The Times, April 16th, 1890
Dear Sir,
Three and a half years ago, I wrote to Vou about a man called Joseph Merrick. This man was called the
'Elephant Man' because he was born with a very ugly body. Merrick was not ill, but he could not work, and
he had no money.
The readers of The Times felt sorry for him, and they gave me a lot of money for Merrick. Because of
this money, we could give Merrick a home in the London Hospital. It was his first good home, and for
three and a half years he lived here happily. The doctors and nurses of the hospital helped him, and
many important people visited him. He read many books, he went to the theatre, and in the summer he
stayed in the country for six weeks. Because of your readers' money, we could give him a happy life.
Last night Joseph Merrick died quietly in his bed.
He was a man with a very ugly body, but he was a good, kind man, and he had a lot of friends. We liked
to talk to him, and we are all very sorry because he is dead. A lot of people are going to remember him for a long time.
There is some money left, so I am going to give it to the hospital. Thank you, sir, for your help.
Yours faithfully,
F.C. Carr Gomm
Chairman of the London Hospital