Tom Tiddler.

James Lucas, aka Mad Lucas, aka the Hermit of Hertfordshire was famous during Victorian times as being a pretty good weirdo. Born in 1813, he was generally known as a good natured but unique landlord. His weirdness was turned up a notch after his mother died in 1849.

Right after her death he holed up in the family home and refused visitors. He never allowed the will to be read and absolutely had nothing to do with any relatives. Period. The only room he occupied was the kitchen, trodding about covered in ashes from the stove wrapped only in a sooty blanket. Locals occasionally saw him at the window in this outfit. Must have been a bit unsettling.

To add to his popularity in the neighbourhood he stopped washing and cutting his hair. His diet became more and more basic until it was mainly bread, cheese, salt fish and gin. Eeew. No surprise the house had a rat problem. He also developed a fondness for guns and hired two armed guards.

He talked to visitors through an iron grill but did have visitors every now and again, the most famous being Charles Dickens. He died in 1874. When his body was removed there was a small fortune in cash with him in the middle of the mess.