Outrageous History: Selling Wives

The industrial revolution was certainly a time filled with ingenuity and inventiveness. Much of that ingenuity was applied towards manufacturing, while some, it would appear, was applied towards marriage. England was certainly the scene of many an unhappy marriage at the time, but to lower class citizens divorce was simply not an affordable option. Rather than stay stuck in an unfruitful union, the inventive individuals looking for an out came up with a new custom: Wife Selling.

Although the practice didn’t result in an official divorce and the marriage was still legally binding, the sale could not go through before both the husband and wife agreed to it, and so local magistrates were usually willing to look the other way. The trend proved quite popular during the 19th century but the concept can be traced back to the mid-1700s.

Among the most well-known occurrences of the bizarre practice was the sale of Joseph Thompson’s wife on April 7, 1832. Thompson, a farmer, had reportedly walked into Carlisle and announced his intention to sell his wife to the “highest and fairest bidder.” He proceeded to list his wife’s faults and virtues as she was seated beside him with a halter around her neck, and over the course of the hour-long auction finally succeeded in selling his wife to Henry Mears for 20 shillings and a dog.

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Yes, Squirrels Were Once Pets

There’s no shortage of strangeness to be found as you flip through the pages of the history books, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that humans have taken on their fair share of strange pets over the centuries. Strange to us now, but quite common in 18th and 19th century America, was the practice of keeping squirrels as family pets. In fact, they were a fixture in many a home, as common then as the family dog or cat would be now.

Squirrels were even immortalised in many family paintings, especially those of children who would often be pictured with their well behaved pet squirrels nearby, perhaps on a tiny leash. There was even squirrel-care literature in print, offering advice on everything from what to feed your squirrel and how to train it to do tricks.

Think the story can’t get much stranger? Think again. One squirrel in particular, a squirrel named Mungo, was even eulogized by none other than BEnjamin Franklin. Mungo’s owner was a friend of Franklin’s and when one day Mungo escaped his inclosure, he met his untimely fate at the hands of Ranger, the family dog.

“Few squirrels were better accomplished, for he had a good education, had traveled far, and seen much of the world.” Franklin wrote, adding, “Thou art fallen by the fangs of wanton, cruel Ranger!”

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A Brief History of Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt

Although every manner of cosmetic product is available in this day and age, cosmetics were a little more rudimentary in Ancient Egypt, though used every bit as frequently. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians initially used cosmetics for practical purposes. Scented oils and ointments were used for cleaning, as water was scarce in the desert, and the fragrances often served to cover up body odor and soften skin that was hardened in the harsh sun. Perfumes were also employed during various religious ceremonies in Ancient Egypt. These perfumes were made from natural ingredients like lavender, lily, peppermint, sesame oil, rose, thyme, myrrh, rosemary, marjoram, cedar, aloe, and almond oil.

Fast forward a few thousand years, and although cosmetics were still largely used for their practicality their ornamental uses were being explored as well. Around 4000 BCE, women in Egypt would use a compound of copper and lead ore called galena mesdemet alongside a paste made of malachite as eye makeup. This makeup would help define the face and give the appearance of an almond shape around the eyes. The makeup was known as Kohl, and in addition to its decorative purposes it was believed that darkening the area around the eyes would help protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. It was commonplace for women to bring their makeup to parties, often stored in small boxes that would be placed under their seats.

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Strange Tales From The History Books

Real life is often stranger than fiction, and a deep enough dive into the history books will reveal some strange tales indeed.

Bat bombs. Lytle S. Adams, a Pennsylvania dentist, conceived a bomb that would drop a thousand bats with incendiary devices attached to them onto enemy territory. The idea was to have the bats roost in attics in a 20-40 mile radius and start fires that would spread throughout inaccessible areas. Perhaps short on ideas, President Roosevelt approved the idea for testing during WWII, but the design was soon scrapped after one of the test sites caught fire when a bat was accidentally released.

Cruel and unusual punishment. Though now considered a delicacy, lobsters were found in abundance in the 1800s, to the point where they were only eaten out of desperation. When it became common practice to serve lobster to prison inmates, the resulting public outcry went to far as to called the prison menu “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Self mummification. Think it takes discipline to be a Buddhist monk? You may have no idea just how much… Sokushinbutsu was a type of meditation practised by some Buddhist monks between the 11th and 19th centuries. The practice involved slowly weaning one’s self off food, water, and other sensual pleasures with the ultimate goal of ascension. The result would be a mummification-like state inevitably leading to death.

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