Collections Online

Blue woollen breeches, with matching frock coat. Lined, with button fly fastening. Decorative buttons on legs. Worn by Hopcyn Hopkins (Hopcyn Bach, 1737-54).

The son of Lewis Hopkin the bard, Hopcyn was born with a form of dwarfism. His physical appearance became a source of income for his family. At the age of 14, he was taken to London by his parents and shown publically for money. Billed as “the wonderful and surprising Little Welchman”, in 1751 Hopkin was presented to the Royal family who gave him a gold watch, an annual pension and ten guineas for each appearance he made at Court. In the same year, he was also ‘on display’ in Bristol. This account of the visit is taken from a letter sent by John Browning in September 1751:

"I am just returned from Bristol where I have seen an extraordinary young man, whose case is very surprising; he is shewn publicly for money, and therefore I send you the printed bill, which is given about to bring company… I went myself to view and examine this extraordinary, and surprising but melancholy subject; a lad entering the 15th year of his age, whose stature is no more than 2 feet and 7 inches, and weight 13 pound, labouring under all the miserable and calamities of old age, being weak and emaciated, his eyes dim, his hearing very bad, his countenance fallen, his voice very low and hollow; his head hanging down before, so that his chin touches his breast, consequently his shoulders are raised and his back rounded not unlike a hump-back, he is weak that he cannot stand without support". [Letter from John Browning to Henry Baker, 12 September 1751. Quoted in Sem Phillips, The History of the Borough of Llantrisant, 1866.]

Hopcyn Hopkins died aged 17 of senile decay.