Interesting Celery Fact No. 161

In Rutland, England's smallest county, the eating of celery has long been associated with the gentry. So much so in fact that, in 1642, in common with many countys at the time, the eating of celery by commoners was outlawed. Rutland, however, is unusual in never having officially repealed this arcane law.

However, whilst the law remains on the statute books, it had not been used in many years, until recently. Young Macauley Fulford, 15, had received an ASBO for constant disturbances and problems with his neighbours, and the police, knowing he was breaching it in a variety of ways, were unable to catch him in the act. On Jan 17th of this year, Fulford stole large amounts of fruit and veg from his local Tesco, but was not caught, and later, paraded in front of the Police Station, brazenly chewing on the celery he had stolen, with the Police powerless to stop him, as they were unable to prove the theft. Young Macauley, however, was unaware that the Police COULD arrest him simply for EATING the celery, and quick thinking local historian PC Threbblethwaite did exactly that. Sadly, at the local magistrates court on 2nd February, Fulford was aquitted on the grounds that he was the illegitimate son of Viscount Lindlay, and therefore fully legally entitled to celery consumption.