On the 3rd November 2021a photograph of Henry Salt was uploaded to the Wikipedia page for Henry Stephens Salt. The caption read “Salt as an Eton Master in 1871”.
Unfortunately the poster of the photograph failed to reference their claim, which sadly is all too common.
Henry Salt was a student of Eton College in 1871 not an ‘Eton Master’. He was admitted to King’s College, Cambridge in October 1871. Salt graduted with B.A. (Classical Tripos, 1st Class) from King’s College, Cambridge in 1875. Only then did Salt return to Eton College as an Assistant Master.
A photograph in the Eton College Online Catalogue shows Henry Salt in 1875. It clearly shows an older looking Salt than the one posted on Wikipedia by Throughthemind.
Posting inaccurate details on Wikipedia can have serious consequences as it not only compromises the reliability of information but also misguides and misinforms readers. Inaccuracies can spread rapidly, leading to the perpetuation of false narratives and potentially harming the reputation of individuals or distorting historical events. Additionally, Wikipedia’s collaborative nature relies on accurate contributions to maintain its credibility as a valuable source of information for users worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to exercise diligence and responsibility when editing and contributing to ensure the integrity of the platform and the trust of its users.
Wikipedia is aware of that anyone with little or no knowledge can post on their site, and to their credit Wikipedia themselves state:
“Because Wikipedia cannot be considered a reliable source, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources.”