I'm related to the guy "Big Ben" was named after... maybe.
This is likely to be disputed and for good reasons I'll get into. It appears the most likely reason why the bell was so named was because a politician by the name of Benjamin Hall oversaw the latter stages of construction of the Houses of Parliament and known for being big and bold, especially in speeches was called "Big Ben" hence the bell's moniker. However, this is disputed by some, particularly my mum's family. You see I'm related to this other man, Ben Caunt who had a slightly different career as a Heavyweight Boxing champion.

Ben Caunt was certainly a different sort, said to have been a slow and pretty dirty fighter and given the nickname "Big Ben" for being quite tall and broad and definitely not for his status as a gentle giant. Striving for success, at one point he even went to America to try to challenge the Heavyweight champion there, but returned with someone a bit less notable to duel. His career apparently dwindled after that and the nickname, apparently well known at the time, was possibly usurped by Hall. Even though that would make it slightly related to my distant relative, it's pretty tenuous and not exactly a direct link between him and the bell I can be certain of.

He still was a champion though and during reunions with relatives it's nice to look back at a possible pride inducing aspect of our family, regardless of how deluded it is. Especially as some of our forebears had the misfortune of being named "Harry".
( Christian's Bolt and Ski, Tue 25 Sep 2012, 18:40, 2 replies)

Amazing.
You turned what could have passed for an interesting story into something so unfathomably dull that I can't even f
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Tue 25 Sep 2012, 18:49, closed)

Well I just hope it's shit enough to fit the brief.

( Christian's Bolt and Ski, Tue 25 Sep 2012, 19:09, closed)