The Tragic Story of the Spotted Boy George Gratton

Today, vitiligo is a common occurrence. Of course, people with this disease stand out externally, but they are only given special attention during fashion shows. For example, when the model Winnie Harlow walks the catwalk. But in the 19th century, things were different. Then, those with impaired skin pigmentation were often shown in circuses and freak shows at fairs. This is how George Gratton lived - a boy from the distant islands of the West Indies, who was brought to England. However, soon he unexpectedly got lucky...

British showman John Richardson and his theater entertained the public in Europe as early as the beginning of the 19th century. When the famous American P. T. Barnum, known as the "king of freaks", was just born, Richardson was already attracting crowds of spectators at fairs in London, Liverpool and Birmingham.

One day, while performing with his troupe at Bartholomew's Fair in London, which took place at the famous Smithfield Market, John came across an unusual boy. It was a spotted negro, whose milky-white skin was covered with large and small patches of natural dark skin.

The child, no more than five years old, was performing in a cheap freak show. The little boy looked exhausted - dirty, hungry and incredibly sad. The owner of the circus said that the boy was brought from the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean. John Richardson felt sorry for the child and bought him for an impressive sum - 1000 pounds.

It is worth mentioning that Richardson never focused on people with disabilities in his shows. He was more of an artist than a greedy businessman, greedily chasing profit. Here is how the writer Charles Dickens describes his troupe's performances in his Sketches by Boz:

Richardson's booth could accommodate a thousand spectators at a time. According to some sources, the theatre collected a colossal sum for those times - 1200 pounds in three days. The owner was famous for his kindness and generosity, so the artists did not complain about life and performed with pleasure.

The showman bought the spotted boy not for profit, but to save him from a cruel owner. Richardson dressed the baby, gave him a harmonious name - George Alexander Gratton - and declared him his adopted son. The boy almost never left his side. Sometimes he performed in the theater, but only if he wanted to.

Little was known about George's past. His former owner told Richardson that the boy had been brought from the West Indies through the port of Bristol when he was one and a half years old. No one in his family suffered from vitiligo. John genuinely cared for his adopted son and dreamed of giving him a good education to ensure a comfortable future.

But his plans were not destined to come true. In the autumn of 1813, George suddenly fell ill and died a few days later. He was barely eight years old. According to some sources, pneumonia was the cause - perhaps the damp climate of England killed the child. John Richardson was inconsolable: words could not describe his grief.

John buried the boy in the graveyard of All Saints' Church, Marlow, on the Causeway, where he had previously purchased a plot for himself. Richardson himself lived to be seventy years old, dying in November 1837. According to his will, he was buried in the same grave next to George Gratton.

George Gratton's fate is a reflection of how society in the past treated people with disabilities. How do you think the attitude towards such people has changed today? Share your opinion!