Mad Jack Mytton: The Icon Behind Squire Jack Fragrance
The Epitome of English Eccentrics
John ‘Mad Jack’ Mytton, born in 1796, is often regarded as the epitome of the English eccentric — flamboyant, carefree, and driven by an insatiable thirst for excitement. The many stories from his short yet extraordinary life may sound like fiction, but they are firmly rooted in truth.
Mad Jack’s early years were marked by a series of brief school stints, punctuated by numerous expulsions. He later attended Cambridge, where, in preparation for academic life, he reportedly ordered several thousand bottles of port — his drink of choice — often starting his mornings with one or two bottles.
Finding university life uninspiring, he joined the military, serving with the Shropshire Yeomanry and later the Hussars. During this time, he indulged in drinking, gambling, and socialising across France in the years following the Napoleonic Wars.
Squire Jack: Earning the Title ‘Mad’
Upon returning to England and inheriting his family estate at Halston Hall in Shropshire, Mad Jack fully embraced a life of extravagance. Living on what would equate to an enormous modern fortune, he amassed unusual collections — including over 3,000 shirts and nearly 1,000 pairs of boots.
His estate was also home to a remarkable number of animals: racehorses, thousands of dogs, and even exotic creatures such as a bear and a monkey. Some of his favourite animals were treated lavishly, dressed in fine clothing and fed steak and champagne.
Mad Jack’s exploits extended far beyond eccentric purchases. He briefly entered politics — buying his way into Parliament — but soon abandoned it out of boredom. His later pursuits included daring and often reckless stunts, from jumping toll gates on horseback to deliberately crashing carriages “for the experience.”
Among his most infamous acts was reportedly setting himself alight in an attempt to cure hiccups. He was also known to ride or run naked through the countryside when he felt overheated, regardless of the weather.
Despite his wild lifestyle, Mad Jack was widely regarded as generous and well-liked. His life, though cut short at the age of 37, remains the subject of enduring stories and local folklore.
Squire Jack: A Woody, Oriental Unisex Fragrance
Plowden & Fallow’s Squire Jack Eau de Parfum draws inspiration from the extraordinary life of this legendary eccentric. The fragrance is a playful yet opulent composition, blending notes of lavender, bergamot, nutmeg, and frankincense over a rich base of sandalwood, cedar, oakmoss, and vetiver.
Discover Squire Jack as a 100ml Eau de Parfum or explore it through a 2ml sample.
To explore our full collection of luxury British fragrances, visit our Fine Fragrance Collection.
Yours faithfully,
Plowden & Fallow Customer Services
(Reference: Nimrod (pseud. C. J. Apperley). Memoirs of the late John Mytton, Esq. 1903.)
