L'Estrange's Raspberry

Historic map ca 1830 (OSNI)

I'm reading a kind of autobiography and ancestral book by the late Sir Charles Brett KBE.

His family's legal practice, L'Estrange & Brett, was located at 7-9 Chichester Street in Belfast.

Thomas L'Estrange resided, during the Victorian era, at 7, Howard Street.

Presumably that was close to the corner of Donegall Square West, where the bank is today.

It wasn't far from L'Estrange's home to his office at 7 Chichester Street: I imagine he walked through the grounds of the old white Linen Hall (City Hall today).

He customarily stood outside his house in Howard Street, leaning on the railing of his little patch of garden every evening, rain or shine.

It has been said that a neighbour once crossed the street one damp evening and asked Mr L'Estrange: "Tell me, Sir, why do you lean against your railings for half an hour, every evening, wet or fine?"

After a considerable pause, Mr L'Estrange replied brusquely: "To fart, Sir."