# 19th century English eccentric who pulled tablecloths off tables

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-english-eccentric-who-pulled-tablecloths-off-tables/931478>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 25, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-english-eccentric-who-pulled-tablecloths-off-tables/931478 "2021-01-25T18:24:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-english-eccentric-who-pulled-tablecloths-off-tables/931478/1 "2021-01-25T18:24:30Z")

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In one of Bill Bryson’s books, he mentions a rich Englishman who was known for pulling tablecloths off tables in restaurants, smashing the dishes to the floor.

Consequently, people began shouting his name whenever wait staff in restaurants dropped trays full of dishes.

Ring any bells?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-english-eccentric-who-pulled-tablecloths-off-tables/931478/2 "2021-01-25T18:32:11Z")

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I think his name was Harold J. Ohfuckthedishesarebroken.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-english-eccentric-who-pulled-tablecloths-off-tables/931478/3 "2021-01-25T18:57:19Z")

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Just remembered it: [Gordon Bennett!](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Gordon_Bennett#English)

He was American, not English. And Wiktionary describes the expression as more of a general response to something outrageous, as opposed to smashing dishes.