The Sultan of Zanzibar, By Martyn Downer

Christopher Hirst
Thursday 17 March 2011 21:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Funny, fast-moving and astounding, this biography goes way beyond what would be considered feasible in fiction.

The Anglo-Irish oddball Horace de Vere Cole is best known for his hoax of 1910 when he and three blacked-up accomplices, including Virginia Woolf, toured the battleship Dreadnaught as the Emperor of Abyssinia and entourage.

This celebrated prank turns out to be only the tip of a fake iceberg. Cole also made a ceremonial visit to Cambridge as the "Sultan of Zanzibar", clogged Piccadilly with phoney roadworks, sabotaged a party with a tidal wave of ping-pong balls, disrupted a wedding by hiring a dozen women to shout "Don't leave me Eddy!" when the groom arrived and deposited manure under the bronze horses in St Mark's Square.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in