Pod Insights British Scandal The Case of the Missing Aristocrat | Mother Knows Best | 1 About this episode It’s 1865, and butcher Arthur Orton is living in poverty in Australia. Then he hears about a reward for information on England’s ninth richest nobleman, Sir Roger Tichborne, who's been missing for several years. So Arthur comes up with an audacious plan. All he has to do is fool the man’s entire family. How hard can it be?
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Transcript Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:00 Alice Levine? Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of British Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
0:13 Alice Levine? Oh my god, Matt, the Christmas party this year is gonna be so great.
0:16 Matt Forde? Yeah, I mean, the place it's at, the drinks cost a fortune, so probably only be able to have one or two drinks.
0:23 Alice Levine? Yeah, but apart from that.
0:25 Matt Forde? Yeah, I mean, only HR are going, none of our mates are gonna be there, so you're gonna be stuck talking about Human Resources all night.
0:32 Alice Levine? Ah, but I mean, apart from who's going and like how expensive the drinks are, it's gonna be a rager.
0:39 Matt Forde? Maybe, I mean, if the venue's still open after what happened last night, you probably saw the news this morning, the police have been there until the early hours, but um. Yeah, if they find whoever did it and they open the venue, yeah.
0:52 Alice Levine? Right, I kinda didn't really know any of that, so shall I just RSVP for us both and just say we can't make it?
0:58 Matt Forde? What? No, I'm going, this is already the best Christmas party I've ever been invited to.
1:04 Alice Levine? April 1854, the Caribbean Sea. Roger Tichborne strides along the upper deck of the large wooden brig, La Bella, reading a letter from his mother. He strokes his thin moustache, takes a swig from his bottle of rum and lights a cigarette. Then he balls up the letter and throws it overboard. At 25, he won't be emotionally blackmailed into coming home. He will travel on to Jamaica as planned. Pleased with his decision, he picks up his rifle, points it skywards towards a large brown booby flying overhead.
1:41 Matt Forde? A large brown booby?
1:42 Alice Levine? A large brown booby.
1:44 Matt Forde? That, what does that mean in 1854?
1:46 Alice Levine? A bird.
1:47 Matt Forde? Is it?
1:48 Alice Levine? Matt, I'm surprised you don't know them, they're well-known for their long pointed wings and pointed bill, they're often compared to the gannet.
1:54 Matt Forde? May surprise you to hear, I've not seen many boobies.
1:59 Alice Levine? He takes a shot, but misses. Damn you! Roger lowers the barrel, hoping to catch some porpoises instead.
2:08 Alice Levine? But a sharp gust of wind knocks him sideways. He scrambles to his feet, pulls himself along the guardrail as the boat begins to rock violently. Reaching the deck below, he watches seamen try to calm panicking passengers.
2:23 Alice Levine? Roger shouts over to one of the sailors. I say, what on earth is going on? Storm's coming in from the west. We advise all passengers to return to their cabins. It should pass soon enough. Roger starts to make his way back to his cabin, holding his hands out to steady himself. Nearly taking a tumble, he grabs hold of a guardrail again, raises his bottle of rum back to his lips. The familiar sensation of liquor burning the back of his throat offers momentary relief. But it's quickly replaced with fear as he looks up to see the sky is now filled with dark menacing clouds. The wind picks up again, howling ferociously.
3:04 Alice Levine? A crack of lightning sends Roger back with such force, he's propelled across the cabin, hitting the floor with a thud. He grabs his ribs, wincing with pain. His eyes widen as water starts breaching the boat. A moment later, the ship lifts to one side. And Roger is rolling, breathless, while debris flies overhead and water gushes in. Prepare the lifeboats! Now, blind panic overtakes Roger's pain. He tries to get up, but he's too disorientated from all the rocking, all the rum. Through the chaos, he feels a chill run down his spine as he hears the words: Abandon ship!
3:52 Alice Levine? Without another thought, Roger leaps into the pitch-black ocean. The shock of the cold making him gasp. He takes in the bodies all around him, some of them lifeless. He frantically flaps his arms, desperate to keep his head above the waves. But before long, he's sinking, gulping in salty water. As he sinks deeper and deeper, his lungs filling, all Roger can do is pray for something, anything, to save him from a watery grave.
4:29 Speaker 02 I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, the spy who was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War One secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans. But was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari, early and ad-free on Audible.
4:59 Speaker 03 Hi, I'm Candice DeLong, former FBI profiler and host of the podcast Killer Psyche. In our latest episode, we go inside the case of Krista Pike, the woman Tennessee tried to execute and failed. Listen to Killer Psyche on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.
5:21 Alice Levine? From Wondery, I'm Alice Levine.
5:24 Matt Forde? And I'm Matt Ford.
5:25 Alice Levine? And this is British Scandal, the show where we bring you the murkier stories that ever happened on these odd little isles.
5:32 Matt Forde? British scandals come in many shapes and sizes. Some are about money, some are about sex, they're all about power.
5:39 Alice Levine? But when we look at scandals a bit closer, they turn out to be stranger, wilder, just plain weirder than we remember.
5:47 Matt Forde? So we're journeying back to ask who's to blame for what happened?
5:51 Alice Levine? And when the dust settled, did anything really change?
6:01 Alice Levine? Okay, Matt. An unbelievable stat for you to kick things off. We have now done over forty series of British Scandal. Does it feel longer or shorter for you?
6:11 Matt Forde? I don't think of my life in terms of series. I tend to think of it by years or football seasons because I'm a grown man. Yeah, I think that feels like a decent body of work so far.
6:21 Alice Levine? I'm wondering at this stage then, what is your main takeaway? From everything that you've learnt over time, I just want one insight about the British.
6:29 Matt Forde? They love ham sandwiches.
6:31 Alice Levine? Okay, that's really an insight about you, isn't it?
6:34 Matt Forde? Okay, fair point. Well, I think based on our previous work, British people are either East End Cockneys or members of the aristocracy.
6:44 Alice Levine? That is damning but fair and is likely based on all of our accent work. So I will, I will report that back because we should probably attend to that. But I'm thinking of something else. You are getting closer.
6:54 Matt Forde? Well, I'm a patriotic guy. So I think what all our previous series really prove is that Britain is a great country and it is a fair and egalitarian place.
7:05 Alice Levine? Have you just slept through all forty?
7:07 Matt Forde? Three or four.
7:10 Alice Levine? Okay, I'll give you that. This series, we have a story you might not have heard of, which I always think is quite exciting and it's probably better than any other we've done to get across the idea of the British obsession with class. I am taking you back to Victorian England.
7:25 Matt Forde? If I could go back to any point in human history, I've always wanted to go back to Victorian England. Cobble streets, old pubs, people drinking beer in the street, eating chicken legs all day. I mean, I realise there were some downsides, but to me, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
7:43 Alice Levine? I'm glad you're excited. Have you ever heard the story of the Tichborne Claimant?
7:47 Matt Forde? No, but it sounds, it sounds like a legal case where I'm sure, given that there's a British dimension to this, someone makes a legal claim to something that is rightfully theirs and the case is settled fairly and within the rules.
8:04 Alice Levine? I'll ask you again, are you present when we make this show?
8:08 Matt Forde? Partially. I mean, I obviously draw different conclusions to you.
8:12 Alice Levine? Okay, so this series gives imposter syndrome a whole new meaning. This is the story of an Australian butcher who claimed he was actually a long-lost English baronet who had supposedly been drowned at sea. So far, so mad, we're in. It set off one of the longest and weirdest trials in British history, which you know is catnip for us, Matt. It became a sensation in the British press, and then it spawned a media and souvenir industry on a scale comparable with probably the Harry Potter merch mill. I'm talking stage shows, I'm talking books, I'm talking songs, I'm talking operas. Remember, we're in Victorian England. And what's more, and I think this will surprise you the most, it helped create a political
8:53 Alice Levine? campaign that many people have seen as being the precursor to Donald Trump. This sounds like it's written by ChatGPT, but it's actually all true.
9:03 Matt Forde? It sounds incredible, but promise me there'll be beer and chicken legs.
9:07 Alice Levine? I wouldn't do you dirty like that, of course. This is episode one, Mother Knows Best.
9:16 Alice Levine? Nine years later, May 1862, Southampton Docks, England. The dowager Lady Enriette Tichborne steps out of her carriage.
9:26 Matt Forde? What is a dowager? Because I've heard the word before, but I've got no idea what it means.
9:31 Alice Levine? I feel like I only know shamefully from Downton Abbey, but it's just a widow. So she's the Lady Enriette Tichborne, but her husband has passed away.
9:39 Matt Forde? My thoughts and feelings are with her.
9:41 Alice Levine? Thank you, that will mean a lot to her.
9:44 Alice Levine? She wrinkles her nose as she takes in the pungent aroma of the murky water. Keen to block it out, she moves aside her black veil, raises a handkerchief to her face. She turns to her coachman. Take my bags to the boat, I have something I must do.
10:02 Alice Levine? The dowager sidesteps filthy puddles to walk down to a small alleyway nearby. She feels her way along its slimy wall, reminding herself it's her own shadow she sees, nothing more sinister. But still, her heart races. Finally, she reaches a door. The dowager ducks inside, pulls back a heavy velvet curtain. In the corner, a small figure sits hunched over a cloth-covered, upturned crate. She beckons the dowager over.
10:35 Alice Levine? Sit. The dowager shudders as she realises the woman only has one eye. The fortune teller removes the cloth to reveal a crystal ball, places her bony hands upon it. You have suffered a great loss.
10:52 Matt Forde? Okay, she's good.
10:54 Alice Levine? The dowager lifts her black glove to her face, stifling her gasp. But she's in mourning dress, couldn't be more obvious she's come from a funeral.
11:03 Matt Forde? Okay, I take it back. She's a huckster.
11:06 Alice Levine? She eyes the medium with suspicion and replies coolly. My husband's death, it was no great loss. The dowager means it. She'd felt nothing for her husband, Sir James Tichborne, since their early years together, and loathed the vast Hampshire estate where they lived for the last two decades. She can't wait to return to her birthplace of Paris. The medium eyeballs her, her expression darkening.
11:33 Alice Levine? The loss I spoke of was a child. Now the dowager feels her breath catch. She fingers the solid silver locket around her neck, which contains a photograph of her firstborn, Roger, and a lock of his hair.
11:50 Alice Levine? There was a great storm. I see waves. The dowager leans in, desperate for more. The medium shakes her head. I'm sorry, the pictures are fading. The dowager digs into her purse, hands her a florin.
12:08 Matt Forde? Is that a coin?
12:10 Alice Levine? It's two shillings to you and I. To put it in context, that's enough money to heat a home for a week with coal.
12:16 Matt Forde? Okay, when you think about how expensive energy bills are now, that's thousands.
12:22 Alice Levine? The medium stares back at the ball. I see him, washed up on the coast of a sunny place. Spain, perhaps? No, his boat was lost near Rio. No, wait. The Caribbean. He's still there. The dowager can hardly believe it. She's wanted to hear these words for so long. The medium grabs her hand, then closes her eyes.
12:55 Alice Levine? You will be reunited within three years. The dowager feels tears prick in her eyes.
13:04 Alice Levine? Oh merci, thank you so much. Rising to her feet, she no longer feels the weight of grief on her shoulders. She is filled with joy, but she can't bear the thought of waiting three years. She vows that the moment she reaches Paris, she will do everything in her power to find her beloved Roger again.
13:28 Matt Forde? It's funny, you said the images were fading, and then after I gave you the coin, they seemed to come back. Can you just explain how that bit works?
13:34 Alice Levine? Is it like when you look out of one of those binoculars on a pier? You put the money in, and then it's in focus. And then when the money's run through, then it's out of focus again. So maybe she works like that.
13:47 Matt Forde? I wouldn't base the next three years of your life on what a fortune teller had told you.
13:52 Alice Levine? Cynic.
13:55 Alice Levine? Four years later, February 1866, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. Arthur Orton props himself up at the bar of the Ramshackle Pub, pushes his empty tanker towards the landlady. His hands, still slicked with lard from his work as the local butcher, add a layer of grease to his copper-tinged mutton chops as he rubs his face. Come on, Lizzy, give a bloke a break. The landlady leans in, holding his gaze. You owe me for a week's worth of grog, forget it. Arthur offers a hopeful smile. The landlady jabs a finger in his mouth in return. You should spend any spare change on getting your Nasha's fixed. Arthur laughs.
14:39 Alice Levine? She's referring to his three missing front teeth, but he thinks the gap gives him a certain charm.
14:44 Matt Forde? You're wrong, Arthur. I just wonder what Arthur would make of turkey teeth.
14:47 Alice Levine? Are turkey teeth veneers?
14:49 Matt Forde? Yes, the big white veneers that people from The Only Way is Essex and shows like that get done. And they do look good, and they do look clean. They often look too big for the mouth therein.
14:58 Alice Levine? Yeah, you can't close your mouth, but I mean, that's a small price to pay for reflecting the sun off your dentures.
15:07 Alice Levine? A tall man approaches, slaps Arthur with a rolled-up newspaper. He's leaving space for all that gold he reckons he'll make someday. I'll shout him a drink. Got lucky on the GGS, didn't I? Arthur lifts his newly-filled, tankered in thanks. He picks up his pal's copy of The Australasian, looks for the latest installment of the novella it carries. When he turns the page to reveal the word 'reward' in large letters above a man's photograph, Dick snatches it back. Hey, I know that guy in the picture. He's from my neck of the woods. Arthur follows his gaze to the photograph of the narrow-faced young man with a small moustache, named Roger Charles Tichborne. Everyone from Hampshire knows the Titchbones.
15:51 Alice Levine? They reckon he went down in a shipwreck years back, but no one ever found the body. Arthur looks back at the photo, intrigued. Dick goes on. His mother's obsessed. Thinks he's still alive, sad old bat. She's French, they're all a bit... He twirls a finger next to his head. Then he takes in Arthur, like he's just noticed something. You, the look of him, around the eyes. He taps Arthur's big belly, which hangs over the belt of his tattered trousers. Got a lot more round the middle, though, mind? But if he'd stacked on a bit of weight? Hey, not been slumming it in disguise as a butcher all this time, have you? Dick throws back his head and roars with laughter,
16:35 Alice Levine? spilling beer all over the paper. Arthur wipes it off, fixated on the photo. He reads more of the text below. The money offered is one hundred pounds, the exact sum of his current debts. What else do you know about these Titchbones? Loads. Arthur listens, fascinated, as his pal talks about the wealthy family and its missing heir to a fortune. He wonders, is it really such a stretch that he could have been a baronet? How hard would it be for Arthur, a butcher from Wagga, to become Sir Roger Tichborne?
17:17 Matt Forde? I don't know, how hard would it be for a man covered in lard with no front teeth to pass himself off as a member of the aristocracy?
17:23 Alice Levine? I hear what you're saying. Originally, though, Arthur is from London. He was a butcher's assistant in London. He understands the culture, therefore, does have an English accent, not an Australian one.
17:35 Matt Forde? Okay, but the lard and the teeth surely is still an issue for the man.
17:39 Alice Levine? I feel like you're not coming up with solutions, you're just coming up with problems.
17:45 Alice Levine? March 1866, Sydney, Australia. Arthur sits beside his wife, Mary Ann, who has one hand resting on her baby bump while the other squeezes his sweaty palm. He adjusts his necktie, tries not to look as uncomfortable as he feels in his ill-fitting suit. Sitting opposite them, Mr. Cubit strokes his long grey beard. I have been employed by Lady Henriette Tichborne to look for her long-lost son, so I'm sure you'll understand why I need more information than you've given me so far. It seems a stretch that a man of Sir Roger's means would have been roughing it in... Cubit looks down at his notes, then back at Arthur.
18:30 Alice Levine? Wagga, wagga. Arthur feels Mary Ann's nails dig deeper into his palm. He can tell she's terrified, but he retains his composure. It all feels like a dream now. I didn't know who I was at first, couldn't remember a thing. Arthur tugs at his collar. I was washed up in Jamaica. All I could do was get myself some work doing whatever jobs were going. It was only a few... Arthur eyes Cubit, who still looks sceptical. Many, many years later, the memories started coming back. But by then, so much time had passed. I thought, they'll have written me off as dead by now. Might as well stay that way.
19:15 Alice Levine? Cubit raises an eyebrow. You gave up all your money, your title, your family, just like that? I wanted my freedom from all that aristocracy rubbish. That's why I left in the first place. So, once I was well enough, I hitched a ride with another boat to Brisbane, travelled around a bit, then I came to Wagga, found work as a butcher, met the missus.
19:44 Matt Forde? That all sounds absolutely plausible now.
19:47 Alice Levine? He leans forward, opens his palms. Might not seem like bliss to some, but it's good enough for me. Kubik sits back in his chair. Then why come forward now?
20:01 Alice Levine? Saw you around, didn't I? That's when I realised Ma was still looking, still hoping after all that time. I couldn't stop thinking about it, her lying awake at night, praying to the good lord I'd come back. I just wanted to know I'm alright. Kubik dips his steel pen in an ink pot, starts scribbling again. And with Mary Ann expecting, I could do with some money for the estate. A thousand pounds should do to begin with. Kubik looks up sharply. Arthur inwardly curses. He promised himself he wouldn't bring up money straight away. He feels his left eye twitch. It's a nervous tic he's had since childhood. He detests it more than ever now, sure it's blown this for him.
20:46 Alice Levine? Kubik leans in and fixes him with a stare, his eyes widening. Well, I'll be damned. Arthur waits, unsure what's just happened. Lady Tichborne gave me details of some of Sir Roger's physical characteristics. Many don't seem to apply, but one was the twitch of an eye.
21:08 Matt Forde? How lucky did he just get?
21:11 Alice Levine? That is unbelievably fortuitous.
21:15 Matt Forde? And he gets kind of shifty when he's asked about his past. It's like, God, you're displaying all the characteristics right now.
21:23 Alice Levine? Arthur can't believe it. He tries to will the twitch to return, but now his eyelid remains stubbornly still. He ignores the curious look Mary Ann is giving him. I shall write to the dowager and inform her of this happy news. I'm afraid she's quite frail these days and unsuited to a long voyage to the new world. You must go to her, so she can assess you herself. Arthur panics. Leaving Australia was never part of the plan.
21:52 Matt Forde? How did he think he was going to swindle an old woman out of her money from the other side of the world? Pre-internet.
22:00 Alice Levine? He glances over at Marianne's swollen belly. I can't go back to England yet, not with the wife and her condition. She gets sick enough without a journey like that to contend with. Ma would understand. We'll take a new photo, send it to your mother. I'm sure you can appreciate that receiving money from England will take time. But I don't see why you can't open a line of credit under your old name and book into a suitable hotel while we wait. Arthur exchanges a look of disbelief with Marianne. If they play this right, it will do more than just clear their debts. They can get a nice holiday and a nest egg out of it. Arthur is going to ride this gravy train as far as it will go.
22:45 Matt Forde? Okay, he's crossed a bit of a line here because at first it's, he's kind of taking a bit of a chance, saying, look, if I look like this guy, I could get some money. Now, he is committing identity fraud.
22:55 Alice Levine? Yeah, I mean, I think he was always on slightly wobbly moral territory there. But you're right, he's putting pen to paper and saying, I am Tichborne, give me cash on credit. And it feels like this, I don't know what I'm basing this on, I'm not experienced in these kind of tales, but I feel like this could come back to bite him.
23:11 Matt Forde? He reminds me a little bit, and I know they're distinct and different stories, but in terms of a harebrained scheme, kind of the John Darwin of his day.
23:19 Alice Levine? I think he'd be thrilled with that.
23:22 Alice Levine? June 1866, Rue Saint-Germain, Paris. In the kitchen of her bijou apartment, the dowager stands beside her half-brother, who takes the sealed envelope from her trembling hand. She stares at the Australian postmark, giddy with anticipation. My dear Henriette, do not get your hopes up. It probably has no more news than any of the others. The dowager glares at Alfred until he reluctantly rips open the envelope and removes the letter within. She watches as his eyes widen. The dowager snatches the letter from him, scans the first line. Stunned, she rereads it, just to be sure.
24:03 Alice Levine? It says, "Sir Roger, found alive and well in New South Wales." Mon Dieu! It cannot be.
24:12 Matt Forde? Okay, so she was originally from France, but she was putting on a Cockney accent as well?
24:18 Alice Levine? The dowager's legs buckle beneath her. She falls to the ground like a ragdoll, clutching her chest. Alfred struggles to catch her. Henriette! Tell me I didn't imagine it, Alfred, please. It would seem not, sister. Elated but weak, the dowager lets Alfred sit her in a nearby chair. As he reads the rest of the letter, she stays on him, barely daring to breathe. It says Roger has been living as a butcher since arriving in the New World some years ago. He has a wife, who is with child. A double blessing.
24:57 Alice Levine? She's too close to birth to make the journey home, but they require funds. This is all rather convenient, don't you think? The dowager eyes him, confused. Convenient? Alfred tilts his head, replies slowly.
25:15 Alice Levine? They can't come to you, but want money. Do I have to spell it out?
25:22 Alice Levine? The dowager narrows her eyes at him. Spell what out, Alfred? Alfred sighs in exasperation. He's after the money. It's obvious. The dowager shakes her head. Why must you be so distrustful? Alfred hands her a photograph. This came with the letter. It doesn't look like the Roger I remember. The dowager studies the photo. There's no denying this man looks very different to Roger. He's at least twice his size. His facial hair looks darker, more coarse. What were once sharp cheekbones have completely disappeared under this chubby face.
26:06 Alice Levine? But it's been 12 years. Of course he'll have changed. She runs a finger over the grainy image. There's something about the eyes, something so familiar. It is Roger. I feel it. I must go to him. Alfred shakes his head. Absolutely not. I simply won't allow it. You cannot go across the world on some fool's errand, not at your time of life. The dowager feels incensed. How dare he try to stop her? But when she goes to stand, she stumbles. She can't escape the reality of her condition. Four months at sea is out of the question. Fine. If I cannot go to him, he will come to me.
26:52 Alice Levine? I will write to him at once. I will make him come. The dowager looks at the letter. The happy reunion she's been dreaming of is within touching distance. She won't let an ocean come between them. Not now, not when she's so close. She doesn't care what it takes. She will see her son again.
27:20 Speaker 04 Journalist Tristan Redman goes where no son-in-law should ever go. Deep into his wife's family history, digging up the cold case of who murdered her great-grandmother. Because, I should mention, he thinks the murderer might actually be the beloved family patriarch. For the best binge-watch series, like Ghost Story, listen to the Audible True Crime Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
27:40 Matt Forde? Alice, it is the best time of year. We are just two months away from Christmas.
27:45 Alice Levine? How could we forget how you lose your mind about this time of year? You absolutely go nuts.
27:50 Matt Forde? I know it's mature. I do. And I'm allergic to nuts. So that tells you how mad I get. I'm even more excited this year because we are having a British Scandal Christmas Party Special with the listeners.
28:02 Alice Levine? Okay, your demeanour is appropriate then, this is massive. We've never done this before.
28:06 Matt Forde? We haven't, this is long overdue. So, to secure yourself a non-physical invite to this party, we want to know if you have a connection to a British Scandal character.
28:16 Alice Levine? We cannot stress enough, a non-physical invite to the party. And the longer the chain of connections, the better, I think. So we're going to invite you to play the game British Scandal: Seven Degrees of Separation. Make it tenuous.
28:29 Matt Forde? That is a catchy title.
28:30 Alice Levine? Many thanks. Did your nan's neighbour's gardener drive the getaway car in the Millennium Dome heist?
28:36 Matt Forde? Did your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother go to school with Mary Queen of Scots? There are prizes and there is glory.
28:43 Alice Levine? To be clear, non-physical invite. Email us at [email protected] with the subject line 'Christmas Special', and please include as much detail and information as possible, the more obscure, the better.
28:56 Matt Forde? We need your entries by the 10th of November, so email us, [email protected] .
29:09 Alice Levine? July 1866, the Metropolitan Hotel, Sydney, Australia. Mary Ann Orton smiles as she takes in the harbour view from the window of her room. Then she admires her new satin gown in the large gilded mirror. At eight months pregnant, she's never looked so good. Sorry to disturb Lady Tichborne, I'm the hotel manager. There is a matter of the utmost importance I must discuss with you. Oh, right. Mary Ann wipes her sweaty palms on her dress before pulling open the door. Her heart is beating so hard she fears it may burst. She's far less comfortable telling lies than Arthur is.
29:51 Alice Levine? Now's not a great time, I'm feeling a bit sick. Mary Ann grabs her belly, almost knocking over a nearby vase. Dang it, I mean, fiddlesticks. She takes in the manager's bemused look, decides it's better to just shut up. She watches him take out a piece of paper, she squeezes her eyes shut, she knows they've been rumbled. I'm afraid the chef has been unable to get you a usual pork for dinner tonight. It's a terrible oversight on our part, we can offer you rabbit or beef instead.
30:27 Alice Levine? Mary Ann does her best to appear annoyed. Bugger, I mean, that's very disappointing. The rabbit will just have to do. The manager nods. Mary Ann practically slams the door in his face. She sits on the bed, nauseous with indigestion. She has to find Arthur, tell him it's time to call it quits. She tentatively makes her way to the hotel drawing room and hangs back as she sees Arthur talking to a few local journalists. Only once they've dispersed, does she go over and sit beside him. I think it's time we left Sydney.
31:05 Alice Levine? He turns to her, nods enthusiastically. I think you're right. Mary Ann beams. She expected more of a fight, but then he takes out a letter. The dowager's been in touch. She's insisting I come to England to prove to everyone I'm really Sir Roger. Then I'll be able to claim the entire estate. Mary Ann looks at him in disbelief. I've never even left Wagga. Yeah, and what we got there? A shack. The Tichborns own half of Hampshire. Mary Ann keeps her voice low, but hisses at him. But you're not Sir Roger. You're a bloody butcher. His marl'll know you're a fake in a second. Do you want to get thrown in the clink?
31:47 Alice Levine? She hasn't seen the bloke for years, and from what I was told, she's so crazy she'll believe anything. Mary Ann shakes her head, exasperated. I'm eight months pregnant, for Christ's sake! We'll sail after you've had the sprog. Don't you want to give the kid a better life than we've had? He'll be a little lord or lady.
32:08 Matt Forde? This is just a simple tale of aspiration.
32:11 Alice Levine? What is there to critique? For the first time, Mary Ann thinks about her own parents. How they struggled all their lives but still died poor, leaving her nothing. This could be her one chance to break that cycle, change her own children's destiny. You really think we can pull this off? Have done so far. Come on, Mary. Say you're with me. Against her better judgement, Mary Ann finds herself nodding. If they're going to do this, they might as well go for gold. Her family's future depends on it.
32:51 Matt Forde? Or you could just really work hard at being a butcher, look to expand the franchise and build up some sort of nest egg for your child in an honourable way that doesn't involve defrauding a distraught widow.
33:05 Alice Levine? Yes, they could set up a very popular and hipster nose-to-tail restaurant and make their fortune that way. There are so many options.
33:13 Alice Levine? September 1866, the Steamer Rukaya, just off the coast of Australia.
33:20 Alice Levine? Arthur sits at the captain's table, a polite smile stitched on his face. He eyes Mary Anne and their baby daughter nearby, being fussed over by a gaggle of ladies. Then he focuses back on the Earl jabbering away beside him. I've been told we're in for a calm passage. Should be back in blighty for Christmas. Arthur is only on day one of this boat trip, but he's already finding it more taxing than expected. These aristotypes are so dull, and his small talk is drying up. He tries not to let his face betray his boredom as the Earl drones on. I imagine you can't wait to get back to Tichborne Park, such a marvellous place
34:01 Alice Levine? for fishing. I visited occasionally with your uncle, Sir Edward Doughty, before he passed. Arthur is pulled up. This bloke clearly knows the Tichbornes personally, and now Arthur realises the Earl is eyeing him curiously. What was the name of the steward there? Wonderful fellow.
34:23 Alice Levine? Arthur can't tell if it's a genuine question or some kind of test. He squirms in his seat and he tries to think of an answer. Can you imagine? Tony? It wasn't Tony, was it? Oh god, what's my mind like? Stephen?
34:36 Matt Forde? Stuart? Stuart, Stuart the Stuart.
34:40 Alice Levine? While letters from the Dowager have filled in some gaps in his knowledge, he doesn't have this kind of detail. I wish I could tell you, but the shit wreck, it had such a bad effect on my memory. Whole chunk's completely gone. If you'll pardon me, I haven't quite found my sea legs yet. I think I'll go lie down. On his way to his cabin, Arthur stops at the sound of laughter coming from a stairwell. Drawn towards the noise, he's hit by the heady aroma of sweat and whiskey leading down to steerage. He finds himself following it.
35:16 Alice Levine? The mess room falls silent as he enters. Arthur looks down at his newly tailored suit, which is already straining against his now obese frame, the result of weeks of fine dining. He knows how out of place he looks amongst the malnourished men here, but he longs for the familiarity of his own kind. No one upstairs knows how to play rummy. Mind if I join you? The men exchange unsure looks. Arthur shuffles closer, takes a box of cigars from his jacket pocket. I've come bearing gifts. Please, dig in.
35:53 Matt Forde? Okay, what is he playing at? This is day one, and he's already gone below deck, and he's morbidly obese. He should have been trying to lose weight to look more like the bloke in the photograph, and he should stick to socializing only with people from the social class he's pretending to be in.
36:11 Alice Levine? No one moves for a beat. Then one of the men leans forward, takes a cigar. Arthur smiles encouragingly, as others follow suit. One of them pulls out a chair for him to sit. Soon, Arthur is laughing and knocking back shots with them all, feeling more relaxed than he has in months. He barely notices when a tall, black man approaches. He hovers for a moment, then addresses Arthur. They say you're Sir Roger Tichborne.
36:41 Alice Levine? Arthur slowly looks up. He takes in the man, who appears to be in his early 60s, with neatly trimmed hair that's graying at the edges. I knew Sir Roger well. And you are not him.
36:54 Matt Forde? Rumbled.
36:56 Alice Levine? Arthur stares back, like a rabbit caught in headlights. He tries not to panic, but the man keeps staring at him, his face resolute. Arthur's heart pounds. What the hell is he going to do now?
37:19 Alice Levine? A few seconds later, the messroom aboard the Rukaya. Arthur's head spins, his mouth goes bone dry. This man is on to him. The ship's officers could have him arrested at their first stop in Panama. He stares at his accuser, whose eyes bore into his. Tries to block out the other men looking on with bated breath. He must stay calm, think clearly, work out who this man could be. He's a black immigrant sailing from Australia, who once knew Sir Roger. Someone like that wouldn't be a friend of the Tichborns. He must have worked for them. Now Arthur is struck by the memory of the dowager's last letter to him.
38:03 Alice Levine? In it, she mentioned a former servant living in Sydney, and asked if Sir Roger had seen him. He searches his mind for the name. Finally, it comes. Andrew Bogle. If he's wrong, he'll be exposed immediately. But if he's right... He takes a deep breath, adopts the pained expression. "Do you really not recognize me, Bogle?" Arthur feels as if time has stopped, as the man stays on him, unreadable. "I am Bogle, but I cannot see." The man trails off. Arthur is bolstered, but he knows he needs more.
38:47 Alice Levine? He thinks again about what the dowager wrote. She said Roger was particularly close to Bogle, treated him more as a friend than a servant. Arthur has to be bold, indignant. "It pains me that you feel that way, after all the times I took you into my confidence."
39:04 Matt Forde? "This is such a big play."
39:07 Alice Levine? Arthur waits, hoping, praying. After what seems like an eternity, Bogle's frown becomes a relieved smile. "Oh, sir, forgive me. Only, you've got so stout." Arthur can't believe it. He almost laughs with joy. "Yes, Bogle." I'm no longer the slender lad I was when I left Tichborn.
39:33 Matt Forde? This must be so hard for Arthur because he's trying to remember what he's read in these letters while he's blagging it. I'm just trying to remember, oh, you, you, you, you, you. You were...
39:45 Alice Levine? My enemy?
39:46 Matt Forde? No, my best mate who worked for me.
39:51 Alice Levine? Bogle beams, clearly overwhelmed. When I heard you weren't dead, I can't tell you how happy I was. I should have known it really was you. You were always happy to mix with us lower classes when so many others felt it beneath them. Arthur keeps smiling, allowing Bogle to chat away while he regroups. He learns the former servant retired to Australia a few years ago, but has had more children since, so is returning to England in the hope of better paid work. Reminded of the questions the Earl asked him earlier, a new idea enters Arthur's head. My memory of Tichborn Park is so muddy. What was the name of the steward who was there during my youth?
40:36 Alice Levine? It's driving me mad that I can't recall. You mean... Gosford. That's it, Gosford.
40:44 Alice Levine? Arthur realises this could be just the break he needs, a way to fill in the blanks.
40:51 Alice Levine? Bogle, how would you feel about working for me? As my valet?
40:56 Alice Levine? I'd be honoured, Sir Roger.
40:59 Alice Levine? Arthur warmly shakes his hand. He's going to rinse Bogle for so much information that by the time they reach England, he'll know the Tichborns better than they know themselves. And he'll be such a convincing Sir Roger, the dowager will have no doubt in her mind that he is her son.
41:25 Alice Levine? Four months later, Christmas Day, 1866, Marlerbone, London. The dowager leans forward in the seat of her carriage, shouts to the coachman. "Please, you must go faster." The coachman nods and picks up the pace.
41:42 Alice Levine? As they come to a halt outside the Ford Hotel, the dowager ignores her weakening bones and practically jumps out of the carriage. This is it, she's finally going to see her Roger again.
41:56 Alice Levine? But she's barely made it into the hotel lobby when she's accosted by a plump, flustered-looking young woman, holding a rosy-cheeked baby. "Lady Tichborne, I'm, uh, the other Lady Tichborne, Mary Anne, Sir Roger's wife."
42:13 Alice Levine? The dowager watches, bemused, as the woman attempts a strange sort of curtsey. "Ah, yes, Roger wrote of you, and..." She gestures towards the infant, who gurgles at her. The dowager feels a lump form in her throat at the sight of her grandchild. "Her name's Theresa. Would you like a hold?"
42:36 Alice Levine? The dowager's eyes fill with tears as she takes the squirming baby in her arms. Looking down at her, she's overwhelmed with emotion.
42:46 Alice Levine? "I see Roger's eyes in hers. She is adorable."
42:50 Matt Forde? "She is so gullible."
42:52 Alice Levine? "He's got Roger's twitchy eye, beautiful."
42:56 Alice Levine? The dowager hands back the baby, then clicks her fingers for the porter, who races over and picks up her bags. But to her surprise, her daughter-in-law doesn't lead the way. Instead, she looks at the dowager regretfully. "I must warn you, Roger's been taken ill. Crossing made him sick as a dog. He might not be as you remember him."
43:17 Matt Forde? "That is putting it lightly. I have to sit here with a flannel on my face because I'm so disfigured from seasickness, I can't bear for my mother to look at me."
43:26 Alice Levine? "But also, let's sign any paperwork now, and then I will peel the flannel back." The dowager fingers her silver locket. It's so like Roger to care. He was always such a sensitive child. She pats Mary Ann's hand. He will be perfection, however I find him. All the same, best not get too close lest he infect you. The dowager shuffles impatiently. All she wants to do is see her boy. She will not have their reunion delayed a minute longer. She waves a dismissive hand, clicks again at the porter. Take me to Sol Roger Tichborn's room at once. The dowager pushes past Mary Ann and follows the porter as he leads the way.
44:13 Alice Levine? Moments later, she's standing outside a door. As the porter puts the key in the lock, turns it, the dowager finds herself holding her breath.
44:24 Alice Levine? And then the door is open, and the wait is over. The dowager steps inside the dark room, which is illuminated only by the smallest lamp. The dowager squints as her eyes adjust, trying to focus on the figure in the bed. She tentatively steps closer, trembling with excitement. But the sight that greets her isn't what she expected at all.
44:56 Speaker 05 A trucker merges onto the I-10 in New Orleans. He checks his mirrors. The lane is clear. And then, boom, impact. A pickup truck, seemingly out of nowhere, scrapes down the side of his 18-wheeler. Multiple passengers inside. One man flees the scene, and the driver of the pickup, he doesn't seem all that upset. It didn't feel like a regular accident, because it wasn't. Across the city, truckers are getting sideswiped, all on the same stretch of the same freeway. And behind many of the cases is one person. A Hollywood stunt woman turned personal injury lawyer named Vanessa Moda. This podcast is a story about fake accidents that lead to real consequences, and a scheme that ends in betrayal and murder.
45:41 Speaker 05 Listen to Over My Dead Body: Operation Sideswipe wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
45:56 Speaker 02 I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, the spy who was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans, but was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari early and ad-free on Audible.
46:35 Alice Levine? A few seconds later, Christmas Day, the Ford Hotel, Marlerbone, London. Arthur tries to keep his breathing steady as the old lady inches closer to the bed. But peering out of the side of the handkerchief he's holding in front of his face, he can see her shocked expression.
46:52 Matt Forde? Okay, I was guessing when I said put a flannel over your face. That's exactly what he's done. You aren't giving that fortune teller a real run for her money. Real run for her florins.
47:02 Alice Levine? He knew Marianne's idea of hiding his face was a foolish one.
47:06 Matt Forde? Okay, well, you know, she's not the only one who had that idea, so watch your mouth.
47:12 Alice Levine? Arthur glances over to the mantle, inwardly cursing himself for not packing away the theatrical face powder he bought in an effort to look more sickly. But he realizes there's no chance of the dowager noticing it. Her eyes are too keenly trained on him. He catches sight of himself in the mirror opposite, and his face falls. Suddenly, it hits him what she's seeing. A man at least three times the size of her son, with a puffy face that couldn't be more different, made up like a circus clown. He feels his breath quicken. Beads of sweat form on his brow as the dowager sits down on the bed.
47:53 Alice Levine? And then the dreaded moment comes. She gently lifts the handkerchief from his face. He knows this is it, when it all comes crashing down. The dowager opens her mouth, and he can't believe the words that come out. My dear Roger, how I've longed for this moment.
48:13 Matt Forde? Come on, this is madness.
48:18 Alice Levine? Arthur is momentarily stunned. Then slowly, against every fibre of his better judgement, he finds himself returning her gaze, looking deeply into her eyes. And he sees how desperate she is, how much she wants to believe. He gathers his courage and gently whispers, Oh Mama, I thought this day would never come.
48:43 Matt Forde? This is the bit as well, where I get why, if you're skin, you go, God, there's this crazy skin where we could make some money. Once you're in the room with a weeping widow, and you're looking into her eyes and deceiving her, surely at that point you think, Actually, I've got a good life as a butcher, I don't need to be doing this.
49:02 Alice Levine? I'm impersonating a desperate, grieving woman's son. As you're applying the powder in the mirror, you'd pause for a sec, wouldn't you?
49:12 Matt Forde? I think so.
49:14 Alice Levine? The dowager's eyes widen, then moisten. Inspired, Arthur raises a hand to his eye, sharply pulls at a lash, prompting tears of his own. Soon his tears become sobs as he fully embodies the character. He raises his handkerchief, dabs her eyes with it. Are yours happy tears as mine are? The dowager nods enthusiastically. Arthur starts to mentally prepare himself for the barrage of questions that are bound to come. But he now has every confidence he can answer them. The dowager clutches both of his hands, smiles. J'ai toujours ce que tu vis entre moi.
49:58 Alice Levine? Pourquoi as-tu mis autant de temps? A chill runs down Arthur's spine. Only now does it occur to him that because Sir Roger spent the first few years of his life in Paris, French would have been his first language.
50:15 Matt Forde? Amazing.
50:16 Alice Levine? Busted.
50:19 Alice Levine? That's quite hard to bluff, isn't it?
50:21 Matt Forde? You had four months on that boat. You could have been doing Rosetta Stone, mate.
50:25 Alice Levine? Arthur can't speak a word. As the dowager stays on him, expectant, he's completely stuck. How, comment, will he get out of this?
50:39 Matt Forde? Tu parles anglais, madame?
50:44 Alice Levine? A moment later, the dowager stares at the man before her, waiting for him to respond. She can't fathom why he's taking so long. Suddenly, from the corner of the room, Mary Anne rushes over and takes her husband's hand. He's anemia, I mean, amnesia. It took all of his French. Isn't that right, Roger? The dowager trains her eyes back on Roger, who nods furiously. I'm sorry, Mama. I wish I could understand your words. The shipwreck, it took so much of the person I was.
51:18 Alice Levine? The dowager stays on him as he begins to cry again, big, choking sobs that make his whole body convulse. She's now overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. She so wants to believe that amnesia is responsible for this, but it seems so bizarre. Suddenly, the question that she's been avoiding since that letter arrived all those months ago becomes impossible to ignore. Could this man be an impostor? She takes a deep breath, fixes him with a steely gaze. Tell me, how is it that you remember so much of your time in Hampshire, but have lost all memory of our years in Paris?
52:00 Matt Forde? Because I was hit low down on the head, and France is to the south of England, so it knocked out all my memories of the southern stuff.
52:10 Alice Levine? Yeah. Everybody knows left lobe, that's like Eastern Europe. If you're talking right lobe, at the bottom, that's just Spain's, if you will. I don't want to blind you with the science of it, but it really tracks.
52:23 Matt Forde? That's why I went to Australia. I wanted to go as far south as I could and then retrace the entirety of the south to try and bring those memories back, memories that I didn't know I had, because I'd forgotten them. What?
52:34 Alice Levine? What? Let's get some tea. The man looks hurt now. The dowager feels a prickle of panic. If this really is Roger, he must feel so betrayed by her doubt. But she must stay strong, must satisfy herself that this is real. Finally, he replies. It's so strange, the things that are gone while other memories remain. The image of Flora is crystal clear. How long walks with her around the grounds before I left Stonyhurst? The dowager feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up at the mention of Sir Roger's old dog at the boarding school he was sent to. I was so saddened by her passing. Do you remember?
53:19 Alice Levine? I wanted to come home, but Papa wouldn't let me. She finds herself smiling, her confidence returning.
53:27 Matt Forde? I mean, this guy is three times the size of my son. He's painted like a clown. He has a very strange accent, can't remember anything, but he does remember some very specific anecdotes, and I think that's good enough for me.
53:41 Alice Levine? Welcome home, Rog. She willed him to keep talking, keep convincing her. I hated that school. I just wanted to return to Hampshire, to you. Now the dowager's excitement is replaced by a wave of despair. Much as this is what she longed to hear, it's not how it was. Roger came to love Stonyhurst, and his visits home grew rarer and rarer as his time there went on. But she tells herself that maybe, like her, he wants only to remember the good times they shared. The dowager looks into his pleading eyes, and then it hits her. The answer has been here all along. There's only one thing she has to do.
54:24 Alice Levine? Then she'll know, once and for all, whether this really is her beloved son.
54:42 Matt Forde? Alice, have you ever wondered why the Mini is so small?
54:46 Alice Levine? The Skir or the Magnum?
54:48 Matt Forde? Well, I meant the iconic British car, because in 1956, Britain's oil supply was suddenly cut off. Petrol rationing was brought in and the car industry was scrambling around for a vehicle that hardly used any fuel. Enter the Mini.
55:02 Alice Levine? Interesting, but actually not technically British scandal series material.
55:07 Matt Forde? Well, the reason they had to save petrol is because the Prime Minister started a war and lied about why.
55:13 Alice Levine? Okay, scandal siren going off.
55:15 Matt Forde? I'm Matt Ford.
55:16 Alice Levine? And I'm Alice Levine.
55:17 Matt Forde? And our latest British scandal series involves a secret meeting in a French villa, a Prime Minister running on amphetamines.
55:23 Alice Levine? An Egyptian president that everyone fancied, the end of the British Empire, and at the heart of it, a canal.
55:30 Matt Forde? This is the story of the Suez Plot.
55:33 Alice Levine? Follow British Scandal wherever you get your podcasts, or listen early and ad-free on Audible.
55:42 Speaker 03 In January 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike and two friends lured a classmate, 19-year-old Colleen Schlemmer, to an abandoned steam plant and killed her. At just 20 years old, Pike was sentenced to death. 30 years later, on September 30, 2026, the state of Tennessee tried to execute her and failed. I'm Candice DeLong, former FBI profiler and host of the podcast Killer Psyche, where we go inside the minds behind the most shocking crimes. In our latest episode, we take you inside the case of Krista Pike. The brutal crime, the childhood of abuse, three decades of appeals,
56:25 Speaker 03 and the night an execution went terribly wrong. Follow Killer Psyche wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche one week early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
56:45 Alice Levine? From Wondery and Sammestat Audio, this is the first episode in our series, The Tichborne Claimant.
56:51 Matt Forde? A quick note about our dialogue: in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.
56:59 Alice Levine? If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read The Man Who Lost Himself: The Unbelievable Story of the Tichborne Claimant by Robin Aneer, and The Claimant: Butcher or Baronet by Paul Terry.
57:11 Matt Forde? And remember, if you want to get in touch with comments, suggestions, ideas for scandals, then you can email [email protected] .
57:19 Alice Levine? You can. British Scandal is hosted by me, Alice Levine.
57:22 Matt Forde? And me, Matt Ford.
57:23 Alice Levine? Written by Wendy Granditer. Additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor is James Maniak. Sound design by Louis Blatherwick. Our engineer is Jai Williams. For Sammestat, our producer is Chica Ayers. Our assistant producer is Redsey Bernard. Our senior producers are Jo Sykes and Dasha Lisitzina. For Wondery, our series producer is Theodora Leludis, and our managing producer is Rachel Sibley. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Chris Bourne, Morgan Jones, and Marshall Louie.
58:10 Speaker 06 Hey, I'm Cassie DePecce. The host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who lived to tell the tale. In our latest series, we track the story of Hugh Glass, the real-life revenant that inspired the 2015 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1823, Glass was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear in present-day South Dakota and left for dead. His survival depended on trekking through 350 miles of wilderness alone with grave injuries. But he was driven by his thirst for revenge. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
58:55 Speaker 06 There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership, and discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.
59:38 Speaker 06 Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.
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