R&S Pride APRIL 225.qxp 02/03/2021 13:54 Page 36
FAMOUS LOCALS
WE’RE MADE in
STAMFORD For a relatively small town, Stamford has enjoyed contributing a few quirky footnotes to the history books. This month we’re looking at a some of the locals whose connections with the town are truly memorable... Words: Rob Davis.
HISTORY IS LITTERED with quirky figures, questionable acts and dodgy decisions, proving that often there’s nothing quite so unbelievable as the truth. This month we’re examining a few of the local figures that will be forever remembered as Stamford’s most memorable residents. n Larger than Life: Daniel Lambert...
Among the more well-known residents of Stamford is Daniel Lambert. Larger than life is a clichéd way to describe a gentleman who would never shy away from his ability to command an audience keen to witness the spectacle of a man who, upon his death in 1809, weighed over 50 stone. Happily, today, it’s considered unacceptable to ridicule someone on the basis of their appearance, but when Daniel Lambert was born in Leicester in March 1770, society was rather different to say the least. Lambert was born on the city’s Blue Boar Lane. His family were middle class; his father had an upstanding career as gaoler of Bridewell Prison, a debtor’s prison. Evidently Daniel was not an obese child and in fact was a keen and accomplished swimmer. The young Daniel was apprenticed to a die sinker and engineer in Birmingham, creating the dies which would be used to press coins. 36
Daniel completed four years of a seven year apprentice and then left the company to which he was apprenticed in favour of following in his father’s footsteps instead. At the age of 23 Daniel’s weight had ballooned to 32 stone, and even after his weight gain, he used to walk the seven miles from Woolwich to London, where he took a residence. He also taught juniors to swim competitively and was a keen spectator of sports.
Daniel’s diet wasn’t overly extravagant and he was also thought to be teetotal. And yet, his eventual weight was 52 stone and 11lbs, the public were often curious about the subject but on one occasion somebody asked how much his bespoke suits cost to make. An indignant Daniel replied that the member of the audience ought to purchase one for him in order to find out.
In 1805 when Lambert would have been 35, he was pensioned off from the gaol in which he worked and given a sum of £50/year which would have been quite a comfortable income to live on.
Daniel Lambert enjoyed Stamford and would visit the town regularly to dine there, usually at The George of Stamford or The Waggon & Horses. Daniel would place advertisements publicising his forthcoming appearances in the town and would attend cock fights in the town too. His last visit to Stamford was in June 1809 and though ‘fatigued from his journey’ he was otherwise in good health. Its believed that Daniel Lambert died at around 8.30am on Wednesday 21st June 1809 just prior to the arrival of his barber at his Waggon & Horses lodgings on St Martins.
He supplemented his income with public exhibitions of his weight, drawing crowds of up to 400. Curiously Daniel seemed quite brave enough to appear, and yet also sensitive concerning his weight, especially when a member of the audience would ask a tactless question.
His coffin was drawn by eight men and he was buried on Friday 23rd June to the rear of St Martin’s Church. Affectionate obituaries reported the death of a man larger than life. On his gravestone are the words ‘Altus in Animo in Corpore Maximus;’ noble in soul, greatest in body. >>
Again, unacceptable in modern society, but Daniel Lambert was a keen follower of bear fighting and cock fighting. At one such event Daniel even took on a bear to rescue his dog, apparently punching the bear in its head to ensure it released the stricken animal from his jaws.
