When Joseph Merrick started to develop a trunk on his face, he gained notoriety. But his story is very far from being over. The “Elephant Man” was the headliner of the so-called freakshows that were popular in the Victorian era, and was the major attraction at sideshows in London because of his “trunk-like” facial growth, twisted spine, and massive distorted cranium.
Merrick’s tale is arguably the most distressing of all the persons paraded on stage as part of the performances, even though the majority of them had horrific stories of abandonment, homelessness, and infirmity.
Merrick suffered scoliosis from an early age, as well as cranial bone overgrowth, skin that protruded from his face, and an enlarged right arm. Due to the skin on his face, he earned the nickname “The Elephant Man.” Frederick Treves, who is widely recognized for treating King Edward VII in 1902, has also helped Joseph Merrick in several ways.
Prof. Frank McDonough posted an official tweet which can be seen below.
29 June 1888. Frederick Treves performed the first appendectomy in England. He’s credited with saving the life of King Edward VII in 1902 by discovering an abscess near his appendix. Treves was also widely known for his treatment of Joseph Merrick, known as the “Elephant Man”. pic.twitter.com/eUk4GY5oZW
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 29, 2023
People began to perceive Merrick as a “monster” and a danger to society because of his facial abnormalities. However, the opposite was true. With the exception of a few people who made an effort to assist him, he was described as a nice and lovely man attempting to survive in a society that didn’t care about him.
Since his passing, Merrick has been the subject of intriguing posthumous stage and cinema performances that explore the man who was confined inside a disfigured body due to his significant abnormalities.
The closest portrayal of Merrick’s life is credited to David Lynch’s 1980 film Elephant Man, which stars John Hurt as Merrick and allows us to catch a glimpse of the man’s tender heart despite having been mercilessly called a monster.
With the finding of Merrick’s burial in the same cemetery as two of Jack the Ripper’s victims last month, there is now an additional cause to commemorate him 129 years after his passing.
More than a century after he passed away, authorities in the UK erected a plaque at the recently discovered grave.
On April 24, 1890, Merrick’s remains were laid to rest. Before Joanne Vigor-Mungovin, author of Joseph: The Life, Times & Places of the Elephant Man, had located them in the London Cemetery, their exact location was unknown.
You can check the official tweet by Joanne Vigor-Mungovin below.
Today after weeks of emails, research & visits to the #CityofLondonCemetery the final resting place of #JosephMerrick has been located. His bones are @BHAandM for medical purposes but his flesh/remains were buried in consecrated ground after a small service. #Leicester R.I.P pic.twitter.com/MNSSf68Bh2
— Jo’anne Vigor-Mungovin 🔎 (@mungotalks) May 3, 2019
It will be interesting to know his childhood journey next.
A Disappointing Childhood
The loss of Merrick’s cherished mother Mary Jane was among the worst things that might have occurred to him. When Merrick was just 11 years old, she di*d of pneumonia, and he was believed to be distraught. Three other children had passed away before Merrick was born, and Mary Jane had a disability herself.
In order for the youngster to sell gloves door to door, his father set up a hawker’s license. He failed to generate any money since potential consumers were put off by his appearance.
The child was reportedly beaten by Joseph Senior if he returned home empty-handed. Until the boy had earned enough money to cover his living expenses, his stepmother would withhold all meals from him.
He frequently fled his house since he was so unhappy there. He was fortunate to have one kind person in his life—his uncle Charles Merrick—who allowed him to live with him and sought to support him in running his glove-selling business. But after a few years, his license was canceled because clients were afraid of him.
Merrick was compelled to enter the notorious Leicester workhouse at the age of 17 since he had no other way to sustain himself.
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