There is an unwritten rule in archaeology that, if there is an exciting find which you have no idea what it is, you speculate that it had a ritual purpose. As a non-archaeologist I don't know how true this is, but both my siblings who are archaeologist have told me this is the case. I think this is always at the back of my mind when I look through my research as a historian. So, when I was flicking through unsolved mysterious deaths and came across the circumstances surrounding the Bocksten Man, I had in my head the idea that the unsolved details were due to ritualistic behaviour. And, to be honest, he did meet a rather unusually brutal death. Allow me to introduce him... The Bocksten Man was unearthed in 1936, still with the oak stave which had been used to impale him into the bottom of the lake. He was fully clothed, supposedly wearing wool from head to toe which denoted a certain amount of wealth. Unlike most of the bog bodies from the area, the Bocksten Man had not been killed
As anyone who knows me would be able to tell you, I am a massive fan of Byron. Let's be honest, he had a questionable moral compass but he was something of a genius and - although I suspect he would have hated the notion! - I actually feel quite sorry for him. History has remembered him with hatred or fascination rather than hatred or love.
Rewind back in time, to a time when I had suddenly got a lot of money and, not being much of a socialite (not being anything of a socialite!) what I chose to spend it on were collectables or odd little trinkets. I had an automatic eBay search rigged up to Crimean War memorabilia (the topic I was writing about at the time) and Lord Byron. It was from this search which I bought one of the weirdest items.
This item was titled:
victorian byron poetry mirror Sennacherib' angel of death War Horse / Army Assoc
Great! thought I, this will link into my Crimean War book, and my love of Byron!
Reading further, this revealed itself to be exactly what its vague title suggested, a mirror with two verses of The Destruction of Sennacherib (one of my favourites!) along with two names etched on: John Johnson and Anne Adler. Two names, both alliterated? Coincidence maybe. But this item had really piqued my interest.
I duly put on the opening bid of £20 and waited. But this was just too fascinating to wait in silence, so I did a bit of research and found tenuous links with the poet himself and a man called John Johnson in Coventry. Out of curiosity to find out whether this was a likely match, a small exchange of messages took place...
Me: Could you please tell me whereabouts this item was found? Just wondered if it was from somewhere in the Coventry area. Many thanks!Seller: Yes it was Warwickshire. About 10 miles from. Have you managed to crack the story? This is one of the items I've hung on to as I like to uncover a mystery.
Me: Well, being a Byron geek, this mystery really whetted my curiosity. I have a somewhat romantised idea of who they could be but I wonder, if I am the successful bidder in this auction whether you could just send a note with the mirror about where and how you found it. Many thanks!
Seller: Hi. I can tell you that anyway. I clear houses and also buy from other house clearance men. I'm located 15 miles from coventry in [PLACE] & well connected on the antique scene. A few of the chaps save me their 'clutter' ... What they deem rubbish I normally see as treasure. As most are only interested in a quick buck item. I don't normally know where their items come from. But he knew I would quote 'like the creepy mirror' and we had a chat about it. Apparently it had been used to block the chimney of a fire (they noticed it when they took the dog grates etc) from a house in Brandon. Think the previous owner was stopping a draft. They thought the 'angel of death' was occult! Anyway, I've had this since about February this year. So the probate it came from would have took place in 2014-15. Some items I like to research as to be honest if you can't find something it's normally of no value or very valuable. Poetry is not my forte..so it's time to pass on the mystery.
And then a bit later...
Seller: Ps if you win and crack the case. I'd love to know the story on this one. It's amazing what turns up. My most intriguing find to date is a sculpture by George Halse's daughter emmaline... It took a lot of research! I love a good mystery.... Regards, [NAME]
I won the mirror almost exactly six years ago. Since then, I've shared it with the poetry community; venues linked in with Byron; anyone I can find based in Brandon, Warwickshire; and various folklorists. No one has cracked the case yet.
It did, however, give rise to my spy in military intelligence in Beneath Black Clouds and White. John Johnson was just too much of a gift in its ambiguity not to put him to good use. Later in the series of books, Ann Adler also steps in as a spy, but this one is only in its formative stages so - sorry readers! - you have a while to wait before you can meet her.
In terms of appearance, the mirror is nothing special except for the writing. It is four strips of wood nailed together at the corners and a sheet of glass over a darkened background. People have questioned it as creepy or spooky, but I just find it a fascination. It meant something to someone, a great deal to go to such painstaking care with the calligraphy. And it's the human side which is so fascinating to me.
Were John Johnson and Ann Adler real people? Was the mirror placed up the chimney to hide it or to ward off spirits from entering that way? Why that poem and those lines?
You're probably wondering what all this has to do with historical fiction. Well, here it is: the quirky things are what make characters real. Answering the three questions in the paragraph above could give a thousand different answers. Delving into these creates thousands of stories, and that gives a thousand different plots. Holding that mirror, and pondering on its significance then and now... There's a story well worth the telling!
[Incidentally, if you do have the answer please let me know! If not, write your own backstory for it, I'd love to read what this has meant to you.]
Perhaps John Johnson and Ann Adler were engaged, and this mirror was a present from one to the other? Although it's not a very romantic subject! It's interesting how the word 'surf' is larger than the rest of the text, and it's been given as much prominence as John and Ann's names. Mirrors reflect things, so maybe it was used to ward off spirits; reflecting the spirits' images back at them, along with the chilling words?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't though about the prominence of the word "surf" - that is really interesting. I did wonder about John being a cavalryman (after writing a book in the Crimean War it was forefront in my mind), and wondered if Ann was using the poem as a way of saying John would be safe from the opposition's cavalry.
DeleteI would love to know the answer, but a sneaky part of me hopes it remains a mystery!
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