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Ikey Solomon

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Outlaw

The Resume

    (1787-September 3, 1850)
    Born in Houndsditch, United Kingdom
    Birth name is Isaac Solomon
    Made a successful career out of a pickpocketing racket
    Arrested with an accomplice on charges of theft in 1810
    Was tried and convicted on eight charges of receiving stolen goods, was sentenced to fourteen years' transportation to Australia (1830)
    Nicknamed 'The Prince of the Fences'

Why he might be annoying:

    He chose to discard his birth name 'Isaac' and go by his badass nickname, 'Ikey,' which has inevitably been mispronounced as 'Ickie' (fail).
    He has become the subject of colorful folklore regarding his criminal exploits - almost all of which is either heavily exaggerated or untrue.
    He ran a successful pickpocketing racket out of the jeweler's shop he ran in Brighton (actually a front for a pawn shop).
    He and his accomplice were arrested outside of Parliament lifting a pocketbook and £40 worth in bank notes (1810).
    His accomplice attempted to do away with the evidence before their arrest by eating the bank notes.
    His father-in-law hijacked the coach meant to transport him to Newgate, leading the coach to a prearranged location where Solomon's thugs sabotaged and overpowered the guards, effectively freeing Ikey.
    He was found running a tobacco shop in Australia and was extradited to England (he was then sentenced to return to Australia and stay there for fourteen years).
    The judge at his trial described him as 'evil-disposed.'
    He is the basis for Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist' villain, Fagin, who has been since used to stereotype Jews as maniacal and greedy (Dickens had attended his trial at Old Bailey).
    He remained in Australia after his release from prison, where he had estranged relations with both his wife and children, allegedly either turning them out of his house or being thrown out (depending on whose version of the story it is).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was one of nine children.
    His father bred him to be a pickpocket, so he was basically born into a profession of crime.
    Unlike Fagin, there is no evidence that he abused children or used them to furnish his illegal activities.
    Being Jewish, it is more than likely that he and his family had many encounters with Anti-Semitism.
    He is the subject of Bruce Courtenay's popular novel (and subsequent miniseries), 'The Potato Factory.'
    He did not expect the law to descend on his wife and children, and when he learned they had been sent to Australia he left his safe haven in the United States to be with them.
    He remains a national icon in both Australia.
    He was remarkably difficult to bring charges against him because he was skilled enough to conceal his transgressions (melting down the silver, thieving for the insurance money, remodeling stolen watches for resale, etc.)
    He was the subject of a docudrama/book called 'The First Fagin'
    He served as a 'javelin man' or a 'convict constable' during his jail-time in Australia.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 132 Votes: 44.70% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 204 Votes: 69.61% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 107 Votes: 56.07% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 86 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 47 Votes: 68.09% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 150 Votes: 52.67% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying