Rutland is infamous for its small size but huge heart, carrying the motto 'Multum in Parvo' which means 'much in little'. 

The motto can also be applied to the story of Sir Jeffery Hudson, Rutland's smallest man, who carries quite the legacy in and around Oakham. 

Rutland residents may have seen the name Jeffery Hudson around the County Town, on the plaque at Hudson's Cottage in the centre of Oakham, and even attached to the local beer, Jeffery Hudson Bitter (more affectionately called JHB), a favourite of Peterborough based brewery, Oakham Ales. 

There is certainly more to the history of Jeffery Hudson than beer though. 

His history 'reads like a mad opera' and really is larger than life:

Jeffery Hudson was born in 1619, with his parents, three brothers and one sister all being of a typical size. There were many rumours surrounding the reasons behind his size, with some suggesting that his mother choked on a gherkin while pregnant. However it would appear that he suffered from a hormone deficiency that caused his stunted growth. 

In 1626, Hudson was presented to King Charles I and his wife, Queen Henrietta Maria, as a lavish, 18-inch-tall gift. It is rumoured that, dressed in a suit of armour, he rose from a pie and, upon entertaining Henrietta so much, was taken to their London home. 

He is reported to have grown very little after that, but learned to entertain the court, often appearing in plays staged for the entertainment of Henrietta and her cohort. 

He was educated in the household and taught to ride and shoot. Although he was clever, his stature is what continued to entertain those around him. 

In 1630, aged 10, Hudson was taken on a mission to France to find a midwife for Queen Henrietta.  Aged 18 he travelled to France again and eventually turned his back on the role of entertainer that he had been given. 

 In 1644, an unspecified event thought to involve a joke or jest about Hudson's height, provoked Hudson to challenge the brother of the powerful Baron William Crofts to a duel. The brother brought a water pistol to the duel, continuing the jest about Hudson's childish appearance. 

Hudson fatally shot Croft's brother and was condemned to death. Henrietta prevented the execution, but Hudson had little to do with the Queen after that, returning to Oakham to live for several years. 

It is estimated that Hudson died in 1682, aged 63, although the specific nature of his passing remains mysterious. 

His tiny waistcoat of blue satin and his little breeches and stockings, also in blue satin, are in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. 

In Oakham, locals can still enjoy Jeffery Hudson Bitter and Hudson's Cottage, but little of his tale is told. 

Do you have any Oakham history to share with us? It can be ancient history, or as recent as a loved local shop closing down during the pandemic – just let us know!

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