Doctors of Ashover

From The Medical Registry.
Transcribed by Rob Marriott.

Year	Date of Registration	Name	Residence	Qualification
1871	1862 Sept 12	MOORE, Henry	Ashover, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire	Mem. R. Coll. Surg. Eng., 1861.
1879	1876, July 28	CHAWNER, Alfredv	Ashover, near Chesterfield	Mem. R. Coll. Surg. Eng., 1876.
				Lic. R. Coll. Phys. Lond., 1878.
1883	1859, Jan. 1	HOLMES, John	Ashover, near Chesterfield	Mem. R. Coll. Surg. Eng., 1857.
				M.D. Univ. K. Coll. Aberd., 1858
				Lic. Soc. Apoth. Lond., 1858.
1903	1897, Aug. 4	BENSON, John Albert	The Butts, Ashover, Derbyshire	Lic. R. Coll. Phys. Edin., 1897.
				Lic. R. Coll. Surg. Edin., 1897.
				Lic. Fac Phys. Surg. Glasg., 1897.
1911	1897, Aug. 4	BENSON, John Albert	Hockley house, Ashover, Derbyshire	Lic. R. Coll. Phys. Edin., 1897.
				Lic. R. Coll. Surg. Edin., 1897.
				Lic. Fac Phys. Surg. Glasg., 1897.
1911	1902, Oct. 21	FOX, Ida Emiliei	The Sanatorium, Ashover, Derbyshire	M.B., Bac. Surg. 1902, M.D. 1906, Univ. Durh.
1911	1887, Aug. 23	GOODFELLOW, James Anderson	Grove House, Ashover, near Chesterfield	M.B., Mast. Surg. 1887, Univ. Glasg.
1915	1892, Nov. 5	BOND, William Ernest	Ashover, Chesterfield	M.R.C.S. Eng., 1892; L.R.C.P. Lond., 1892
1915	1902, Oct. 21	FOX, Ida Emiliei	The Sanatorium, Ashover, Derbyshire	M.B., B.S. 1902, M.D. 1906, Univ. Durh.
1915	1887, Aug. 23	GOODFELLOW, James Anderson	Ashover, Chesterfield	M.B., C.M. 1887, U. Glasg.
1919	1902, Oct. 21	FOX, Ida Emiliei	The Sanatorium, Ashover, Derbyshire	M.B., B.S. 1902, M.D. 1906, Univ. Durh.
1919	1887, Aug. 23	GOODFELLOW, James Anderson	Ashover, Chesterfield	M.B., C.M. 1887, U. Glasg.
1923	1897, May 8	PRINCE, Peregrine Charlesii	Hockley house, Ashover, Chesterfield	L.R.C.P. Lond., 1897; M.R.C.S. Eng., 1897
1927	1915, April 1	GORDON, Stuart Ernest	Ashover Sanatorium, nr. Chesterfield, Derby	L. , L.M. 1915, R.C.P. Irel.; L. , L.M. 1915, R.C.S. Irel.
1927	1897, May 8	PRINCE, Peregrine Charlesii	Hockley house, Ashover, Chesterfield	L.R.C.P. Lond., 1897; M.R.C.S. Eng., 1897
1939	1920, April 24	MOSBERY, Walter Henry	Hockley house, Ashover, Chesterfield	L. , L.M. 1920, R.C.P. Irel.; L. , L.M. 1920, R.C.S. Irel.
1943	1920, April 24	MOSBERY, Walter Henry	Hockley house, Ashover, Chesterfield	L. , L.M. 1920, R.C.P. Irel.; L. , L.M. 1920, R.C.S. Irel.
1947	1889, June 3	POOLER, Harry Williamiii	Over Asher, Ashover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire	L.S.A. Lond., 1889; M.R.C.S. Eng., 1890; M.B., Ch. B. 1901, U. Birm.
1951	1940, Oct 16	CAMPBELL, Alfred Henry	Ambervale, Ashover, Derbys.	M.R.C.S. Eng., 1940; L.R.C.P. Lond., 1940
1951	1889, June 3	POOLER, Harry Williamiii	Over Asher, Ashover, Chesterfield, Derbys.	L.S.A. Lond., 1889; M.R.C.S. Eng., 1890; M.B., Ch. B. 1901, U. Birm.
1955	1929, Jan. 24	POOLER, Henry Evelyn	Butts grange, Ashover, Derbys.	M.B., Ch. B. 1929, U. St. And.
1959	1943, Dec. 1916	FINE, Gerald Lionel	Hockley house, Ashover, Chesterfield, Derbys.	L. , L.M. 1943, R.C.P. Irel.; L. , L.M. 1943, R.C.S. Irel.
1959	1955, July 11 1956, July 23	MERRILL, Una Kathleen	Hill Crest, Stubbin Edge, Ashover, Chesterfield, Derbys.	M.B., Ch B. 1955, U. 1955, U. Sheff. ; M.R.C.S. Eng., 1955; L.R.C.P. Lond., 1955
1959	1929, Jan. 24	POOLER, Henry Evelyn	Butts grange, Ashover, Derbys.	M.B., Ch. B. 1929, U. St. And.

 

1.       Dr. Ida Emilie Fox was born in Little Horton, Bradford, Yorkshire in 1870, the daughter of William and Sara Fox. Ida attended the London School of Medicine for Women, and was awarded her Bachelors Degree in Medicine from the University of Durham in 1902. She was awarded her M.D. from the University of Durham in 1906.
       The British Medical Journal published August 5th 1911, reported that, "Dr. Ida E. Fox (Ashover Sanatorium) thought the home treatment of tuberculosis was of little use unless preceded by sanatorium treatment. The patients must learn what to do and, what was equally important, what not to do. This applied both to the upper classes and to the working classes. The destruction of sputum, which was most important, was very difficult to carry out at home by patients' relatives. The patient was not under constant, medical supervision, and at times there was difficulty about food. With regard to tuberculin, certain patients. inclined to look upon tuberculin as a form of insurance; they thought, if they were taking tuberculin, they need not continue sanatorium rules or modes of living, and they should be carefully watched by medical officers and the fact pointed out that tuberculin per se was still on its trial".
2.       Dr. Peregrine Charles Prince was born in Clehonger, Hereford in 1872, the son of farmer Richard Prince and wife Martha. In 1899 he married Alice Mary Stewart.
3.       Dr. H. W. Pooler, M.D. We record with regret the death on February 28 (1954) of Dr. H. W. Pooler at the age of 88. He was elected a Vice-president of the British Medical Association in 1947. In his autobiography, My Life in General Practice, he described himself as "an ordinary general practitioner." He certainly showed in that volume that the life of the busy family doctor, ordinary or otherwise, was not lacking in human interest or drama or colourful incident. He showed also that it had its deep and abiding satisfactions.
       Henry William Pooler was born at Wellington, Shropshire, on January 30, 1866. His father was a tailor and draper in that town. One of his earliest recollections was of seeing Captain Webb, of Channel-swimming fame, who was the son of a doctor in the neighbourhood, arrive at Wellington, where the people took the horses out of his carriage and dragged it to his hotel. At the age of 10 Pooler was sent to the traditional school of his family, Adams' Grammar School, Newport, in the same county. At 17, having passed the London matriculation, he was firmly resolved on medicine as his career. The difficulty was ways and means. His father had no money to spare. It was arranged that Pooler should become a pupil of his uncle, Dr. George Hollies, a man of sterling character-when approaching his 80th year he went up to Cambridge to take his M.A. degree at the same time as his grand-nephew. This pupilage allowed Pooler to register as a medical student eighteen months before entering a medical school proper, and it gave him an insight into medical practice. In those days there were no telephones and no cars. The doctor, if a call came at night, had to saddle and bridle his horse for riding or harness it to his vehicle for driving, and whatever complications he found when he got to his case he had to deal with them himself. Pooler never ceased to be grateful for an insight into general practice in the country under those conditions. After about eighteen months with Hollies he was entered as a student at Queen's College, Birmingham, in 1885. Later on he returned as a qualified assistant, spending six months with his uncle before taking up a succession of resident hospital posts. During those six months he helped his uncle amputate a thigh and a forearm, while finger amputations, strangulated hernias, and the like were all in the day's work. He would start out on horseback on his country round at about ten in the morning, lunch at a convenient inn, and return home about four in the afternoon; and then perhaps he might have to saddle another horse to visit a patient some miles away. Midwifery calls were frequent. Pooler himself declared much later that he had done every operation in midwifery except caesarean section.
       During his student career in Birmingham he served as a dispenser to a doctor in the city. His wages began at 15s. a week and rose to 50s., together with the offer of a partnership by the time he had qualified, but, having his eye at that time on the Indian Medical Service, he declined the offer. He was accustomed to do his dispensing each morning until ten or later, then to rush to the hospital for clinical lectures and ward work, and, in the afternoon, lectures at the college.
       He qualified L.S.A. in 1889, and before going up for the last part of his final he obtained the most valuable prize open to senior students at the General Hospital, that of resident medical assistantship. Later he became house-surgeon in the obstetric and ophthalmic department at Queen's, and subsequently was elected to the post of house-physician. Dr. Guy Dain was one of those who, as clinical clerks, came under his more or less paternal eye. It was while at Queen's that Pooler met Sybil Woodward, a nurse, whom he married in 1894, and thus began the happiest of married partnerships, which continued for more than 50 years. Mrs. Pooler died on November 5, 1951. He obtained the London Conjoint diploma in 1890 and took the degrees of M.B., B.Ch. of the University of Birmingham in 1901, proceeding M.D. in 1952, over 50 years later.
       On leaving hospital Dr. Pooler bought a practice at Ashted, a district in the east end of Birmingham, for £700, and received in the first twelve months £412. Eventually, however, he made a good income, but the work was very hard-morning and evening surgery at home and at a branch surgery from 8 to 9 p.m. or later, after a long day's visiting, and there were many night calls. Midwifery was essential in those days to the general practitioner, and he averaged over 200 cases a year. After 15 years, tired of the round of practice, he took up a whole-time position as district medical officer and public vaccinator, but when the National Health Insurance Act came in he resolved to get back into private practice. Practice in the east end of Birmingham was not exactly a bed of roses, but one thing on which he always looked back with great satisfaction was the formation of the Birmingham Infant Health Society, of which he was appointed honorary medical officer. It was a gratification to him, many years after he had left Birmingham, to have his old centre chosen on the occasion of a royal visit as a representative example of pioneer child welfare work. For some years Pooler was a member of the Birmingham City Council, and undertook as a member of the housing committee two extensive tours to inspect Continental. housing. He also represented the city at international conferences on child welfare at Berlin and Dresden.
       His connexion with Birmingham came to an end in 1916, when he took up a practice in the attractive village of Stonebroom, near Alfreton, in Derbyshire. Here the income was small, but the work, though heavy, was congenial and the people friendly and pleasant to serve. After twenty happy years he left this village for the neighbouring one of Ashover, while his son Alan carried on at Stonebroom, the father still continuing to do some work in the practice. To the great grief of his family and friends, Alan Pooler, always delicate in health as the result of rheumatic fever in early life, died as the result of overstrain during the second world war. Dr. Pooler's other three sons are all members of the medical profession, and his daughter is married to a doctor. The later years of Dr. H. W. Pooler were spent in retirement at Ashover, where his hobbies were alpine gardening, the collection of old English watercolours, music, and the game of chess.
       While in practice in Birmingham Pooler was made honorary secretary of the Central Division. There his first duty was to issue 350 confidential circulars to members informing them that certain practitioners had come under the ban of the Association for conduct held not to be in accordance with the honour of the medical profession by acting as medical officers of a certain dispensary in Coventry. That affair ended in a writ for conspiracy, libel, and slander, and heavy damages were awarded against the Association.
       On moving to Derbyshire he was again made honorary secretary of the Division, where he found himself plunged into a series of fights with miners' clubs formed for the purpose of providing miners' dependants with medical treatment-and in a fight with the county council over the salaries of district medical officers. He was elected president of the Midland Branch, and later, when Derbyshire became a Branch by itself, of that Branch also. He was a member and treasurer of the Derbyshire Panel Committee, and the moving spirit of a benevolent trust, the object of which was to make grants to needy Derbyshire insurance practitioners or their. dependants, particularly for educational purposes. For many years he was a familiar figure in the Representative Body, and in 1930 he became a member of the Council, where he sat on many committees, but did his chief work as chairman of the subcommittee concerned with maternity and child welfare. He was one of a small committee which went to South Wales to investigate the well-remembered Llanelly dispute in 1934. His term as member of Council ended in 1943, and in 1946 he gave up the local secretaryship. He had then been in the medical profession as student and practitioner for more than sixty years. At the Annual Representative Meeting held in London in July, 1947, he was elected a Vice-President of the British Medical Association as an appreciation of the exceptional services he had rendered to the Association. Pooler will be recalled as a friendly, vivacious companion, a man with a great faith in his profession and its ideals, and an "ordinary general practitioner " who managed to fill out his length of days with the most devoted service to his fellow-beings and thereby with an amplitude of quiet happiness for himself. British Medical Journal, March 6th 1954, p588-9. 
4.       Dr. Stuart Ernest Gordon died on Nov. 18, 1946. He was born in Dublin on Oct. 17, 1889, son of the late Alexander Gordon, L.R.C.P. He was educated at St. Andrews and Wesley Colleges, Dublin, and studied medicine at the School of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. After qualifying in 1915 he held resident posts at the Newcastle Sanatorium, Co. Wicklow, and at the Norwich City Asylum, Norfolk. He was in general practice for a time and then took up tuberculosis work at the Middleton-in-Wharfedale Sanatorium, Ilkley, and at the Ashover Sanatorium near Chesterfield.  British Medical Journal.
5.      Dr. Alfred Chawner appeared at the inquest into the 1892 explosion at Clay Cross No. 7 Colliery. He reported that he examined the bodies of the 44 men brought up dead from the Parkhouse Pit and also the body of one who was brought up alive but died the next day. Some of them in his opinion were killed by the fire and some by the effects of the after-damp, and in his list he distinguished between those two forms of death. He died on October 5th, 1916 at Hill House, Clay Cross, Derbyshire, aged 63. British Medical Journal.