243:
At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Kempster was in
Germany and was placed under house arrest in Berlin by the German authorities. He was released after a month and returned to Britain where he was interviewed by the London press. He visited his brother, George, who was recovering in
226:
and by the age of 22 he was said to stand just less than 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) and he started to get both public and press attention leading to him seeing his unusual height as a means to make a living. By 1913 he stood slightly over 7 ft 9.3 in (2.37 m).
239:
in Essex as a professional giant. In March 1914 he went on a tour of Europe and differing sources alleged his height anywhere from 8 ft 4in to 8 ft 8in. Often the circus' management would exaggerate
Kempster's height to entice more visitors.
31:
203:
Kempster was born on April 13, 1889, in London to Joseph and Jane
Kempster and was the second youngest of four sons and three daughters. His mother described him as "a jolly, laughing boy, of a very liberal and generous disposition".
214:
Shipped off to Canada by the charity, Kempster returned to
England on November 12, 1904, aged 15. He was by now suffering from a congenital knee problem leading to ligament problems and growth at the upper end of the
338:
256:
Kempster died, aged 29, in the Queen's Park
Hospital, Blackburn in 1918 and was buried in a 9 ft (2.7 m) coffin in a 10 ft (3.0 m) grave in
260:. Case notes from the hospital state Kempster was 7 ft 9.3 in (2.37 m) when he died. His grave stone also calls him 'The British Giant'.
207:
On
Christmas Day 1897, his father died and eight-year-old Kempster and his two-year-old brother George were placed by their mother in the care of a
186:. He was 7 ft 9.3 in (2.37 m) tall, had an arm span of 8 ft 4.5 in (2.55 m) and weighed 170 kilograms (370 lb).
291:
211:
orphanage in
September 1898. As a boy, he was smaller than average for his age, being just over 4ft tall at the age of 9 and a half.
343:
333:
328:
244:
hospital after being wounded in France in 1916. Kempster continued to tour around
Britain in 1917 and contracted
191:
277:
292:"Fred Kempster, known as the English Giant, the Avebury Giant or even the Bath Giant, clothes up for auction"
175:
323:
318:
257:
107:
312:
208:
245:
85:
223:
81:
58:
30:
236:
171:
62:
216:
219:. This uncontrolled growth was to lead to his increasing height.
235:
In June 1911, he joined the Astley and Co.'s
American Circus at
143:
135:
127:
113:
103:
93:
70:
40:
21:
339:Deaths from the Spanish flu pandemic in England
189:Between 1967 and 1993 Kempster appeared in the
8:
35:Fred Kempster standing at a doorway in 1908
29:
18:
269:
195:as one of the tallest men in England.
7:
222:He lived with his sister, Ruth, in
14:
170:(1889–1918) was an English
1:
360:
294:. This is Bath. 2012-04-17
278:"Frederick John Kempster"
28:
192:Guinness Book of Records
99:53°46'01.7"N 2°28'11.8"W
147:2.37 m (7 ft
45:Frederick John Kempster
178:and also known as the
97:Blackburn Old Cemetery
344:Burials in Lancashire
334:People with gigantism
329:British entertainers
174:, renowned for his
258:Blackburn Cemetery
168:Frederick Kempster
23:Frederick Kempster
165:
164:
351:
303:
302:
300:
299:
288:
282:
281:
274:
252:Death and burial
160:
159:
155:
152:
114:Other names
88:, United Kingdom
77:
65:, United Kingdom
54:
52:
33:
19:
359:
358:
354:
353:
352:
350:
349:
348:
309:
308:
307:
306:
297:
295:
290:
289:
285:
276:
275:
271:
266:
254:
233:
201:
184:Blackburn Giant
157:
153:
150:
148:
122:Blackburn Giant
120:
98:
89:
79:
75:
66:
56:
50:
48:
47:
46:
36:
24:
17:
16:English showman
12:
11:
5:
357:
355:
347:
346:
341:
336:
331:
326:
321:
311:
310:
305:
304:
283:
268:
267:
265:
262:
253:
250:
248:in Blackburn.
232:
229:
200:
197:
176:extreme height
163:
162:
145:
141:
140:
139:Extreme height
137:
136:Known for
133:
132:
129:
125:
124:
115:
111:
110:
105:
101:
100:
95:
91:
90:
80:
78:(aged 29)
74:April 15, 1918
72:
68:
67:
57:
55:April 13, 1889
44:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
356:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
330:
327:
325:
322:
320:
317:
316:
314:
293:
287:
284:
279:
273:
270:
263:
261:
259:
251:
249:
247:
241:
238:
230:
228:
225:
220:
218:
212:
210:
205:
198:
196:
194:
193:
187:
185:
181:
180:English Giant
177:
173:
169:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
123:
119:
118:English Giant
116:
112:
109:
106:
102:
96:
94:Resting place
92:
87:
83:
73:
69:
64:
60:
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
296:. Retrieved
286:
272:
255:
242:
234:
221:
213:
206:
202:
190:
188:
183:
179:
167:
166:
131:Circus giant
121:
117:
76:(1918-04-15)
324:1918 deaths
319:1889 births
231:Circus life
104:Nationality
313:Categories
298:2012-11-27
264:References
209:Barnardo's
199:Early life
128:Occupation
86:Lancashire
51:1889-04-13
246:influenza
224:Wiltshire
161: in)
82:Blackburn
59:Bayswater
237:Chigwell
172:showman
156:⁄
108:British
144:Height
63:London
217:tibia
71:Died
41:Born
182:or
315::
84:,
61:,
301:.
280:.
158:2
154:1
151:+
149:9
53:)
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
