the statutes of the English Lunacy Laws is just...looney. I wonder what ever happened to this guy. |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2321
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 6:03 pm: |
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I'm trying to find out what happened to this lovable lunatic with his talking heads, How.
I suspect he may have invented the gramophone record, and Polyglot became Polydor.
The once popular band 'Talking Heads' stole their name from the original description for the primitive stylus on the old gramophone players.
Whatever, we must consider that this lunatic was at large in the East End of London in 1888 obeying his spirit guide. |
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