Is This Man Oscar Wilde’s ‘Little Dark-Eyed Chap’?

During his two-year imprisonment for "homosexuality," Oscar Wilde mentioned a "little dark-eyed chap" to whom he was very attracted in letters he wrote from prison. According to BBC News (link below), a University of Reading professor has now unearthed photos of the man he believes Wilde was speaking about. 

The pictures of Henry Bushnell were found by Prof Peter Stoneley, from the University of Reading, who carried out a study of Wilde's fellow prisoners.

He said the playwright had been "attracted to" Bushnell but details of their relationship were unknown.

In a letter the disgraced playwright mentioned a "little dark-eyed chap", believed to be labourer Bushnell, who was jailed for theft 21 times between 1892 and 1911, said Prof Stoneley.

So how did Stoneley come to the conclusion that the inmate in question was Bushnell? Simple deduction.

"We don't know the full details of the relationship between Wilde and Bushnell... What we do know is that as well as mentioning him in his letters, Wilde sent money to Bushnell after he was released from prison, although further meetings are unlikely."

An exhibition of the discoveries made on the prisoners opens Wednesday at the Berkshire Record Office. 

Via BBC News