On the stature and bulk of man in the British isles / by John Beddoe.

  • Beddoe, John, 1826-1911.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the stature and bulk of man in the British isles / by John Beddoe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

    180/208 (page 168)
    1G8 In Uist, whero tlio Norseman seoms to be crossed with the Gaelic Kelt, the men are tall. I have omitted Northumberland from the foregoing list of Scandinavian districts, in deference to the weighty opinion of Mr. George Tate, and of Mr. Ealph Carr, of Hedgely. Doubtless the Anglian element prevails there; but it is diflBcult to sup- pose that the events of the eleventh century can have left Northumberland otherwise than deeply tinctured with the Danish blood of the men of Deira. The characteristic figure of the Scandinavian race is not so robust as it is often described^ but tends rather to be graceful and elance. It may be observed that in Shetland, Cumberland, the East Riding, Nottinghamshire, &c., the average weight is by no means large in proportion to the stature. In the extensive and important region of the south and east, where Teutonic characteristics, modified by various admixtures, but almost entirely free from anything Scandinavian, may be looked for, our data indicate a good deal of variety; but, on the whole, the stature is comparatively short, and the weight rather high in proportion. Some of the apparent varia- tions may be due to race-differences; e.g., the taller stature in some parts of Kent may have to do with the presence there in large proportion of Jutes and Frisians, who are recognised by Mackintosh and other close observers. The Anglians (more or less crossed) of Northumberland and the Merse are very tall and large men. Taking into account history, language, and physical charac- teristics, the so-called Kelts of our islands may be divided as follows :— ] st. The ancient and modern Caledonians. Here there is no difficulty: the same tall, large, and often red-haired people, who occupied the Grampians in Agricola's time, do so in our own time without apparent modification. 2nd. The undoubted Gael in Ireland and the western High- lands, &c. Always, probably, a tall race; generally, as we know them, somewhat bony and spare of flesh, but our returns from Scotland show in general very good weight. This race is currently believed to exhibit great variation under the in-