| DUDLY FOSTER was born in Hampton, Nova Scotia in 1877, the seventh of eight children. Dudly had two midget sisters, Catherine ("Cassie") and Victoria. These two wee girls were exhihited by their parents as the "Fairy Sisters". Dudly never had the chance to know or work with them however as they both passed away before he was born - Victoria, the younger, in 1874 and Cassie in 1875. With the birth of Dudly, Thomas and Elizabeth Foster found their second pot of gold and became quite wealthy in the 17 years that Dudly was exhibited. Professionally, Dudly was known as "Hop-O'-My-Thumb" and was billed as 20" tall, eventually growing to 30 inches and reportedly never weighed more than 20 pounds. Dudly was said to be a bit "dull" or "dim-witted" (as they used to say) but in his defense, a news reporter remarked: "Hop isn't as lively as his name would indicate. Close confinement ten hours a day on a high platform with a railing around it has made the little fellow puny and unhappy." Another report said he was known to fly into "spasms of rage". Dudly died in June of 1894 of heart disease. Last I heard, the O'Dell Museum in Annapolis, Nova Scotia stlll has a chair and footwear belonging to Dudly and his Fairy Sisters. |
| DUDLY FOSTER |
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