Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-1883), more widely known by his stage name General Tom Thumb was a significant celebrity and performer in the history of 19th century popular entertainment, both in the UK and worldwide. He was encouraged by American showman, entrepreneur and businessman Phineas T. Barnum (1810-1891) to recite, sing and do comic impersonations dressed as various characters. Barnum took advantage of Stratton’s height, a result of his proportionate dwarfism, and engaged him to feature in a number of his shows, exhibitions and tours. Stratton was a sensation when he appeared in London’s Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in 1844, and was invited for an audience with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace, where he also performed. His popularity in London and his depiction in numerous prints and publications says much for the insatiable appetite of the contemporary public for performers from a variety of backgrounds, statures, and medical conditions, who were historically referred to using the derogatory term ‘curiosities’ due to their physical appearance. In 1863 Stratton married fellow performer Mercy Lavinia Warren, who also had a form of proportionate dwarfism. They continued touring and performing until his death following a stroke on 15th July 1883.

This is the smaller of two Napoleon jackets worn by Stratton and acquired by the museum from the same source, along with a waistcoat and breeches, an undershirt and boots. Of all his comic impersonations, Napoleon was his most popular, and one he performed repeatedly throughout his career, causing a need for several different sized jackets as he grew. Contemporary photographs also show that his various Napoleon jackets differed slightly in design.