Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1910 — George III. and the Wigmakers. [ARTICLE]

George III. and the Wigmakers.

When George 111. ascended the tlirone of England his wealthy subjects were beginning to leave off wigs and to appear In their own hair, “if they had any.” As the ttverelgn was

himself one of the offenders, the peruke makers, who feared a serious loss of trade, prepared a petition in which they prayed his majesty to be graciously pleased to “shave his head” for the good ol distressed workmen and wear a wig, as his father had done before him. When the petitioners walked to the royal palace, however. It was noticed that they wore no wigs themselves. As this seemed unfair to the onlookers they seized several of the leading processionists and cut their hair with any Implement that came most readily to hand. From this incident arose a host of curious caricatures. The wooden leg makers were said to have especial claims on the king's consideration, inasmuch as the conclusion of peace had deprived them of a profitable source of employment; hence the suggestion that his majesty should hot only wear a wooden leg himself, but enjoin the people to follow his laudable example.