John Mytton - (1796- 1834)
Mytton started early- he was expelled from Westminster School at the age of 12 for repeatedly getting involved in fist-fights with his teachers (which he usually won), and for leaving horses in his tutor's (upper storey) bedroom. He was expelled from Harrow after only 3 days. He became MP for Shrewsbury in 1819 by wandering around his constituents, inviting them to take £10 notes from his hat. However he found his first visit to Parliament dull and never went back.
Instead of politics he concentrated on his drinking and dangerous sports. A typical day would consist of drinking 5 bottles of port for breakfast, racing his carriage until it would crash, followed by a bout of wrestling with his pet bear. Occasionally he would watch dog-fights, though he tended to get over-excited and on one occasion defeated a champion fighting Bull Terrier with just his teeth. He was also a keen practical joker- guests at his home tended to wake up next to horses or bears, and he was particularly fond of dressing up as a highwayman in order to rob his guests as they returned home.
His physical fortitude was legendary. Shunning warm clothing, he was once seen running stark naked across a frozen lake chasing a duck. The summit of his achievements in this field came with his cure for hiccups. Having heard that suffering a fright could cure hiccups, he attempted to cure himself by setting his nighshirt on fire. In the process he suffered severe burns that left him bed-ridden for a month, but was reputedly delighted that his cure was a success- declaring "The hiccup is gone, by God!" before losing consciousness. While recovering, he staggered several miles in his bandages to keep an appointment as the carriage sent to collect him had only two horses, and he refused to settle for less than four. He ended his days in a debtors jail, drinking himself to death.
