Jemmy Hirst facts for kids

James "Jemmy" Hirst (1738–1829) was a very unusual and interesting person from England. People called him an "eccentric" because he loved to do things in his own unique way!

Jemmy's Early Life

Jemmy Hirst was born in 1738 in a small village called Rawcliffe in Yorkshire. His family were farmers. Even when he was a boy at school, Jemmy was different. He had a pet jackdaw (a type of bird) and even taught a hedgehog to follow him around!

His parents hoped he would become a priest, but that didn't happen. Jemmy was known for his pranks and was eventually asked to leave school. After school, he started training to be a tanner, someone who prepares animal hides. He fell in love with his boss's daughter and they got engaged.

How Jemmy Became So Unique

Many people say that Jemmy's very unusual habits started after a sad event. His fiancée became very sick with smallpox and passed away, even after he had bravely saved her from a flood. Jemmy was heartbroken. He stayed in bed for a long time and became very ill himself.

When he got better, he started training animals again. His most famous animal was a bull he named "Jupiter." Jemmy taught Jupiter to act like a horse! He would ride Jupiter and even use him to pull his special carriage.

Jemmy's Amazing Carriage

Jemmy's carriage was truly one-of-a-kind. It was made of wicker (like a basket) and had huge wheels. It looked a bit like a lampshade turned upside down! Jemmy even added a special device he invented. It was an odometer that would ring a bell every time they traveled a mile.

Jupiter sometimes found it hard to pull the big carriage. So, Jemmy tried to add sails to it, hoping the wind would help! This experiment didn't go well. The carriage crashed into a shop window in Pontefract, and Jemmy was banned from the town.

Jemmy's Quirky Habits

Jemmy Hirst loved to do things differently.

• He went fox hunting on his bull, Jupiter. Instead of using dogs to find the fox, he used pigs!
• He tried to teach an otter to catch fish for him. The tricky part was getting the otter to let go of the fish once it caught one!
• He once went to the Doncaster horse races wearing a hat made of lambskin with a nine-foot wide brim! He also wore a waistcoat made of duck feathers.
• Jemmy would blow his hunting horn to invite poor and elderly people to his house for tea. Sometimes, he would serve the drinks from his favorite coffin!
• His house was decorated with strange things like old rope and pieces of iron. He also wrote funny, simple poems.
• When he married his housekeeper, he wore a toga (like an ancient Roman robe). He even insisted that the wedding ceremony be done using only sign language!

Despite all his unusual ways, Jemmy was also a smart businessman. He sold his farm produce and became quite wealthy. His farmhouse is still standing in Rawcliffe today.

A Visit to the King

Jemmy Hirst became so famous that even King George III heard about him and wanted to meet him! The King invited Jemmy to visit him in London.

At first, Jemmy sent a message back saying he was too busy trying to train otters to fish, but he would come later. When he finally arrived in London in his special carriage, he caused quite a stir with his flashy clothes.

During his visit, a noble (a person of high rank) started laughing at him. Jemmy quickly threw a glass of water in the noble's face, saying the man was clearly "having hysterics"! Jemmy then told the King that he was happy to find him a "plain-looking fellow" and invited the King to visit him in Rawcliffe for some good brandy. The King didn't visit, but he reportedly gave Jemmy several bottles of brandy from his own royal wine cellar!

Jemmy's Last Wishes

Jemmy Hirst passed away in 1829. In his will, he left £12 to twelve elderly unmarried women. He wanted them to follow his coffin. He also wanted two musicians, a fiddler and a bagpiper, to play happy songs at his funeral.

Only two of the old maids actually came. The priest at the funeral didn't let the bagpiper play any happy songs, only a sad tune called O'er the hills and far away. He wouldn't let the fiddler play at all.

There's a story that Jemmy had his own coffin built with windows and shelves. He supposedly kept it in his living room and even charged people money to sit inside it!

Jemmy's Legacy

Today, there's a pub in Rawcliffe near Goole named Jemmy Hirst at The Rose and Crown. It helps keep the memory of this wonderfully eccentric character alive!