Petrified Remains

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 43, 22 October 1903, Page 29

Petrified Remains

There was recently deposited in^ the Worship street Goods Depot of the London and North-Western Railway Company a remarkable piece of left luggage. This is a case which is said to contain the petrified remains of an Irish giant, weighing nearly three tons, which had hitherto rested in the company's Broad street depot since 1876, when it was consigned from Manchester. The history of the giant is a curious one. The figure is said to be perfect, and is that of a man 12ft 2in in height, with a chest girth of 60£ in and arms 4^ft in length. It is noticeable that there are six toes on the right foot. It appears that mafiy yejars ago I^'e massive figurei was dug up in County Antrim by a Mr. Dvvyer, who was searching for minerals, and he exhibited it with great pecuniary success at Manchester and Liverpool. A showman named Kershaw purchased an interest in the exhibition, but for some reason it was sent on to London without his knowledge. While it lay in the possession of the London and North-Western Railway, Kershaw brought a Chancery action asking for an order that tihe company should be restrained from parting with the 'find' until Dwyer and he had settled the question of ownership. An injunction was granted, and though the question of ownership was never carried to the point of settlement the company are still debarred from partitog with the property. The same correspondent learned that Ihe denninage of several shillings a week has been legulaily paid to the company, who now hold a treasure which would attract thousands to see it were public exhibition again possible.