Being no oil painting myself, I have had my fair share female admirers and females who have vomited at the thought of me naked...
Joseph Carey Merrick was far better known for his hideous looks than I ever have been.
Only 27 when he died (short even by Victorian standards) and born 5 August 1862, living till 11 April 1890 Merrick was an Englishman who became known as "The Elephant Man" because his physical appearance caused by a congenital disorder. Because of his condition, he garnered the sympathy of Britain during the Victorian era. A number of sources incorrectly give his name as John Merrick not joseph (a common mistake even now).
Joseph Merrick was born to Mary Jane Potterton and Joseph Rockley Merrick. Because of an error made by Sir Frederick Treves in his book, The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences, Merrick is sometimes erroneously called John Merrick. He was the eldest of three and had a younger brother and sister. In an autobiographical note which appeared on the reverse side of his freak show pamphlet, Merrick mentions that his deformity began developing at the age of three with the appearance of small bumps on the left side of his body. His mother died when he was 12. According to family accounts, she was physically disabled as well. His father remarried, but his stepmother did not want young Joseph. Obliged to earn a living by selling goods on the street, Merrick was constantly harassed by local children. Unable to bring home a profit and tired of fighting with his stepmother, Merrick left home.
