On 19 June 1812, the Chester Chronicle published an article on the history of ‘enormous whiskers’:
The Growing taste for enormous whiskers, introduced by the renowned Baron Geramb, brings to mind the following extracts from which if appears, that this appendage of the chin was formerly treated as a thing of great importance. The Tarters (sic) declared the Persians infidels, and waged a long war with them, because they would not cut off their whiskers. It is more infamous in Turkey to lose the beard than to be publicly whipped. To touch another’s beard or cut off a little, was a token of love and protection amongst the first French, and all letters which came from the King had three hairs of his beard in the seal.
Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards by Lucinda Hawksley, National Portrait Gallery
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