Iceberg Writing and Silly Boy Pictures.

When you look out at an iceberg, you can only see something like 1/7^th to 1/10^th of it, depending on the density of the ice. Most of the work on my book these days could be called iceberg-writing, since little of it is visible from either ship or shore, let alone anywhere else.

In the meantime, here are some photo montages created in the late 1800s. They include several  of the Irish lads that I have been writing about. These men were born into farming families, but ended up working for HSBC as bankers in Hong Kong, Yokohama and elsewhere. Of course, they didn’t have access to Facebook, or memes - so here is a sense of what they might have posted if they had.

This appears to be Robert Thomas Wright from Ballinode, Co. Monaghan. The figure on his head (see enlarged beneath) is the only other European in this doctored shot.

Next time I am in Ireland - where I found these photos - I will shoot for a higher resolution. I haven't a clue who is perched on R.T. Wright's head. It may turn out to be the best part of the joke.

Here we have David Jackson, from South Armagh. In spite of the disagreements he had with over monetary policy with Sir Thomas Jackson (his brother), he was probably the best man for this job.

I don't know the names of the rest of those in the photos beneath - at least, not off the top of my head. If readers can take the time to let me know who they are, then I will definitely update this post.

The time is 6:10 - a possible hint of what might have been the source of the original photo.

It is now 7:30 - hence a different backdrop.

The one reaching for the hat may be Thomas McCullagh Browne.