Tom Norman

Tom Norman
Born	Thomas Noakes Dallington, Sussex, England
Died	24 August 1930(1930-08-24) (aged 70) Croydon Hospital, England
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, showman, auctioneer
Years active	1870s–1930
Known for	Last exhibitor of Joseph Merrick ("Elephant Man")

Tom Norman, originally named Thomas Noakes (7 May 1860 – 24 August 1930), was an English entrepreneur and showman renowned as the final exhibitor of Joseph Merrick, famously known as the "Elephant Man." His later ventures included showcasing a group of little people, a performer dubbed the "Man in a Trance," "John Chambers, the armless Carpenter," and the "World's Ugliest Woman."

Starting his career as a butcher in Sussex, Norman relocated to London at age 14 with aspirations of joining the music hall scene. Developing a fascination with freak shows, he collaborated with the manager behind an exhibit called the "Electric Lady," marking his entry into the world of human oddity exhibitions. His captivating patter earned him the moniker 'Silver King' from American impresario P. T. Barnum.

In 1884, Norman briefly managed Joseph Merrick, but police intervention led to the show's closure. Merrick subsequently resided at London Hospital under Sir Frederick Treves' care. Treves' 1923 memoir portrayed Norman as a callous exploiter; however, Norman contested this portrayal, claiming he enabled Merrick and others to achieve financial autonomy. He maintained a prosperous career as a showman before transitioning into auctioneering for novelty acts and circuses.

Norman passed away in 1930, leaving behind his wife and ten children, five of whom pursued careers in entertainment.

Early life

Thomas Noakes was born on 7 May 1860 in Dallington, Sussex, as the eldest among seventeen siblings to Thomas Noakes, a butcher and farmer, and Eliza (née Haiselden). At twelve, he left formal education to assist his father but departed two years later to chase a performing career. After several unsuccessful attempts, he moved to London working as a butcher's assistant. A passionate gambler, he briefly tried professional gambling at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, but after losing his capital, returned to butchery in London where his interest in freak show entertainment grew.

Novelties

Norman resumed butchery until he became intrigued by novelty acts at a penny gaff near his workplace in Islington. Observing Mlle Electra's "Electric Lady" performance, he teamed up with her manager but soon discovered Electra was a fraud connected to an electrical power source.

He then launched his own prosperous "Electric Lady" exhibition in Hammersmith, recognizing that his showmanship was as crucial as the curiosities themselves. At some stage, he adopted the name Tom Norman, possibly to distance himself from any family stigma associated with circus and fairground professions.

His travelling shows included performers such as Eliza Jenkins ("Skeleton Woman"), a "Balloon Headed Baby," and an act where a woman bit off live rats' heads—considered his most macabre attraction. Other featured acts were fleas, fat ladies, giants, dwarfs, and entertainers presented as "savage Zulus." He also exhibited a "family of midgets," which was actually composed of two men accompanied by a borrowed infant. Operating retail outlets in London and Nottingham, Norman toured these shows across the country. In 1882 at Islington's Royal Agricultural Hall, American showman P. T. Barnum visited Norman's exhibition. Norman had falsely claimed affiliations with Barnum's 'Greatest Show on Earth,' which amused Barnum enough to bestow upon him the nickname 'Silver King,' inspired by Norman’s silver necklace and eloquent speaking style. With thirteen shops across London, Norman scoured the nation for new curiosities, attracting human oddities by offering attractive wages.

Elephant Man

In 1884, Norman came across Joseph Merrick, a man from Leicester with severe deformities who had spent four years confined in a workhouse because of his unusual appearance. Initially, Merrick collaborated with music hall managers Sam Torr, J. Ellis, and showman 'Little George' Hitchcock, who promoted him under the title "The Elephant Man, Half-a-Man and Half-an-Elephant." Recognizing that the public's interest would soon diminish, Hitchcock handed over Merrick’s management to Norman later that same year.

Merrick was displayed at Norman's penny gaff venue located at 123 Whitechapel Road, directly opposite the London Hospital. This site attracted many medical practitioners and students, including surgeon Frederick Treves, who arranged for Merrick to be examined at the hospital. Although Merrick attended these examinations "two or three" times, he declined further visits, feeling humiliated by the process.

The exhibition featuring the Elephant Man generated a modest profit, which was supplemented by the sale of a pamphlet detailing Merrick’s life story. However, changing societal views on freak shows led to police intervention and the closure of the exhibit after only a few weeks. Shortly after this, Norman and Merrick ended their professional relationship. Subsequently, Treves secured Merrick’s placement at the London Hospital where he remained until his death in 1890. In Treves’s 1923 memoir, The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences, Norman is portrayed as an alcoholic who exploited Merrick. Norman contested these accusations in both the World's Fair newspaper and his autobiography, maintaining that he offered Merrick and others a way to earn an independent livelihood. He contended that Merrick’s institutionalization transformed him into a spectacle over which he had no control. The character Bytes in the 1980 film The Elephant Man was inspired by Norman.

Later life

Following his association with Joseph Merrick, Norman continued working as a travelling showman for another ten years, presenting attractions such as a group of dwarfs, a 'Man in a Trance', John Chambers—the carpenter without arms—and the 'World's Ugliest Woman'. In 1893, he announced intentions to relocate to Chicago and sold various goods but ultimately did not make the move. He became involved in the temperance movement and held the position of vice-president within the Van Dwellers Protection Association, which later developed into the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. Transitioning into auctioneering, Norman specialized in sales related to novelty shows and circuses, reportedly conducting more auctions than any other auctioneer in Britain during that period.

In 1896, he married Amy Rayner, a theatre artist; together they had six sons and four daughters. The family settled in Croydon where Norman partially retired and sold some retail establishments. Among his notable professional accomplishments was the 1905 auction of "Lord" George Sanger's zoo and circus paraphernalia, an event he regarded as the highlight of his auctioneering career. He briefly returned to managing exhibitions in 1919 with 'Phoebe the Strange Girl', which was presented in Birmingham and Margate.

Final years and death

Norman passed away from throat cancer on 24 August 1930 at Croydon Hospital, aged 70, and was interred at Mitcham Road Cemetery. His influence in the circus and fairground sectors was carried on by five of his children: George and Arthur Norman pursued careers as circus clowns; Tom and Jim Norman were involved in fairground enterprises; while Ralph Van Norman, known by his stage name Hal Denver, toured with Wild West shows throughout Europe and the United States.

Portrayals

Freddie Jones depicted Norman (under the character name Mr. Bytes) in David Lynch’s 1980 motion picture The Elephant Man.

Bibliography

• The Penny Showman: Memoirs of Tom Norman 'Silver King' (G.B. Norman-Noakes, London, 1985)
• Durbach, Nadja, The Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture (University of California Press, Berkeley, 2009)
• Howell, Michael & Ford, Peter, The True History of the Elephant Man, 3rd ed. (Penguin Books, London, 1992)