A photograph of the fencing equipment of the British Lord Byron, originally published in Munsey's Magazine. On the wall can be seen Byron's basket-hilted broadsword, small-sword, singlestick, and fencing masks.
According to Henry Angelo's Reminiscences, Byron began studying fencing with Angelo at the age of twelve; Volume Two of these memoirs contain several anecdotes referencing Byron's training with the foil and broadsword.
Byron's physical habits are described on Wikipedia as follows:
"He was renowned for his personal beauty, which he enhanced by wearing curl-papers in his hair at night. He was athletic, being a competent boxer and horse-rider and an excellent swimmer. He attended pugilistic tuition at the Bond Street rooms of former prizefighting champion ‘Gentleman’ John Jackson, and recorded these sparring sessions, with the man he called ‘the Emperor of Pugilism’, in his letters and journals. Byron and other writers, such as his friend Hobhouse, described his eating habits in detail. At the time he entered Cambridge, he went on a strict diet to control his weight. He also exercised a great deal, and at that time wore a great number of clothes to cause himself to perspire. For most of his life he was a vegetarian, and often lived for days on dry biscuits and white wine. Occasionally he would eat large helpings of meat and desserts, after which he would purge himself."
