VMs: Re: Count Wilfrid Mikhail Voynich

["Rafal T. Prinke" <rafalp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"DANA SCOTT" <dscott520@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Here are autobiographical notes on Ethel Voynich with reference
> to Count Wilfrid Mikhail Voynich. 

> http://www.pgil-eirdata.org/html/pgil_datasets/index.htm

One thing that strikes me is that the year of Voynich's birth
here is 1865 rather than 1863 (as in the Zeitschift, which
was consulted with Voynich himself, as the author says).

Voynich was certainly NOT a count - but on the other hand
most educated people coming to London from Russia or Poland
called themselves "counts" (eg. Edmund Strzelecki, the explorer
of Australia).

What has always made me curious is, however, his first name.
"Wilfrid" is certainly not a name used in Poland or Russia
- I have never seen anyone with this name in this area.
The only possible explanation I can see would be that his
mother was German and insisted on giving him that name.
Really strange! It sounds to my ear like "Swiatoslaw MacDonald"
might possibly sound to an Irish ear :-)

Best regards,

Rafal