William Bankes had the early 19th century world at his feet until an indiscretion with a young guardsman led to his fall from grace. With the threat of the noose hanging over him, he had little choice but to flee to Europe in a self imposed exile leaving his family and life's work behind him.

The National Archives holds the records for Bankes' 1841 arrest.

The Dorset History Centre holds the Bankes and Kingston Lacey archives.

Thanks are given to the librarian at the Royal Society for information regarding Bankes' FRS.

All research, script writing, recording and editing, plus the management of social media sites are carried out by Neil, your podcast host.

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