found this on a dead BBS — the original Bedford Level bet, before the Society even existed

Reposting because the board I found it on is one cough away from going dark and I don't want this to vanish. OP over there had typed out the whole 1870 Bedford Level wager from some old surveying journal he owned. Short version: a flat earther named John Hampden put up £500 saying you could PROVE th……