2/2. The exact cause of Merrick's deformities is unclear, but in 1986 it was conjectured that he had Proteus syndrome. In a 2003 study, DNA tests on his hair & bones were inconclusive because his skeleton had been bleached numerous times before going on display at the Royal London Hospital. Merrick's life was depicted in a 1979 play by Bernard Pomerance & in a 1980 film by David Lynch, both titled The Elephant Man. ____ #Josephmerrick #TheElephantMan

L’#11aprile 1890 moriva #JosephMerrick. Ebbe tumori al viso a 2 anni. Dopo una breve carriera come "mostro" professionista fu soprannominato "The Elephant Man" a causa di una sorta di zanna sul viso. Morì a 27 anni. D. Lynch gli ha dedicato l'omonimo film del 1981 con John Hurt.

#JosephMerrick, el hombre elefante, nació con múltiples malformaciones y la sociedad como siempre lo rechazó. Fue monstruo de feria y exhibiciones. 😢

Joseph Carey Merrick, often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. #art #drawing #illustration #sketch #artist #artwork #skeletal #skeleton #bones #humanskeleton #theelephantman #josephmerrick #deformed #deformedskeleton

#OTD nine years ago - I held my first published book in my hands on the life of #JosephMerrick. Instead of giving you another rundown on Joseph's life, I thought I would tell you about another young boy, who worked alongside Joseph at the cigar factory in c.1877. Although it is a tragic tale, it will shed light on the challenges endured by the most impoverished children in #Victorian #Leicester. On 28 February 1877, John Nicholas Higgott, a fifteen-year-old cigar bundler, who was the same age as Joseph, passed away at the Gladstone Arms beer house located at 38 Lower Hill Street. John, who lived at 54 Burgess Street in the north end of the town near St Margaret's Church, suffered from pleurisy, an inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the rib cage. In his postmortem, surgeon Dr Henry Meadows noticed his left lung was slightly smaller than his right, and that he died from the formation of a blood clot on the right side of his heart. Although the surgeon stated in his report that neglect did not cause pleurisy, Thomas East, who also worked in the workshop with John Higgott, said John had only a bit of bread to eat on several occasions, which lasted him all day. On the Monday before his death, John told East that his father had forced him to get up at 5.30 in the morning and had not given him food. John had been ill for weeks, and on his last working day, Wednesday, 28 February 1877, his manager Bernard Rothschild sent him home, but he was so ill that he had to be carried to the factory door. Before sending for his parents, Rothschild gave him 3d and sent him to the beer house across the street to keep him warm. John Higgott died at 2.30 that afternoon in the presence of his manager Bernard Rothschild. Despite being summoned between one and two o'clock, his mother did not arrive until after 2.30pm, and his father did not arrive until after 3.30pm. One time before his death, Bernard Rothschild caught John crying. Rothschild wanted to send him home, but Higgott refused, saying his father would beat him, and if he lost time at work, he would not eat. Despite the cold weather, the surgeon observed John was not wearing undergarments, such as socks or stockings. After an inquest was called. Despite the fact that no charges were ultimately brought against the parents for neglect, the coroner delivered his findings at the inquest. He expressed his shock and dismay at the lack of care and concern displayed by the mother in this particular case, stating that in all his years of experience, he had never witnessed such a blatant disregard and apathy towards the loss of a child.

#OTD Oct 10 1980 a film about a young man born in #Leicester in 1862 was released in theatres. The story of Joseph Merrick is known throughout the globe. #JosephMerrick, otherwise known as #TheElephantMan, has been the subject of many plays/books and documentaries.

#GooseFair underway in #Nottingham. Did you know that it was Tom Norman - #London manager of #Leicester born #JosephMerrick - #TheElephantMan, who commissioned the silver bells & started the tradition of opening it with the ringing of the silver bells.

#OTD 5 August 1862 - Joseph Carey Merrick was born in Lee Street in Leicester..... youtu.be/bu42pLypkWQ?si=rzk7… #Leicester #josephmerrick #Theelephantman #Whitechapel #victorianhistory

Il #5agosto 1862 nasceva #JosephMerrick. Ebbe tumori al viso a 2 anni. Dopo una breve carriera come "mostro" professionista fu soprannominato "The Elephant Man" a causa di una sorta di zanna sul viso. Morì a 27 anni. D. Lynch gli ha dedicato l'omonimo film del 1981 con John Hurt.

#bornonthisday #josephmerrick

8월 5일 오늘은 ‘엘리펀트 맨’으로 알려진 조셉 메릭의 생일. 1880년대 영국 사이드쇼(혹은 프릭쇼)에서 자신을 전시하던 인물이다. 데이빗 린치가 감독한 동명의 영화로도 유명하나, 실제 메릭은 그 보다 더 강단 있고 진취적인 인물이었다. 생일 축하해 메릭🫂 #josephmerrick

New YouTube upload - The Life of Joseph Carey Merrick - Part One #Leicester #JosephMerrick #TheElephantMan The Life of Joseph Merrick - known as The Elephant Man - Part One - Leic... youtu.be/bu42pLypkWQ?si=NFRR… via @YouTube

#OTD 6 yrs today i located the grave of Joseph Merrick & now it has just been announced that @Adam_Pearson will be playing Joseph in the new film adaptation of the play 'The Elephant Man'.... looking forward to this. #JosephMerrick #Leicester #Whitechapel

L’#11aprile 1890 moriva #JosephMerrick. Ebbe tumori al viso a 2 anni. Dopo una breve carriera come "mostro" professionista fu soprannominato "The Elephant Man" a causa di una sorta di zanna sul viso. Morì a 27 anni. D. Lynch gli ha dedicato l'omonimo film del 1981 con John Hurt.

#OTD Joseph Carey Merrick, known also by his stage name #TheElephantMan, died at the London Hospital in #Whitechapel age 27. #Leicester #josephmerrick

Excellent day at Book Extravaganza in Market Harborough at The Three Swans Hotel.... #@bookextravaganza #rosiesretrobazaar #Leicester #marketharborough #josephmerrick #PeppermintBilly

I hope the creators of this project accurately depict Joseph's life - #JosephMerrick - #TheElephantMan - Lived in #Leicester for 22 yrs, spent 2 yrs exhibiting himself & his final years in #Whitechapel. @PhoenixPictures movieweb.com/david-lynch-ele…

Check out this event. Hope to see you there! rosiesretrobazaar.co.uk/even… I am excited to announce that both Joseph & Peppermint Billy Books will be available for purchase. #JosephMerrick #PeppermintBilly #Leicester #VictorianHistory #GeorgianHistory #ConvictHistory

I just to thank the late David Lynch for one of the most amazing, thought-provoking films ever made....The Elephant Man.. May you rest in peace.... #DavidLynch #TheElephantMan #JosephMerrick

#OTD 29 December 1879, Joseph Carey Merrick, later known by his stage name ‘#TheElephantMan’ declared himself to the #Leicester Union #Workhouse for the first time. Life with his Uncle Charles and Aunt Jane on Churchgate, who he had lived since he was fifteen, was never going to last forever. They had a growing family and more mouths to feed, and as Joseph's deformities intensified, obtaining work would be difficult. In an era when boys were considered men at the age of 12, Joseph must have thought it was time to move on and support himself the best way he could. After Joseph had eaten his dinner, possibly prepared for him by his grandmother or Aunt Jane, he set off from the home he had known for two years on a dark, wintry afternoon. December 1879 was frosty, and north winds whistled their way through the streets of Leicester as Joseph trekked the mile walk to the workhouse. #JosephMerrick #LEICESTER #MoatCollegeLeicester