A meeting of giants?

There is a romantic but pathetic story behind it, nationally syndicated during March 1907.

“AMOROUS GIANT. All the elements of romance are bound up with the story of the love of Mr. Clive Darrill, an Australian giant, for Miss Mariedl, a Tyrolean giantess. Mr. Darril the son of wealthy farmer of Wagga, New South Wales, is twenty-four years of age, 8 ft. 8 in. high, and broad in proportion. Miss Mariedl is 8 ft. 3 in. high. Darrill fell in love with Mariedl at Vienna, and determined to marry her, but her manager proved obdurate. He followed her to Berlin and London, and last week attended nearly every performance at the Hippodrome. On Sunday, Darril was introduced to Mariedl in the Angel Hotel at Guildford. The giant followed Mariedl in a motor car and overtook her in the Surrey town, where he was introduced to the lady, who shook hands and smiled at him encouragingly. Surrounded by their friends the couple took lunch together, and Mr. Darrill seized the opportunity to advance his suit. The manager consented to write to Mariedl’s parents and ask whether they would permit the young couple to become engaged”.

It was not going to end well; in short, no fairy tale ending, as reported soon enough: “The answer came a couple of day’s later from far-off Tyrol refusing consent to the match on the grounds of the giant not being of the Roman Catholic religion”.

Besides, Darrill had been stalking Miss Mariedl all over Europe and already caused trouble at a venue where she was appearing, resulting in a court case. This photo appeared in the Bystander and both wrote their side of the story in Pearson’s Weekly in April – he why he wanted to marry her and she why she would rather be a nun. Bet that left him with long face.

The car is quite easily identified by the hub caps as a Berliet built in Lyon. Judging by the size, even allowing for the tall people, I would say it's the 20hp rather than the larger 40hp.

About the giants I don't know. There were the famous “Géants Hugo” brothers in France, and there was the Russian giant Machnow, but the giants in the mystery photo seem to be none of them. The car however is not a mystery, but a 1906 or 1907 Berliet, very recognizable by the hub caps.

Isotta Fraschini

The giant standing in the car is familiar- The gentle giant- a wrestler ?? Maybe meeting the worlds tallest man ??