Childe Of Hale

This is a photograph of Speke Hall which is next door to John Lennon airport in Liverpool. Just down the road from Speke Hall is the village of Hale. The most famous inhabitant of Hale was the strapping lad John Middleton, the Childe of Hale.

John was born in 1578 and grew to the height of 9 ft 3 inches, well so says the epitaph on his grave. Because of his size he was hired by the Sheriff of Lancashire as a bodyguard.

As well as the life size painting of him in Speke Hall there is another of him in Brasenose College Oxford wearing a garment of purple, red and gold which had been presented to him by King James 1. Middleton died impoverished in 1623.