View Single Post
Old 5th July 2010, 05:41 AM   #7
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

i've also read somewhere that the smaller stature of the 19th c. was a bit of a dip in the height stats due to avg. diet/environment being poor. i had my dad's navy uniform top from ww2 when i was younger, and could no longer fit it after i was about 15 and i was fairly small for my age then compared to others.

my university fencing teacher in the late 60's was a 5 ft. 4 in. hungarian ex cavalry colonel who was probably the fittest and meanest person to cross i've met. at the time he was about 70, and walked with a cane. not because he needed one, but because the NYC police objected to him carrying a sword. he got almost-mugged once. i hear the perpetrators only took two weeks to get out of hospital. the colonel must have been in a good mood.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote