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The Kitchener Coffin Hoax: Frank Power, freelance journalist
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The Kitchener Coffin Hoax: Frank Power, freelance journalist
The Kitchener Coffin Hoax: Frank Power (real name Arthur Vectis Freeman), freelance journalist. who earned notoriety as the author of the Great Kitchener Yarn - Power claimed to have brought Kitcheners body from Scandinavia, where it had washed up on the coast of Norway, however when opened the coffin (a packing case) there was (shock horror) nothing inside apart from an uneven layer of tar..!! Date: 1926
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Media ID 23104786
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Case Claim Claimed Claims Coffin Fake False Frank Freelance Freeman Hoax Journalist Kitchener Packing Power Sensation Sensational Yarn 1926
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In this intriguing photograph, we see Frank Power, a freelance journalist with an enigmatic past, who became infamous for his involvement in one of the most sensational hoaxes of the 20th century: The Kitchener Coffin Hoax. Born as Arthur Vectis Freeman, Power gained notoriety in 1926 when he claimed to have brought the body of the late British Field Marshal Earl Kitchener from Scandinavia, where it had supposedly washed up on the coast of Norway. With great fanfare, Power transported the supposed coffin, which was actually a packing case, to London, where it was opened in the presence of a large crowd and the press. However, when the coffin was opened, there was a shocking revelation: there was nothing inside apart from an uneven layer of tar. The hoax, which Power had orchestrated to generate publicity and financial gain, was exposed, and he was widely ridiculed in the media. Despite the scandal, Power continued to write for various newspapers and magazines under different names, but his reputation as a hoaxer and sensationalist remained. This photograph captures a moment in time when Power, with his confident expression and dapper attire, seems to be basking in the attention and intrigue surrounding his latest sensation. The Kitchener Coffin Hoax remains a fascinating chapter in the annals of journalistic hoaxes and a reminder of the lengths some will go to for fame and fortune.
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