Rumbelow Rarities

CERTIFICATES OF FREEDOM

Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 12th December, 1836.

THE undermentioned persons, have obtained Certificates of Freedom since last publication.

12 December, 1836 - Rumbelow, William (American)

A VICTORIAN LILLIPUTIAN

There is now located at the Criterion Hotel, corner of Park and Pitt streets, one of the tiniest spccimeus of humanity in the world. His name is John Rumbelow, or as he is professionally called, "General Mite." He was burn at banilnurst (\ic.) in i8(l and consequently is now 16 years of age. He is 62in. in height, considerably smaller than either tbo famous Torn Thumb or even Cornino-' dore Nutt, and weighs a little over 201b. His parents are persons of ordinary size, bis father having for the past 10 years bccu employed as a workman in Messrs. Humble and Nicholson's foundry, Geeloug, and the other children of the family are also of average size, a little brother two years old being rather taller than John. Asa baby he was very tiny and up to II years old was a delicate child, but since then, during which time be has not grown ut all, he has beeu healthy and well. He has uotil quite recently becu educated at tbe State school, Sandhurst, and is apt nod remarkably observant. Mr. Solomon has entered into an engagement with the father to keep the boy for a time at the Criteriou Hotel.

Maritime Miscellany.

Newcastle (s), for Newcastle, at 11.80 p.m. the Steamship Damascus, from London to Melbourne, while bowling down the Channel at a great tato, had a sudden pull up when the cry of ' Man overboard' being raised. This was in consequence of Henry Rumbelow, a steerage* passenger, having deliberately jumped overboard. A lifebuoy was thrown close to him, and a boat manned and lowered, and succeeded in picking him up just as he was disappearing. They were back to the steamer with the nearly drowned man in about a quarter of an hour after they left Rumbelow, who had suffered a 'great deal from nervous prostration, died shortly after he was brought on board. Every effort was made to maintain animation, but without success, and the body was subsequently committed to the deep. The deceased was a single man, about 30 years of age, and a native of London.

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