The top hat has become synonymous with the gentleman of London, probably helped in part by the film Mary Poppins, but this wasn’t always the case.
Back in 1797 in the Strand (Central London) one James Hetherington, a haberdasher living in the city, was accosted and arrested by the police for the crime of simply wearing his top hat.
Why? Because he was the first person in England to wear one, mostly as he’s also credited with the invention, although the trend rapidly increased and of course this became the must have accessory for any London city gent.
His exact crime was causing a breach of the peace by “appearing on the public highway wearing a tall structure of shining lustre and calculated to disturb timid people”. For this most horrific of crimes he was [allegedly] fined £50 by the city magistrates and sent on his way.
History doesn’t tell us if he then went on to make his fortune, but one can assume he wasn’t exactly out of pocket after this.
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