The Corpse In The Lighthouse

What happens when the most isolated lighthouse in the world becomes a floating prison with a corpse... and what if one of history's strangest duels was fought over flower arrangements?

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro explore two unbelievable tales that prove history is often stranger than fiction.

First, journey to the infamous Smalls Lighthouse off the coast of Wales, where lighthouse keeper Thomas Howell found himself trapped for months with the decomposing body of his fellow keeper. Unable to bury the man for fear of being accused of murder, Howell lashed the coffin to the lighthouse railing—only to watch the sea slowly destroy it as storms prevented rescue. It's one of maritime history's most disturbing true stories and the event that forever changed lighthouse staffing around the world.

Then, travel to Vienna in 1892, where an aristocratic disagreement over floral arrangements allegedly escalated into one of history's most bizarre confrontations: a topless sword duel between Princess Pauline von Metternich and Countess Anastasia von Kielmansegg. Did two European noblewomen really strip to the waist and settle a decorating dispute with rapiers? Or is the entire affair one of history's most persistent—and entertaining—legends?

From haunted seas to scandalous society gossip, this episode is packed with the wonderfully weird stories you've come to expect from The Box of Oddities.

In this episode: Smalls Lighthouse, Thomas Howell, Welsh lighthouse tragedy, maritime history, lighthouse keepers, Princess Pauline von Metternich, Countess Anastasia von Kielmansegg, Vienna 1892, historical duels, strange history, bizarre true stories, odd history, folklore, legends, and the wonderfully weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices