Introducing Big John

Big John is in his late teens. His parents run the inn (no, I am not likely to make an inn!), so Big John serves the fast food at the Tudor market; ale and meat pies. He is a little shy, because the girls tease him as he blushes so very easily. He is quite the catch, inns are always good for making money; however, his parents affianced him years ago to the second daughter of the innkeeper in the next village. She will be ready trained to work  the inn, will be able to brew a good ale, and be a good help-meet for Big John and his parents, as they get elderly. In between, she will cook, clean, have babies, weave, spin, sew - life for women in this period was no picnic!

Big John dearly wants to grow a beard and mustache, but his facial hair is so sparse that right now, it would be kind of a joke. He is big for his age, hence his name; if he lived in the 21st century, he would be a football halfback. In the Tudor era, however, his very size makes patrons of the inn most unlikely to get rowdy....

Big John's costume is a Sue Harrington design, from an old issue of the Dolls House Magazine; a mini friend sent me some photocopies of Tudor costuming to use for my Tudor dolls. His belt buckle is a doll's shoe buckle I purchased a dozen of many years ago; a bit big for a Tudor, but maybe he is very proud of the thing! He is holding a leather ale jack in one hand, and a pasty or meat pie in the other; whether it's for himself or for a customer, I really don't know....