Thomas Topham Strength Pioneer


Dr. Desaguliers

By: Dennis Rogers
In the 1700’s at age 31, 5’ 10”, Thomas Topham performed an array of mind boggling feats of strength for a London audience. In attendance was famed scientist, John Theophilus Desaguliers, who later described the event in his writings. This is his description of Topham’s performance:
  1. Having rubbed his fingers with coal-ashes to keep them from slipping, he rolled up a very strong large pewter plate.
  2. Having laid seven or eight short and strong pieces of tobacco-pipe on the first and third fingers, he broke them by the force of his middle finger.
  3. He broke a bowl of strong tobacco-pipe placed between his first and third fingers, by pressing his fingers together sideways.
  4. Having thrust such another bowl under his garter, his legs being bent, he broke it to pieces by the tendons of his hams, without altering the bending of his leg.
  5. He lifted with his teeth, and held in a horizontal position for considerable time, a table six feet long, with half a hundred weight hanging at the end of it. The feet of the table rested against his knees.
  6. Holding in his right hand an iron kitchen poker three feet long and three inches round, he struck upon his bare left arm, between the elbow and the wrist till he bent the poker nearly to a right angle.
  7. Taking a similar poker, and holding the ends of it in his hands, and the middle against the back of his neck, he brought both ends of it together before him, and he then pulled it almost straight again. This last feat was the most difficult, because the muscles which separate the arms horizontally from each other are not so strong as those which bring them together.
  8. He broke a rope about two inches in circumference, which was partly wound about a cylinder four inches in diameter, having fastened the other end of it to straps that went over his shoulder.


Thomas Topham

In addition the Doctor saw Topham lift a “rolling stone” that weighed 800 pounds off the ground using only his hands, while standing on a platform above it- An incredible feat for a man who only weighed 200 pounds.   
Something I quickly noticed about Topham’s performance was that like any great strength performer, he used the materials of his day to emphasize his strength. For example the pipe stems and bowls, the iron poker, and the pewter plate. Everyone back then understood the strength of these items. Pipes were common, and everyone had fires going at any given time- thus understanding the strength of a poker.  Understandably there were a limited amount of materials in Thomas’ day, however he could have just as easily lifted makeshift implements or longs- yet he chose to largely use common household objects to amaze his audience.
I personally found that using objects that are commonly found in any home enhances the wonderment and bewilderment of the audience. For example, when I lifted a refrigerator with one finger on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, it was much more impressive to the majority of the audience than if I had performed a one finger lift with 300 pounds of weights.   The same applies when I bend a wrench or roll a frying pan. Practically everyone owns these items, so they understand that they are solid and strong.  It’s great when they walk away shaking their heads in amazement. It tells me that I connected with them, and that they will NEVER forget what they saw.