Flying Pieman was the nickname of William Francis King (1807-1873), a colorful character who lived in Sydney, Australia. King was born in England. After immigrating to New South Wales, Australia, in 1829, he held various jobs, including schoolteaching, before becoming a pie vendor. His amazing walking achievements earned him his nickname.
The Flying Pieman walked 1,634 miles (2,630 kilometers) in less than six weeks. Twice he beat the coach from Windsor to Sydney—a 34-mile (55-kilometer) distance. On six consecutive days, he walked from Sydney to Parramatta and back—30 miles (48 kilometers) each day.
King also walked the 43 miles (70 kilometers) from Parramatta to Windsor and back on three successive days. On other occasions, the Flying Pieman carried animals for wagers, such as a 93-pound (42-kilogram) goat plus 34 pounds (15.4 kilograms) of dead weight from Sydney to Parramatta in seven hours. King was born in London on March 19, 1807. He died in Sydney on Aug. 10, 1873.
