William Bradley (giant)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Bradley (February 10, 1787 – May 30, 1820), known more commonly as Giant Bradley or the Yorkshire Giant is the tallest recorded British man that ever lived, measuring 7 feet 9 inches, two-and-a-half inches taller than Christopher Greener, the tallest living man in Britain. Chang Woo Gow was the tallest chinese man who lived in England. Born 1841 in the port town of Fy-chow, now Canton Province, China. He died at the age of 52 and is buried in Wimborn Road cemetery, Bournemouth, Dorset. His coffin was 8 feet 6 inches long, but he was just under 8 feet tall. Chang said his sister was taller than he was. He was known as the gentle giant.
Bradley was 5mm taller than the current world's tallest man, Xi Shun.
[edit] Biography
Born in Market Weighton, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, William was the fourth son in a family of thirteen. His father measured 5 feet 9 inches, while his siblings and mother were all of average size. Bradley travelled with a group of showmen under the alias of the "Yorkshire Giant," later returning to his hometown before he died. His house still stands on Market Hill and is now occupied by France's Bike Shop.
[edit] Giant Bradley Day
A yearly festival is organised in memory of William Bradley in his hometown of Market Weighton. The event has been held annually in May since 1996 and is attended by hundreds of people in the town. It is a family-oriented event with games, amusement rides, stalls, and other attractions.
