Timothy Dexter
1747–1806Timothy Dexter supposedly took a joke literally and shipped coal to Newcastle during a strike, then shipped gloves to the South Sea Islands to sell to Portuguese boats.
Particulars
Timothy Dexter supposedly took the joke literally and sent shipments of coal to Newcastle during a miners' strike, and his cargo sold at a premium.
On another occasion, practical jokers told Timothy Dexter he could make money by shipping gloves to the South Sea Islands; his ships arrived and sold the gloves to Portuguese boats on their way to China.
Compiled from Wikipedia. Automated record.