Begin outside 259 Whitechapel Road, facing the old Royal London Hospital buildings which stand on the other side of Whitechapel Road. Amid the hustle and bustle of the market, find a place to stand.

We begin our trail in 1884, in the heart of Victorian Whitechapel. A young London Hospital surgeon, Frederick Treves, is informed of a curious exhibit in a former shop at what is now 259 Whitechapel Road. This chance encounter would alter his life forever and that of Joseph Carey Merrick, ‘The Elephant Man’. Joseph was born in Leicester in 1862 and his early life was filled with tragedy and hardship. He spent time in the workhouse in Leicester before joining a travelling freakshow which brought him to the East End of London. Frederick Treves had been a student at The London Hospital Medical College in the 1870s and was a rising star in the medical profession, destined for greatness.

Now face the old hospital. Turn right and walk along Whitechapel Road until you reach the pedestrian crossing by Court Street. Use the pedestrian crossing to cross Whitechapel Road. When you reach the other side of the road, begin part 2.

259 WHITECHAPEL ROAD

Museum located in former church crypt which tells the story of England's largest voluntary hospital from 1740 and the history of healthcare in London's East End.

259 WHITECHAPEL ROAD

The Royal London Hospital Museum