The Victorian Hospital Of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man | Hidden History Of Britain | Timeline
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 23 авг 2024
- Michael Portillo visits four abandoned locations that were at the centre of relatively unknown historical events, examining their place and importance in Britain's past. He begins at the Royal London Hospital in the East End, which closed its doors on 2013 but pioneered medical breakthroughs and healthcare for generations of men, women and children from its founding in 1740. It was also the home of Joseph Merrick, known as the Elephant Man, who spent the last three years of his life as a resident
📺 It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit, the world's best history documentary service and get 50% off using the code 'TIMELINE' bit.ly/3a7ambu
You can find more from us on:
/ timelinewh
/ timelineworldhistory
/ timelinewh
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
I'm so glad this hospital and the people who worked in, existed for Joseph Merrick. Merrick was able to find genuine happiness inside those walls, where he was treated with respect, and dignity.
Bladergroen just m
Watching the movie of Joseph Merrick and reading the book made me cry. I am so often puzzled by the aspects of good and evil in humanity. People can seem so good, and people can be so cruel.
The duality of man. Both of those qualities can inhabit the same person, let alone the human race as a whole
My mother was born in the US in 1949. She was 9 weeks premature. It was thanks to the development of incubators and the training of doctors and nurses in hospitals like this that I am here today.
I was born with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. Thanks to a quick thinking nurse at Havana General hospital, (the best in the Caribbean in 1955) I'm still alive & kicking.
It was meant to be.
@@Earthbound369 Maybe Fidel and Raul were born in that same hospital years before.
My great aunt was born about 2 months premature in 1907. The doctor didn’t give her a second thought, knowing she’d never survive, and focused on my great grandmother’s wellbeing.
One of her sisters who was a nurse was assisting, in the delivery. She bundled up my great aunt, and stuck her in the wood stove for a couple of hours. My great aunt died just a little after her 92nd birthday, and lived just long enough to meet her first great-grandchild, born a month before her death.
I'll to it be by
I was a Operating Room nurse for 30 years. I’ve seen so many oddities in my career. To me, it was such a a fascinating time.
I looked forward to each day.
Oh wow, can you please tell me one of the oddities that sticks out the most for you? I would love to hear.
I'm extremely disappointed they didn't show the room Mr. Merrick lived in.
I could be very wrong, but I believe the 2 rooms no longer exist... possibly due to ages old reconfiguration? I've looked everywhere online, I can't find anything, just this old description "Overlooking a quiet courtyard known as ‘Bedstead Square’, the pair of rooms was skillfully converted into a little apartment for Joseph."
@tony- -james That’s what I thought too
42:30 Reminds me of when I got to see the pics of myself blown open on my last deployment, that ended my career. Was insane to see my own insides... 100 years ago I would of 100% been dead!
That poor, poor man being stared at and being seen as a freak ......
RIP Joseph you are angel in heaven. Fly free sweet man.
As a graduate of "The London Hospital" , I remember examining pathology specimens related to the Elephant Man . It was very eerie to say the least
any LHMC 1984 graduates ?
give me a shout !
What gets me is their preserving the Colosseum spending millions of dollars to preserve something dedicated to the brutal path of humans but this which is dedicated to the medical care they couldn't preserve this as a monument they just let it fall into ruin the decay this would be an awesome museum
Humble Mr John Merrick. Rest in Eternal Peace in Heaven❤.
Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it
How about being nearly 60 years old and never having had enough motivation and courage to manifest a physical relationship with a grown woman?
When I was a child I was f****** terrified of the Elephant Man the first time I seen the movie I was young I was I was born in 76 so I was pretty young and when it showed Mr Merricks face they almost had to put me in therapy I believe maybe four or five years old as I got older I become less afraid but my dad would stomp on the floor and say boom boom boom Here Comes The Elephant Man of course when I was older which didn't bother me that much I still remember sitting on the couch with my dad while my mom was cooking and it showed his face but of course I read a couple books about him and think he was a great guy talented person and had a big heart
Medical care should be free the world over. 🌎 every country should have national health care. The world is rich enough to feed, house, clothe, and care for us all. If we removed GREED from the equation.
Nothing is free. Who do you suggest pay for all that?
@@Lunarstruck1 taxes thats how all countries pay for it.
@@chantallafrance297 well that's not working. No country that has socialized medicine has decent care AT ALL. It's completely corrupted. Just like Obamacare in CA.
@@Lunarstruck1 Funny how nobody asks that question when it comes to bailing out the banks or paying for all the endless wars. They only ask that question when it’s a matter of government doing something worthwhile for the people. Here’s the answer: You impose a wealth tax the billionaires at 100 percent. Eliminate them completely. Share the wealth among the people. Take the money from the Pentagon and the CIA. And spend it on health, education, housing and welfare. Simple.
cringe
My middle brother had elephant man disease aka tuberous sclerosis. Nothing like the movie at all! His disease was internal and external. He died in 1996. 😢
So sorry for your brother.
As long as their family loves and accepts them the have a life.
I would love to give Mr. Merrick a hug
Why?
@@lennarthagen3638Empathy
That graveyard and hospital has to be haunted for sure.
Awww Joseph Merrick lived in the attic. That poor darling.
What a sweet beautiful man. Brought me to tears
Through the greatest struggle, from the grimmest of times, from the dirt and smoke of history s past the human is born ... It's a testament of our true strength that we're even still on this planet...
The London Hospital did indeed offer Merrick sanctuary. However, Merrick had dear influential and rich friends who were his benefactors and would visit Merrick in his "sanctuary". It is well known that Merrick could read, write and converse intelligently and with interest.
Merricks' famous quote is, I am not an animal. I am a man.
With movies and theatrical plays titled The Elephant Man and starring well known brilliant actors such as JOHN HURT and DAVID BOWIE, I find it odd to hear of one who just found out that Merrick WAS an educated, intelligent and endearing man.
Joseph Merrick, may he 🙏 RIP. He deserves that!
I saw 'Mask' the movie with Cher, about Rocky Dennis in August 1984.
Then I saw 1980's 'The Elephant Man' movie from David Lynch on a Friday in October 1984. After that I never was the same. I went to see the exhibition of Merrick in 2001 in London, I bought a first edition of the Frederick Treeves 'The Elephant Man and other Reminiscences'. I did the crusade of the places Merrick visited, yes even Ostend, Belgium. I watched all movies and series about facial deformities, I'm still waiting for the new BBC series about Joseph with the kid of Stanger Things, Charlie Heaton.
Sounds like an obsession but I get it!
Those are 2 movies that as a young man absolutely changed me. It made me absolutely more empathetic and I became fascinated by anatomy.
@@oneeyeddog3045 Absolutely, it was very traumatizing being a child, but I'm OK with now. I learned to appreciate all shapes and kind of people...
@@a.azazagoth5413 that is a very lovely post. Bless you.
@@Tomy_Yon I admire your dedication to the matter
They were able to find relatives and they were amazed, and, in a generoso way, proud.
Great respect.
Stephen's open chest photo blew me away. What a surgery it must've been. O.O
I was also impressed by learning about how X-ray technology was worked on by the first 4 unsuspecting specialists and about the dear price they paid (- by now the effects of long term radiation are all common knowledge, but for them it must've been gutwrenching to pay the price they did even when they realized the benefits for humanity).
Thank You for not uploading a Boring documentary as this sure isn't that. This is, in modern parlance - Dope. :)
Can I just say I love that you used Joseph drake's depiction of Joseph Merrick 😍 phenomenal performance
It's interesting, right about 15:58 the pathologist says "It's just a fantastic bit of engineering." He's talking about a pig's heart, which is quite similar to our own in it's 'construction'. The interesting part is, if you ask a mechanical engineer, one who would be familiar with devices for pumping fluid, THEY would tell you it's much more of a hack than a design. Yes, our heart absolutely does work, often for 60, 70, or 102 years non-stop, but that fact is almost more miraculous than practical, because an engineer can point out a half-dozen things about it they would NEVER do if they were designing one from scratch. I really wish I could remember which documentary it was, but I saw one, it could easily be on YT, that pointed out the fantastic number of things about primate and other mammalian anatomical 'design' points that someone, again, designing things from scratch, would NEVER do. Numerous ways things can be improved upon in our bodies. Anyway, the pathologist's statement just popped that other documentary I'd seen into my mind, and I guess that's why I decided to comment on it. As much as we can hope to get out of life, it's amazing how many things about how we're 'built' could really use a re-design, and we'd probably get a lot MORE of that life...
I've heard similar sentiment about how no one would have designed the human back to have the awkward curves it has which allow us to stand up straight.
@@Matt_uniqueHandle Ha! "The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men." (1 Corinthians 1:25)
Amen.
Medicine's history is so morbid. To be on the forefront in that field at any point in time must feel like a snake eating it's own tail. Having to watch pain and suffering to try to end it. Not knowing any remedy other than to observe. It's a weird thing to fathom.
Bit at least they learned from it all....
Soooooo glad you said Joseph & not John. That's my boy
I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever visited that hospital? What miracles we humans have heard about all do to these old hospitals dedicated to the poor. Ironically it was our churches who gave the most to life. Now days our churches are confined infact I haven't seen a nun since 1980s . Growing up I had to be at Mass on Sunday & confession on Saturdays. Now all churches doors are locked just sad. I loved lighting a candle and feeling of peace . I'm a miracle I have two birthdays one being born and one the doctors gave me when I was told I had 3 to 6 months. Thank you for doing this story . Blessings to all ..
I remember as a child watching the David Lynch movie. When they were cruel to him it tore me up.
Thank you Dr Wilson!
A very sad heartbreaking life he had
Very interesting, we need more of these.
Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for this. I’m hoping to see more of the same. Also, I’m also hoping with the amazing advances in genealogy research that something from the Ripper can be found out. That mystery needs to be solved. As for Mr. Merrick, I also was so grateful that for the last portion of his life he was taken care of. What a blessing he was.
More research was done about who Jack the Ripper was and it was concluded that he was a foreign sailor, Polish I believe.
@ Cyndi T
A new documentary was made about the Ripper. They traced his footsteps and tried to figure out where he lived and worked. With this they narrowed the suspect down to one man. Scotland Yard now believes they have their man although no DNA has been had.
@Cindy
A new documentary says differently and Scotland Yard believes they have their man although no DNA has been had. The documentary is quite good.
Jack the ripper = H.H Holmes 100%
Just watched a show last week proving who Jack was - local delivery guy who grew up in the killing area
edit: he was a butcher
I hope they keep the old building and use it for med students. Looks like they would get an excellent education.
Them graves did not seem to be six feet deep
Yard had to smellllllll
One of the best channels on RUclips.
RUclips
Interesting stuff
The dude at 2:30 walking in the back acts very suspicious after spotting the camera.
I've studied the history of UK and US body snatchers, a grisly study indeed! Not for the faint of heart! Quite lucrative for them!
I wanted to see where Joseph Merrick lived.
He had the suite with the jacuzzi and sauna.
@@eddenoy321 they didn't show it tho
Get this guy a real flashlight with your RUclips money
Is that a torch?
Amazing the history of the Radiographers. I'll keep that mind as well. Thank you for this video.
Call the midwives on PBS is based in East side and refers to London hospital often
This is very educational. Very well done. Thank you.
Thank you for this brilliant podcast! 🙏👏
I'm curious what Merricks DNA says. I hope they can do it while I'm still around.
They'll never figure out who the Ripper was.
Wow Great story of the team who saved Steven the stabvictim thank you much for your fine narration of the old and new hospital care I loved the nurse She is such a pro and we should think often of her service to all in the community who are often overlooked Warm regards Howard ( Houston Texas USA)
My hope for this building is it would be to keep it up and preserved. There too much history and breaktrought in medecine done at this 250 years old hospital. John Merrick was there and Jack the Ripper's victims too. So many breaktrought. So much good was done at this hospital. Hope it still can flourish and keep teaching us. If it cant be a hospital, then an historical place of teaching. You dont erase all that history and breakthrought of medical history. Well thats just how I see it.
Thank you for the medical education.
I'm curious why was the hospital closed.
There was a lovely but very sad movie with John Hurt & Anthony Hopkins. I don't know how accurate it was. But it depicted Joseph Merrick as a gentle, loving hearted, kind Gentleman who was most grateful for the care he was given by *kind* people. I make miniatures too, and hide away alot, it touched me to see the spectacular tiny magnificent creations he made, far beyond my own skills. It's how we create a little world for ourselves where we can always feel safe; cosy, and wanted.
It breaks my 💔heart that he was so young, just a tender 27.
Rest ln Peace Joseph.
🌹😔🌹. 🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦
P.S. l have seen other shows on travel or inside the Royals kitchen, etc. with Michael Portillo. He has such a class & respectfulness when he's presenting, especially when speaking about those not so fortunate. I appreciate that, as a person of poverty income. Thank ❤️ You Michael!
*Time-Line World History Joseph Merick hidden history of Britain 🇬🇧 appreciate your videos Listening 🌟 from Mass USA TYVM 💙Joseph*
🌎👍❤
Fascinating history.
I thought this video was about Star Trek when I saw the thumbnail.
Great video!
You have such a great amount of interesting and Amazing History 🙏
Good work thanks
God bless you day by day
Life is good
not an elephant man, but a Ferengi
Fascinating!
Looks like my local NHS medical centre in Hastings.
Beautiful, but sad story.
Wow how come you are not afraid to walk through in such places?
What is there to be afraid of?
@@penelope-oe2vr ghosts and homeless
He had at least a cameraman and possibly some other members of the production team with him, so it's not like he was alone. And even if he was - he has eyes, ears and the opportunity to grab a mace, stick, a bigass dog or perhaps someone's grumpy mother-in-law with him. :)
Thank You
u take way too long to get to the point.
On a different subject (and probably too late right to say it), but I think that old hospital should have been made into a museam and not to become the new offices of council. Had they done so, I definitely would have paid a visit.
Very interesting, informative, educational and historical. ❤❤👍🏻👍🏻
They say they don't know whether he was left or right handed One would think that his normal side would show what hand
I thought the exact same thing. 🤣 I mean that makes the most sense.
@@shilde I use both my hands believe it or not.. my left I use just to eat or write.. my right hand, I use for everything.. not sure why I'm this way.. enjoy your evening
Turns out that Jack was most likely a man who worked at a nearby meat distributor/delivery service.
Or hospital...I heardbit could go either way because of how he left his victims.
The thing about the dead bodies, was fascinating.
I ķnow it was against the law. To use a dead body in Britain for learning about human anatomy.
In other countries it was different Rembrandts famous paintingThe Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp is from the year 1632.
It was Painted in Amsterdam.
I have made arrangements for my body to be used for Anatomy Lessons.
I always thought Michael Jackson had purchased Joseph Merrick's skeleton!
Great video
Were those xrays and pictures you found left behind? Or placed for the documentary?
Why can’t you take DNA from the molars? Are they dried out? Or along with the long bones to try and get a more complete , as possible, of DNA. I mean that you have done that already. I’m interested in such things. Thanks.
They fond relatives
Where did Joseph get such an incredible education? In the era of just put the freaks in a circus
Doctor who became monster before became profs
whew- watta way ta start m'day, man!!! it was before 8am when i started this doc and lemme tellya, it opened my eyes in more ways than one, thats 4 sure... great presentation and pace- but everything timeline is as such, imho. informative as well as interesting which really helps the facts stick- instead of in one ear and out the other. i know the ending is a little graphic- but i would have really appreciated something like this in high school as part of a blend of science and history education- as far as learning tools go- the internet wasn't something that was as available as it is today, being that i enjoyed high school in the mid to late 90's and we had a computer lab- no tech actually in the classrooms- and the lab was s'small that an entire class of students couldn'ta fit all at once if we tried- but anyway, i digress...i actually have an ultrasound appt this afternoon and the newly acquired radiography info i gleaned just now should make for some nice small talk to fill the unavoidable awkward silence(s) sure to grace me w/ their presence come somewhere around 2:15 this afternoon = 🙄< 😎= thank you team Timeline, for helpin out in ways ya prolly never even thot about😉!!!
The comments got me intrigued.
Hope they're correct
How did mr Merrick die
he could only sleep sitting on the bed resting his head pending over the chest, one night he just suffocated.
I wonder which would be worse, to be profoundly ignorant and not understand what's going on, or to be well educated and understand all of the social ramifications. 🤔
I suppose the two would be equally torturous, for only slightly different reasons...
knowledge is always better, always. Even when it seems to hurt more, it's temporary. On the long run, we always wind up feeling grateful for every knowledge we once felt sorry for acquiring
Considering the condition of Joseph Merrick, if he lived today, would there have been much more done for him to relieve his condition?
Are they keeping the historical items?
Amen real true facts
Man. Eric Stoltz looks rough without makeup on!
That shoe probably wasn't from a surgeon. It was probably from some worthless nurse. Or some cna who is more talented than a nurse.
I have suspicions that H.H. Holmes was The Ripper.
the evidence is compelling
John merrick...
What an absolute legend
(31:23) "Might have"? He surely had it.
I like this……….
It's a shame Timeline Videos are ao completely unwatchable. Always interesting subjects. Can't handle the commercials every 2 minutes that cut in mid-sentence.
Beyond frustrating. Clearly you care more for monterization than you do content.
IF THOSE STONES COULD TALK ... :
- They'd Say , " I Wish I Would Have Done More With My Life ".
IF THOSE WALLS COULD TALK ... :
- They'd Say , " Come On' Man, Let's Get STONED ! "
Yeah I know, my mother was the first to have plastic heart valve in 1952' wheeler they say 53 but Ma said 52' done in the Boston general hospital
..Sad, sad, sad,.Jozef merrick,,,sad…..🌺🌺🌜🌛🌻🌻🌎from a dutch Lady, Rest im peas. Poor, Jozef….👰🧝♂️👀🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I think your jacket needs a few more buttons
Which room was Joseph Merrick in?
1:19 looks like landscape from FF 15
2:30 -- I wonder why that guy, the moment he noticed the camera, turned away from it and went back the way he came.
Clearly he didn't want to be on film... but why?
I would think he definitely would have noticed the giant professional camera filming the dude way before that second lol Who knows why he looked & turned back... maybe he realized he forgot his bread or something lol but the camera that would have been in use was probably a large camera held on the shoulder.. I can't imagine he only noticed just then.
@@Mandy-nt2cs Yeah, maybe.
Because...
@@karentucker2161 Definitely.
Promoting geneticists as legit is openly promoting the losing side of WWII. Eugenics by any other name...
what could you possibly mean by to promote the losing side of WWII? Are you saying that some kind of promotion of something German, Italian or Japanese can be bad? sounds more like you just want to stir the pot and have nothing substantial to say. And saying genetics is so bad as eugenics equals to say chemistry is stupid because it comes from alchemy. Again, no substance, just words in the wind