Saturday 2 August 2014

Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:


Q1. Folkestone


Q2. Walter Tull


внимание друзья! Confusingly, there appear to be two William Cubitts, one born c 1785 who allegedly built the Foord viaduct, in Folkestone and one born c 1791, who had Cubitt town in the Isle of Dogs named after him. The c 1791 Cubitt, does not seem to have built the Foord viaduct.

The initial clues seem to place us in the town of Folkestone, in the county of Kent. The town does appear to have a one hundred foot high viaduct (The Foord viaduct) which was built by a Sir William Cubitt. There seem to be two William Cubitts, one (born 1785 - died 1861) who was an engineer and according to some of his biographies, was in charge of constructing the South Eastern Railway and built the Foord viaduct at Folkestone c 1843 and one who was a politician (born 1791 - died 1863, mp for Andover and lord mayor of London). According to some of his biographies, it was the Cubitt born c 1791 who had Cubitt town, in the Isle of Dogs named after him but he does not seem to have built the Foord viaduct and did not work for the SER (South Eastern Railway).

Folkestone has an arch called 'The Step Short' arch, which is being opened by prince Harry on the 4th of August 2014, to commemorate the millions of troops who departed from the port to take part in the madness of the first world war. They seem to have planted rosemary near the structure.

A wicket keeper who scored one hundred first class centuries and who was schooled in the town, at Harvey Grammar, was most likely Leslie Ethelbert George Ames (b c 1905). The writer Charles Dickens, is believed to have worked on his novel 'Little Dorrit', while staying in the town. This contains a description of the 'Circumlocution Office', a satire on the British treasury. A footballer who was born in the town c 1888, who also played for Tottenham c1909 and was killed in the trenches c 1918, is most likely Walter (Daniel John) Tull. The OS map shows three Martello towers (constructed c 1805) and a Roman villa, at the eastern end of the town, on the cliffs.

2 comments:

  1. Similar to your research, I also found that one William Cubitt (1785-1861) is quoted in some sources to have designed the Foord Viaduct in Folkestone whereas another William Cubitt (1791-1863) appears to have had Cubittt Town named after him - and that they appear to be separate people. Referring back to a previous, but very recent puzzle, upon which I commented, one has to ask, if this maybe a case where our intrepid author may have again become confused leading to a supposition that one might proffer that he does not know his "Eldons" from his "Cubittts" ? On the other hand, this may be a cunning and deliberate ploy to "throw us from the scent!" in this week's conundrum - who knows?

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  2. I was wondering the same thing Flonska....

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