I was born 7th June, 1778, in Downing Street, London. I was later to become known all over Europe as Beau Brummell, the godfather of Dandies. I was leader of men's fashion in the Regency period. Due to various financial complications I had to flee England in 1816 and I settled on the Continent in Caen just across the channel. I was appointed as British Consul at Caen in the spring 1830 and served for about a year. I died poor and slightly mad in Caen on the 30th March 1840 just before the dreadful Victorian age began.
Barbey d'Aurevilly wrote rather flattering about me:
"Brummell left nothing but a name mysteriously sparkling in all the memoirs of his time".
Lord Byron famously listed the three greatest men of his age in this order: "Brummell, Bonaparte, and myself".
Many later male artists, musicians, designers and authors owe me a great deal when it comes to personal aesthetic promotion. I am an integral part of the modern masculine dress ideal.
Portrait of me as young
I was known for my elegant but at times insulting witticism:
In the summer of 1813 Lord Alvanley, me and two other friends decided to give a fancy dress ball at Argyle Rooms because we had won a great amount of money at Hazard. At this time I had fell out with the Prince of Wales. When the Prince arrived at the ball he greeted my three co-hosts and he deliberately ignored me. I returned his lack of gesture with my clear, cool and penetrating voice: "Ah, Alvanley, who is your fat friend?". This Royal insult became known all over London.
