Jeffrey Dunstan
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Dunstan was the "mayor" of Garrat
Garrat Elections
The Garrat Elections were a carnival of mock elections in 18th century Surrey, England.The events were organized around May 20.People of the village of Garrat, Surrey had met in a conclave and elected a president to obtain rights in a small common...

, and second-hand wig seller, in the West End of London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...

.

Life

He was a foundling, and as such was reared in the parish workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...

 of St. Dunstan's-in-the-East.
At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to a greengrocer, but ran away to Birmingham, where he worked in the factories.
After his return to London in 1776, his chief occupation was that of buying old wigs.
His extraordinary appearance, and the droll way in which he clapped his hands to his mouth and called "old wigs", used always to attract a crowd of people after him in the streets.
On the death of "Sir" John Harper in 1785, "Sir" Jeffrey was elected mayor of Garrett.

The custom of the Garratt elections seems to have had its origin in a petty act of local injustice.
Certain encroachments on Garrat Common, situated between Wandsworth and Tooting in Surrey, led to the formation of an association of the inhabitants for the protection of their rights.
The head of this association was called the mayor, and one of the rules was that he should be re-chosen after every general election.
The public soon entered into the joke, the mock-election became highly popular, and the most eccentric characters were brought forward as candidates.

The popularity of the entertainment is sufficiently attested by the following entry in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' under 25 July 1781:
While Sir Richard Phillips
Richard Phillips
Richard Phillips may refer to*Richard Phillips , artist from the United States*Richard Phillips , captain of the MV Maersk Alabama taken hostage by Somali pirates in April 2009...

 relates that:
Possessing a large fund of vulgar wit, Sir Jeffrey was the most popular of the candidates who ever appeared on the Garrett hustings.
He was successful at three successive elections, but in 1796 was ousted from his office by "Sir" Harry Dimsdale, a muffin-seller and dealer in tinware.
This was the last election which took place at Garrett, though an unsuccessful attempt to revive the custom was made some thirty years after.

In Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb was an English essayist, best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare, which he produced with his sister, Mary Lamb . Lamb has been referred to by E.V...

's Reminiscence of Sir Jeffery Dunstan, which appeared in Hone's Every Day Book (volume ii. cols. 842–4), reference is made to the attempt to bring Dunstan out on the Haymarket stage, in the part of Dr. Last.

Dunstan died in 1797, and was buried in Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...

 churchyard.
Some curious illustrations from the drawings of Valentine Green
Valentine Green
Valentine Green was a British engraver.-Biography:Born in Salford Priors, he was placed by his father in a solicitor's office at Evesham, where he remained for two years; but ultimately he decided, on his own responsibility, to abandon the legal profession and became a pupil of a line engraver at...

, portraying the humours of a Garrett election, will be found in the Book of Days (i. 662–3), and portraits of Dunstan are given in Hone's Every Day Book (ii. 830) and Wilson's Wonderful Characters (i. opp. 216). Foote attended the election in 1761, and in 1763 produced at the theatre in the Haymarket, his comedy of The Mayor of Garret, London, 1764, octavo, which met with great success.

Bootham Park Hospital
Bootham Park Hospital
Bootham Park Hospital is a psychiatric hospital, part of NHS North Yorkshire and York. It is located in the Bootham district of York and is a Grade I listed building.-History:...

holds the only known portrait of him (artist unknown).

External links

  • See historical novel based on the life of 'Sir' Jeffrey Dunstan at http://www.mayorofgarratt.co.uk
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