Edwin Farthingale, 1845

A Photo of Edwin Farthingale, 1845

From what we gather from letters and a number of literary mentions, Edwin was an ape of many talents, most of them on the dastardly side. He is quoted in a popular novel of the time as saying to a lady, "frankly my dear, those gloves should be on my bedroom floor," which scandalized her to the point of swooning. This account cannot be verified, as the novel in question (The Trampled Lace Glove) is quite florid in style and takes liberties with most aspects of Victorian culture. We do know that Mr. Farthingale was thoroughly disowned by his grandfather for an unnamed deed and lived his life on gambling winnings (Edwin appears to have had quite the knack for cards, though he may have cheated with equal skill). This is one of the only existing portraits of an ape whose name was known throughout Victorian London.