Daniel Lambert was not originally a Stamford man, hailing from Leicester where he was an animal breeder and keeper of Bridewell gaol. It was while he was staying at The Waggon and Horses Inn in

High Street St. Martins, Stamford, in June 1809, he became ill and suddenly died. He was buried in St. Martin's churchyard, Stamford.

So what lead to his untimely death at the age of 39, and why wasn't his body returned home to his native Leicester?

Mr. Lambert was already famous for his unusually large size, later earning him the title of England's largest man. He weighed in at

52 stones and 11 pounds at the time of his death. But Daniel was no ordinary obesity case. Not only did he refrain from eating and drinking excessively, he had led an active early life and, worrying about his increasing size and risk to his health, continued to exercise regularly, often appearing fitter than his average middle-aged counterparts. The circumference of his calves was said to be in excess of 3 feet and his waist 9 feet. With his height of 5 feet 9 ins he must have been quite a sight to behold! In fact, in order to make a living, he put himself up for exhibition and it was fashionable to visit him "at home" for a small payment, and to become his friend. This was the reason for his Stamford visit in that fateful year.

In 1809, transport would not have allowed for the 112 square feet of coffin to transport Daniel home to Leicester. It took 20 men to aid the wheeled coffin down the specially-prepared sloping approach to

Mr. Lambert's grave.

Daniel Lambert had special furniture and a carriage made to take his bulk, and artefacts can be seen at The George Hotel, Stamford,

and in Leicester Museum.

Daniel Lambert is now immortalised in a **blue plaque** erected in September 2019 on the wall of the building in St. Martin's where he died.