The life of Thomas Wadhouseborn in 1730 in Yorkshire, England, attracted the attention of citizens mainly because he had the longest nose ever recorded on a male human being, which measured about 19 centimeters.
Although Thomas didn’t talk much about how he felt about the size of his nose, people found him a combination of fascination and horror. On many occasions He suffered ridicule, superstitions and social rejectionwhich meant that since he was a child he had to isolate himself.
Besides, He was considered to have an intellectual disability due to his nasal deformity. According to historians, his facial deformity could be due to the fact that his birth was the result of a fraternal relationship and that his parents were brothers.
However, Years later he decided to leave isolation and face shame to begin participating in circuses.where He introduced himself as «the man with the longest nose in the world.» This is how Wadhouse gained popularity and achieved fame in the mid-18th century.
Thomas Wadhouse with the longest nose in the world.
How the man with the longest nose in the world became a celebrity
According to historical accounts, after having been discriminated against for years because of the size of his nose, Wadhouse decided to begin exhibiting himself in different places, such as circuses.
More specifically, participated in freak showsvariety shows that exhibited people with unusual physical characteristics or abilities, touring different squares and fairs in England. In the advertisements that were used to promote it, he was sometimes renamed «Wedders».
Thomas Wadhouse. One of the reproductions of his particular face.However, it was not only the shows that made Thomas become famous around the world for his nose, but also the various authors who decided to write about their anomalywhich allowed its history to continue to be known.
Thomas appeared in «Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine»a 19th century book about rare and strange diseases. Over there He is described as the man with the world’s longest nose on record, measuring 19 centimeters.
On the other hand, The Strand Magazine mentioned the man in an 1896 publicationpointing out that, If noses were an indicator of importance, Wadhouse would have been very rich and powerful. They also stated: «Either his chin was too weak, or his forehead too low, or nature had so exhausted herself in the task of giving this prodigy a nose that she completely forgot to provide him with a brain; or perhaps, the nose displaced the latter good.»
Thomas Wadhouse is world renowned. Besides, Guinness World Recordsthe book that documents and celebrates superlative and extraordinary achievements, recognizes Wadhouse as the all-time record holder for the longest nose, at an impressive 19 centimeters.
Also a limestone sculpture of his head is displayed at Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum.
When and why Thomas Wadhouse died
His last job consisted of displaying oneself before the public in The Whorshire Brothers Circus.
However, Around 1780 he died at the age of 50 due to a complication derived from rhinosinusitis.an infection or inflammation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, probably related to your deformity.
