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Where did Lewis Carroll get his idea of the Mad Hatter?

Updated: 8/19/2019
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Theophilus Carter was an eccentric furniture dealer in Oxford where Lewis Carroll was living when he wrote Alice in Wonderland. Carter was known for his extraordinary inventions, such as an alarm-clock bed which tipped its occupant onto the floor to waken them. He was also known for his habit of always wearing a top hat, a trait which earned him the nickname 'the Mad Hatter'.

It is thought that he is the probable inspiration for both Lewis Carroll's character and John Tenniel's illustrations of the Hatter.

source: The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner

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Q: Where did Lewis Carroll get his idea of the Mad Hatter?
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