Memorials. Skip navigation Sign in. Joseph then obtained a hawker’s license to sell gloves door to door, but his elephantine, misshapen features repelled prospective customers. Before the age of two, her son Joseph … He was born healthy and showed no signs of disorders. The thought brought him comfort, according to authors Jeanette Sitton & Mae Siu-Wai Stroshane. Merrick had a skeletal and soft tissue deformity which saw him as a freak show attraction, then a medical curiosity. He died on 11 April 1890, at the age of 27. [38] One visitor was a young house surgeon named Reginald Tuckett. New research has shown that Joseph Merrick, also known as the Elephant Man, did not die of suffocation as was previously believed, but due to the weight of his huge head crushing his spinal cord. Cause of death: unspecified Remains: Other (donated to Royal London Hospital) BEST KNOWN FOR: Best known as “The Elephant Man,” Joseph Carey Merrick has been the subject of many medical studies, documentaries and works of fiction. The man had a great overgrowth of skin and bone, but he did not complain of anything. This account is the source of much of what is known about Merrick, but there were several inaccuracies in the book. [51] On 2 December, Treves presented Merrick at a meeting of the Pathological Society of London in Bloomsbury. His mother died when he was eleven[1] and his father soon remarried. It was decided that he would be allowed to stay there for the remainder of his life. The young man had tried to sleep horizontally on the bed, however his head had fallen at a wrong angle, causing his neck to dislocate. Named after his father, he was given the middle name Carey by his mother, a Baptist, after the preacher William Carey. Joseph Carey Merrick was a young Victorian Englishman who became best known as "The Elephant Man" after a brief career in circus sideshows. Recognising Merrick, Treves took him in a hansom cab to the London Hospital. [7], Merrick was becoming a greater financial burden on his family, and eventually his father secured him a hawker's licence which enabled him to earn money selling items from the haberdashery shop, door to door. His enlarged head was too heavy to allow him to sleep lying down and, as Merrick put it, he would risk "waking with a broken neck". [54] Not long after Merrick's last examination with Frederick Treves, the police closed down Norman's shop on Whitechapel Road, and Merrick's Leicester managers withdrew him from Norman's care. Instead, the bones of the so-called “Elephant Man” were bleached and put on display at Queen Mary University of London’s medical school, and some of his flesh was saved for medical study. Joseph Carey Merrick was born on 5 August 1862 at 50 Lee Street in Leicester, to Joseph Rockley Merrick and his wife Mary Jane (née Potterton). Joseph's cause of death was asphyxia. His remains in a glass case in a private room at the university can be viewed by medical students and professionals by appointment, to "allow medical students to view and understand the physical deformities resulting from Joseph Merrick's condition". A more mysterious error is that of Merrick's first name. The question of Merrick's long-term care had to be addressed. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Merrick&oldid=1000979298, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Mary Jane Merrick (née Potterton) (mother), "The Autobiography of Joseph Carey Merrick" – freak shop pamphlet printed c. 1884 to accompany the exhibition of the Elephant Man; printed in. John Thomas Merrick, born 21 April 1864, who died of smallpox on 24 July of the same year, was not related to Joseph and Mary Jane Merrick. Currently there are only 200 cases of Proteus known worldwide. DNA tests on his hair and bones in a 2003 study were inconclusive. “There are people below Joseph and probably people above Joseph, so he’s not on his own. Joseph Merrick was born on 5 August 1862 to Joseph Rockley Merrick and Mary Jane. He normally slept sitting up due to a massive tumor on his head. With no more success than before, he found himself with no option but to return to the workhouse. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. [17] According to a 1930 article in the Illustrated Leicester Chronicle, he began to develop swellings on his lips at the age of 21 months, followed by a bony lump on his forehead and a loosening and roughening of the skin. Joseph Merrick wrote the letter to a young widow, said to have been the first woman to smile at him. [8] Mary Jane Potterton (c. 1837–1873) had been born at Evington, Leicestershire, her father being William Potterton, who was described as an agricultural labourer in the 1851 census of Thurmaston, Leicestershire. [38] Merrick was able to put his share of the profits aside, hoping to earn enough to one day buy a home of his own. Here is all you want to know, and more! [92][93] Treves, who performed an autopsy, said Merrick had died of a dislocated neck. And because it’s a common grave, it is usual practice not to have a headstone or for it to be marked.". So that’s how bad it could get.”, READ MORE: Poorhouses Were Designed to Punish People for Their Poverty. [134], Merrick is portrayed by actor Joseph Drake in two episodes of the second series of BBC historical crime drama Ripper Street, first broadcast in 2013. By then, Tom Norman's shop on Whitechapel Road had been closed, and the Elephant Man had moved on. [86], On three occasions Merrick left the hospital and London on holiday, spending a few weeks at a time in the countryside. In adulthood, the circumference of his right wrist was one foot, and the circumference of his head was three feet. [95] His mounted skeleton at the medical school is not on public display. Joseph was classed as class one for able bodied males and females. [108] Recently it has been found that this conjecture was wrong, in fact, symptoms that are always present in this genetic disorder include tumours of the nervous tissue and bones, small warty growths on the skin,[109] and the presence of light brown pigmentation on the skin called café au lait spots, which are of particular importance in diagnosing von Recklinghausen Disease;[110] these spots were never observed on Merrick's body. "[44] For weeks following the show, Merrick talked about the pantomime, reliving the story as if it had been real. [31] He was operated on in the Workhouse Infirmary under the direction of Dr Clement Frederick Bryan and had a large part of the mass removed. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". Merrick was born in Leicester and began to develop abnormally before the age of twelve. Born in … [15] In his book The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity, Ashley Montagu states that "John Thomas [sic] Merrick was born on 21 April 1864". Mary Jane Merrick (nee Potterton) was the mother of Joseph Carey Merrick, aka the Elephant Man. Treves visited him daily, and the pair developed a close friendship. [26], Merrick was now homeless on the streets of Leicester. Although some nurses were initially upset by his appearance, they overcame this and cared for him. “One of the jobs the workhouse people used to do was called bone crushing, which is where they’d crush bone for fertilizer,” Vigor-Mungovin says. [74] He later told Treves that Maturin had been the first woman ever to smile at him, and the first to shake his hand. Merrick enjoyed these visits and became confident enough to converse with people who passed his windows. But blaming me is blaming God; The case received only a brief mention in the British Medical Journal, and the Lancet declined to mention it at all. Joseph "John" Merrick's condition was undiagnosed at the time of his death. In late December 1879, now 17 years old, Merrick entered the Leicester Union Workhouse. Sadly when he was 11, Mary died of pneumonia – an event Joseph would later describe as the “greatest sadness in my life.” Soon after her death, Joseph’s dad married a widow who had children of her own. Merrick also suffered heart problems, had difficulty walking and slept sitting up so he wouldn’t suffocate himself. . Vigor-Mungovin, Joanne (2016), Joseph: The Life, Times and Places of the Elephant Man, London: Mango Books, This page was last edited on 17 January 2021, at 17:39. [68], Merrick settled into his new life at the London Hospital. The exact cause of Merrick's deformities is unclear. [75] This first experience of meeting a woman, though brief, instilled in Merrick a new sense of self-confidence. Over the next years and with the passing of his mother, Joseph left home, tried working in a factory but was abused by the workers there, and finally ended up in a freak show. He reciprocated with letters and hand made gifts of card models and baskets. [125], In 1971, anthropologist Ashley Montagu published The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity which drew on Treves's book and explored Merrick's character. [47] Merrick's group of managers decided he should go on tour in continental Europe, with the hope that authorities there would be more lenient. Memorial name. THE COLDWATER REPUBLICAN (Semi-Weekly), Michigan, July 4, 1890 * "The Elephant Man" Joseph Merrick * re. Merrick’s death could have been caused by a stroke or seizure, but it is a mystery we will never solve. The official cause of his death was asphyxia, although Treves, who dissected the body, said he had died of a dislocated neck. Merrick also got visits from the wealthy ladies and gentlemen of London society, including Alexandra, Princess of Wales. By lying down, the weight of his head proved too heavy and he … [81], On 21 May 1887, two new buildings were completed at the hospital and the Prince and Princess of Wales came to open them officially. Illustrations of Merrick featured in a 1886 London medical journal. He … For over a century, the famously deformed 27-year-old’s final resting place was a mystery. [1] Joseph Rockley Merrick moved with his two children to live with Mrs. Emma Wood Antill, a widow with children of her own. His left arm and hand were not large and were not deformed. [3] In 1884, he contacted a showman named Sam Torr and proposed that Torr should exhibit him. [32], Merrick concluded that his only escape from the workhouse might be through the world of human novelty exhibitions. She was already pregnant with her first child. ... search for “Joseph Merrick” at justgiving.com. The official cause of death was asphyxia, although Treves, who dissected the body, said that Merrick had died of a dislocated neck. The exact cause of Merrick… . The Elephant Man exhibit was moderately successful, and made money primarily from the sales of the autobiographical pamphlet. [52] Eventually, Merrick told Norman that he no longer wanted to be examined at the hospital. Francis Carr Gomm, the chairman of the hospital committee, had supported Treves in his decision to admit Merrick, but by November, long-term plans needed to be made. [106], In 1909, dermatologist Frederick Parkes Weber wrote an article in the British Journal of Dermatology,[107] erroneously citing Merrick as an example of von Recklinghausen Disease, which German pathologist Friedrich Daniel von Recklinghausen had described in 1882. This is tragically accurate as the cause of Merrick's death was his attempt to sleep like a normal person. His body was formally identified by his uncle, Charles Merrick. If that was the case, Treves was remembering the clothing from a later meeting with Merrick. The following year, Joseph Carey Merrick was born, apparently healthy. Although the official cause of his death was asphyxia, Treves, who performed the autopsy, said Merrick had died of a dislocated neck. They married on 3 December 1874. [38] Treves later recalled in his 1923 Reminiscences that Merrick was "the most disgusting specimen of humanity that I had ever seen ... at no time had I met with such a degraded or perverted version of a human being as this lone figure displayed. [82] Princess Alexandra wished to meet the Elephant Man, so after a tour of the hospital, the royal party went to his rooms for an introduction. In 2020, The Elephant Man: A New Musical was released, with book/lyrics by Jai Sepple and music/lyrics by Christopher Weeks. [11] The Merricks had two more children, not three as stated on his mother's grave. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Biography - A Short WikiTragic English man with severe deformities who was exhibited as an attraction under the name the Elephant Man. Joseph Merrick AKA Joseph Carey Merrick Born: 5-Aug-1862 Birthplace: Leicester, England Died: 11-Apr-1890 Location of death: London, England Cause of death: unspecified ... Father: Joseph Rockley Merrick Mother: Mary Jane Potterton (d. 19-May-1873 bronchopneumonia) Mother: Emma Wood Antill (stepmother) Brother: William Arthur Merrick (b. After touring the East Midlands, Merrick travelled to London to be exhibited in a penny gaff shop rented by showman Tom Norman. Merrick was born in Leicester, England on August 5, 1862. In response to the appeal, a Leicester resident named Pat Selby was discovered to be the granddaughter of Merrick's uncle George Potterton. In Brussels, Merrick was deserted by this new manager, who stole Merrick's £50 (2018 equivalent £5,400) savings. [124] Durbach cautions that both Treves's and Norman's memoirs must be understood as "narrative reconstructions ... that reflect personal and professional prejudices and cater to the demands and expectations of their very different audiences". It’s believed Merrick, … An unruly crowd of people pushed you into an oncoming animal parade. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. The princess shook Merrick's hand and sat with him, an experience that left him overjoyed. [44], On at least one occasion, Merrick was able to fulfil a long-held desire to visit the theatre. [27] With young children to provide for, Charles could no longer afford to support his nephew. [57] Abandoned, Merrick made his way by train to Ostend, where he attempted to board a ferry for Dover but was refused passage. The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man premiered on 4 August, and starred Daniel Monks in the title role. In 1982, US television network ABC broadcast an adaptation of Pomerance's play, starring Anglim. . [2] In 1879, 17-year-old Merrick entered the Leicester Union Workhouse. [96][97], There is a small museum dedicated to his life, housing some of his personal effects, and a new replica of his skeleton went on display in 2012. According to Nadja Durbach, author of The Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture, Norman's view gives an insight into the Victorian freak show's function as a means of survival for poor people with deformities, as well as the attitude of medical professionals of the time. Obituary. She was the last person to see Joseph Merrick alive. Medically, no one knows what is happening to your child. Treves sat with some nurses, concealed in Lady Burdett-Coutts' private box. [127] However, Montagu also perpetuated some of the errors in Treves's work,[128] including his use of the name "John" rather than "Joseph".[127]. 10. At 3:00, Mr ... Mr. Hodges. [7] On one of the visits, Treves had photographs taken, and he provided Merrick with a set of copies which were later added to his autobiographical pamphlet. However, his disabilities were worsening. [87] Through elaborate arrangements that allowed Merrick to board a train unseen and have an entire carriage to himself, he travelled to Northamptonshire to stay at Fawsley Hall, the estate of Lady Knightley. [45] To enable him to travel the short distance without drawing undue attention, Merrick wore a costume consisting of an oversized black cloak and a brown cap with a hessian sack covering his face, and rode in a cab hired by Treves. [56] The Elephant Man was no more successful there than in Britain, and similar action was taken by authorities to move him out of their jurisdictions. He believed that Merrick had been attempting to … He would then lead his onlookers into the shop, explaining that the Elephant Man was "not here to frighten you but to enlighten you". Merrick never completely confided in Treves about his early life, so these details were consequently sketchy in Treves's Reminiscences. [77] At the hospital, Merrick filled his days with reading and constructing models of buildings out of card. [76] He met other women during his life at the hospital, and appeared taken with them all. [25] Merrick failed to make enough money as a hawker to support himself. A. R. Tibbles put forward the theory that Merrick had suffered from Proteus syndrome, a very rare congenital disorder recently identified by Cohen in 1979 (this explains why this diagnosis was not advanced previously), citing Merrick's lack of reported café au lait spots and the absence of any histological proof that he had suffered from the previously conjectured syndrome. [115] The possibility that Merrick had both conditions formed the basis for a 2003 documentary film entitled The Curse of The Elephant Man, which was produced for the Discovery Health Channel by Natural History New Zealand. The official cause of death was asphyxia. [111], In a 1986 article in the British Medical Journal, Michael Cohen and J. [129] Between 1979 and 1982, Merrick's life story became the basis of several works of dramatic art; these were based on the accounts of Treves and Montagu. Merrick was found dead in his hospital bed on April 11, 1890, aged just 27-years-old. He pointed out inconsistencies between the accounts and sometimes disputed Treves's version of events; he noted, for example, that while Treves claimed Merrick knew nothing of his mother's appearance, Carr Gomm refers to Merrick carrying a painting of his mother with him,[127] and he criticised Treves's assumption that Merrick's mother was "worthless and inhuman". Joseph Merrick states in his autobiography that he was born in 1860, but the true year is believed to be 1862… Dr. Treves, in his memoirs, refers to Merrick as “John.” This has often led to confusion about Merrick’s true name, which was Joseph… Despite 1980s rumors, pop star Michael Jackson did not buy the Elephant Man’s bones… Without Merrick, Treves made do with the photographs he had taken during his examinations. [75] Treves called this "the one supreme holiday of [Merrick's] life", although in fact there were three such trips. I would be measured by the soul; —poem used by Joseph Merrick to end his letters, adapted from "False Greatness" by Isaac Watts[17], Some persons remarked on Merrick's strong Christian faith (Treves is also said to have been a Christian), and his strong character and courage in the face of afflictions earned him admiration. Joseph's cause of death was asphyxia. In 1986 it was conjectured that he had Proteus syndrome. So, do you think that his death was accidental or suicide? [78] Although she probably never met him in person, she was responsible for raising funds and public sympathy for Merrick. It’s believed Merrick, whose head was extremely large and heavy, died on April 11, 1890 from accidental asphyxiation resulting from dislocating his neck while trying to lay his head down to … [55] He befriended two other performers, "Roper's Midgets"—Bertram Dooley and Harry Bramley—who on occasion defended Merrick from public harassment. One of his biographers believes she’s finally found his burial plot. [111] For this reason, although this diagnosis was quite popular through most of the 20th century, other conjectural diagnoses were advanced, such as Maffucci syndrome and polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (Albright's disease). [24] Now unemployed, he spent his days wandering the streets, looking for work and avoiding his stepmother's taunts. [7] Joseph Rockley Merrick (c. 1838–1897) was the son of London-born weaver Barnabas Merrick (1791–1856) who moved to Leicester during the 1820s or 1830s, and his third wife Sarah Rockley. Later that day, he sent Tuckett back to the shop to ask if Merrick might be willing to come to the hospital for an examination. Before the age of two, her son Joseph … [22] Although affected by his physical deformities, Merrick attended school and enjoyed a close relationship with his mother. Treves also suspected that Merrick now suffered from a heart condition and had only a few years left to live. Merrick died on 11 April 1890, aged 27. Joseph Merrick Death. Tony Merrick Death | Obituary – Tony Merrick sadly passed away, Tony Merrick was one of the five dockworkers and trade unionists were imprisoned for standing up to a government which, through the new Industrial Relations Act, was inflicting draconian restrictions on workers’ rights to … Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. For example, he may have fallen over from a stroke or a blood clot. [71] At times, Merrick was bored and lonely, and demonstrated signs of depression. George Hitchcock contacted an acquaintance, showman Tom Norman, who ran penny gaff shops in the East End of London exhibiting human curiosities.