“Inventor of Submarines” calls on the King
Published in Windlesora 30 (2014)
© WLHG
Some little excitement was caused at Windsor Castle a day or two ago, by the finding of an obvious lunatic at large and within the precincts of the Castle itself.
The man was a powerfully built fellow of about 45 years of age and his name was ascertained to be Patrick Callaghan. He is known to have spent 11 years in an asylum in America, but he was discharged recently and worked his passage home to this country.
He had announced his intention of calling on the King of England, and before he could be secured, he put up a fair fight, enough to show he would have been a dangerous visitor.
He was secured by the police and after being certified a lunatic, he was removed temporarily to the Workhouse at Old Windsor, whence the following day he was dispatched to the Berkshire Asylum.
He claimed to be the inventor of submarines and stated that his plans had been stolen. It was because he made his claim, he said, that he was incarcerated.
In his possession was a card showing him to be a member of the “Brotherhood of the Moose”, a secret society founded somewhere in Canada.
Windsor Local History Group 