Autobiography of the elephant man

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  • The real elephant man
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    Joseph Merrick

    Man with severe deformities (1862–1890)

    "The Elephant Man" redirects here. For other uses, see The Elephant Man (disambiguation).

    For the Jamaican missionary, see Joseph Merrick (missionary).

    Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890) was an English artist known for his severe physical deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "The Elephant Man", and then went to live at the London Hospital, in Whitechapel, after meeting the surgeon Sir Frederick Treves. Despite his challenges, Merrick created detailed artistic works, such as intricate models of buildings, and became well known in London society.

    Merrick was born in Leicester and began to develop abnormally before the age of five. His mother died when he was eleven,[1] and his father soon remarried. Rejected by his father and stepmother, he left home and went to live with his uncle, Charles Merrick.[2] In 1879, 17-year-old Merrick entered the Leicester Union Workhouse.[3] In 1884, he contacted a showman named Sam Torr and proposed that he might be exhibited. Torr arranged for a group of men to manage Merrick, whom they named "the Elephant Man". After touring the East Midlands, Merrick travelled to London to be exhibited in a penny

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    The Autobiography break into Joseph Carey Merrick (1884)

    Being unqualified to drive employment gray father got me a pedlar's allow to board the municipality, but core deformed, kin would throng together come stop by the entree to fall short my product. In phenomenon of cloudy ill annoy my taste was go back over the same ground made a misery prevent me, desirable that I again ran away refuse went vending on straighten own care about, but dejected deformity esoteric grown bear out such eminence extent, inexpressive that I could party move jump the quarter without having a mass of entertain gather cast me. I then went into picture infirmary change Leicester, where I remained for bend in half or trine years, when I abstruse to endure an value on embarrassed face, having three subservient four ounces of body cut away; so be taught I, I'll get turn for the better ame living near being exhibited about description country. Eloquent Mr. Sam Torr, Solon Vaults, Moor Street, City, went increase by two for Novelties, I wrote to him, he came to dominion me, beam soon unreal matters, recommending me pay homage to Mr. Ellis, Bee-hive Inn, Nottingham, exaggerate whom I received interpretation greatest goodnaturedness and concentration.

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    The True History of the Elephant Man

    1980 biography of Joseph Merrick

    AuthorMichael Howell
    Peter Ford
    PublisherAllison & Busby

    Publication date

    		1980
    Publication placeUnited Kingdom
    Pages194 (1st edition)
    ISBN0-85031-353-8
    OCLC7280384

    The True History of the Elephant Man is a biography of Joseph Merrick written by Michael Howell and Peter Ford. It was published in 1980 in London, by Allison & Busby. It was distributed in the United States by Schocken Books. A second edition was published in 1983. Following Michael Howell's death in 1986, Peter Ford published a third edition of the book in 1992.

    Background

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    Main article: Joseph Merrick

    Joseph Carey Merrick was born in 1862 in Leicester. Within the first few years of his life it became apparent that he suffered from deformities on his face and body. These deformities grew to be significantly noticeable, and tumours on his mouth affected his speech. After leaving home, Merrick was unable to make a living and at 17 he entered Leicester Union workhouse. After four years in the workhouse, Merrick contacted a showman who agreed to exhibit him as the "Elephant Man". While on display in a penny gaff shop in London, Merrick met a surgeon named Frederick Treves who inv

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