Ernest Crompton was born in 1861 at Bishop’s Cleeve near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, the son of a land owner / farmer who was also referred to as a ‘former Exeter solicitor’ much later, in 1925. The family ended up near Exeter, having moved twice during Ernest’s childhood. Their movements can be traced on the census records, moving from Bishop’s Cleeve to Almondsbury near Bristol sometime in the late 1860s, then to Exminster near Exeter in the 1870s. The family was large, Ernest having at least ten siblings. On the 1881 census he can be seen as a 19 year old ‘student of medicine’ in Exminster, with a 19 year old medical student friend defined as a visitor. Perhaps they were both visiting, most likely normally away studying (probably it was out of term time, Easter being 2 weeks after the census was taken).
Interestingly, Ernest Crompton didn’t qualify until 1889, so his training must have taken at least 8 years. It’s not known where this look place, but he qualified with what was known as the Conjoint Diploma (MRCS and LRCP) from London. He did not take the Society of Apothecaries LSA examination, which was on the wane by then, but didn’t do the medical and surgical degrees MB BS or their equivalent either. So he belongs to the cohort of generalist medics who bridge the gap between the typical LSA MRCS of the earlier 19th century and MB BS of the 20th century, who took this MRCS LRCP Conjoint Diploma and often described themselves as ‘Physician and Surgeon’ as can been seen from the 1895, 1901 and 1911 references to Ernest Crompton below (see also The history of medical treatments, training, qualifications and regulation for more background information on these qualifiactions).
After qualifying he’s briefly recorded in 1890 using his father’s new address, which was actually in Exeter itself (perhaps just using it for correspondence?), but by 1891 Ernest was in Canada, married to someone called Margaret from Nova Scotia, but living in Victoria, British Columbia (near Vancouver). They were there for nearly a decade, Dr Crompton being recorded as a physician, surgeon and coroner in the city.
Then came his sudden, somewhat surprising move to Newmarket. He’s first recorded in town on the 1901 census, living at Mentmore House on Newmarket High Street, with his wife and a housemaid.
Ernest Crompton ‘Physician + Surgeon’ on the 1901 census at Mentmore House on Newmarket High Street, in between The Crown and Waggon & Horses (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 1).
In March 1900 Dr George Owen Mead of the Mentmore House practice had unexpectedly died quite rapidly from a brain abscess. By April 1900 arrangements were underway for someone to take over his practice. A Dr Etches had shown some interest but ended up elsewhere, so it seems Ernest Crompton took on the practice instead. Likely therefore he was in Newmarket from some time in 1900. It’s not known why he made this sudden move or how he learnt about the opportunity – there is no evidence that he was connected to the Crompton relatives of the Grays, but it’s possible?
Rutland House in Newmarket High Street, likely 2-3 years before Ernest Crompton moved his surgery there (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 2).
Then some time after 1902 (when they are recorded renting Mentmore House) but before 1904, the Cromptons moved to Kingston House, where they are recorded in the 1904 Kelly’s Directory. Most likely they moved there not long after Mentmore House was sold in 1902, not least because plans were submitted to convert a stable and wash house at Kingston House into a surgery and waiting room, apparently in 1902. They were in Kingston House until 1909 at least, when they advertised for a cook, but by 1911 they were in Rutland House, where they were to remain for the rest of their time in Newmarket.
The Cromptons never had any children. Interestingly, outside of medical work Ernest Crompton’s other interests included football – he was involved with Newmarket Town Football Club for many years, recorded as their president in and before 1912, and in 1920 at least!
Newmarket Town Football Club from about the time that Ernest Crompton was its president (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 3).
Regarding medical posts, aside from his normal practice duties, in 1912, on the retirement of Clement Gray from the Newmarket Union, Ernest Crompton was one of the applicants for his roles. He obtained the workhouse medical officer post, Dr Maund taking on Clement Gray’s District 1 duties. The only other applicant was Dr Woollett, who was already the medical officer for District 2, which many years later Ernest Crompton covered for him during a short absence.
Apparently Ernest Crompton always attended the workhouse infirmary using a pony and trap, and dressed in a black top hat and frock coat. The minutes of the Newmarket Union make regular reference to him and his work there, which early on included requesting extra nursing support, which was granted, and the purchase of new equipment such as three water beds. During the First World War he was involved with the facilities being used by a local regiment suffering from scabies, and concerned to prevent this spreading to tramps frequenting the workhouse, then further afield. He suffered government inspections much like Clement Gray his predecessor had encountered even earlier. He was not afraid to challenge accepted wisdom when he disagreed with the officials recommendations, including expressing the view that epileptics ‘in my opinion should be treated as such, and if possible sent to a suitable institution, and not a lunatic asylum’ (common practice at that time). He was also concerned that children with learning difficulties not be written off but assisted with special education (see the references below).
Ernest Crompton’s grave in Topsham cemetery, Devon, interestingly mentioning his qualifications MRCS LRCP (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 4).
In 1922 Dr Crompton retired due to ill health. He moved with his wife back to live near Exeter where he died just a few years later, it sounds like from a cardiac arrest following myocardial infarction. It’s not clear whether the general ill health that caused his retirement was cardiac in nature too. Comments made in the Devon local newspaper after his death give an interesting insight into his personality: he had ‘a decided gift for making and re-taining friendships among casual acquaint-ances, and all who have come into contact with him will treasure the memory of pleasant little chats and numerous acts of kindliness.’ No doubt his surgeries ran along similar lines. Nevertheless, following his retirement the Newmarket Union noted ‘“the especially efficient manner in which his duties were at all times carried out and the devotion shown by him to all patients under his care”’.
Regarding contemporaries, at the turn of the century when Ernest Crompton arrived in Newmarket there were four other practices in town. The Gray’s practice at Lushington House was run at that stage by Clement Frederick Gray. Ernest Crompton would have seen Gilbert then Norman Gray come on stream in 1909/10 then 1915/6 respectively. John Hansby Maund’s practice occupied various premises during Ernest Crompton’s time. He would have seen the end of the Fyson practice with the death of Ernest Last Fyson in 1917; in fact he attended him during his final illness (as did Clement Gray, whose practice probably absorbed the patients of that practice). Ernest Crompton would also have seen Sidney Winslow Woollett succeed to Walter Hutchinson’s practice at Cardigan Lodge.
However, unusually there is no evidence that anyone succeeded to the practice of Ernest Crompton, so thus ended the Page-Meads-Crompton practice chain. At that stage the number of practices in Newmarket simply reduced from four to the three that we have today (the Grays, which eventually became The Rookery Medical Centre, John Hansby Maund’s practice, which evolved into Orchard House Surgery, and Sidney Winslow Woollett’s practice, which is now Oakfield Surgery – see The practice chains of Newmarket). His patients would have been absorbed into these remaining practices, likely mainly into the Gray’s, who were starting to expand at that point, soon to become Alton House Surgery. The other two practices remained single handed until later in the century. However, John Hansby Maund took on Ernest Crompton’s workhouse medical officer role. Rutland House became Woolworths within a decade of the Cromptons leaving and is now the QD store!
Image 1: The 1901 census, reference RG13/1541 (cropped); image ©, reproduced with kind permission of The National Archives.
Image 2: From Peter Norman’s Collection (cropped – red annotations mine); image reproduced with kind permission of Peter Norman. [Note: we have not been able to access the back of this old postcard to ascertain the original publisher, but using the image here seems likely acceptable, especially given the card’s age. Please make contact using the details via the footer below if you know more, for example if further acknowledgements etc. are required.]
Image 3: From the Spanton Jarman Collection (cropped), image ©, reproduced with kind permission of the Bury St Edmunds Past and Present Society.
Image 4: Photograph taken in 2019, by the author of talkingdust.net.
Note: see comments regarding images and copyright © etc. on the Usage &c. page as well.
1861, 31st October: Ernest son of Francis and Elizabeth Crompton baptised, Bishop’s Cleeve, Gloucestershire. Reference: Online image of the Bishop’s Cleeve register of baptisms 1848-1940 held at Gloucestershire Archives, ancestry.co.uk (accessed 11th December 2017). [Note: their actual ‘abode’ is recorded as Wingmoor Southam, and his father as a ‘Gentleman’.]
1871, 2nd/3rd April: Ernest Crompton, aged 9, scholar, born in Cleeve, Gloucestershire, living in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, in the household of his father Francis Crompton aged 36, a ‘Landowner’ together with his mother Elizabeth, and several siblings and servants. Reference: The National Archives, 1871 census.
1881, 3rd/4th April: Ernest Crompton, aged 19, ‘student of medicine’, in Exminster, Devon, in the household of his father Francis Crompton aged 46, a farmer, together with his mother Elizabeth, 5 sisters, 5 brothers, 4 servants and another 19 year old ‘student of medicine’ labelled as a visitor (presumably he was at home on the day of the census, visiting with a friend from medical school?). Reference: The National Archives, 1881 census. [Note: down to a sister, aged 15, the children were born in Bishop’s Cleeve, Gloucestershire, then from a brother aged 13 to another aged 9 they were born in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, then a sister aged 5 was born in Exminster, Devonshire.]
1890: ‘CROMPTON, ERNEST, St. Leonard’s Villa, Exeter – L.R.C.P. Lond. 1889; M.R.C.S. Eng. 1889.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1901. [Note: this was his first entry in the Medical Directory, but it is marked with a *, which is supposed to indicate that he had not returned his 1890 circular, yet he is not in the 1889 Directory, and he would not be expected in there having qualified in 1889, so this information must be new, so the * is likely an error.], [Note also, his entry is the same in 1891 with a *, then from 1892 he’s recorded in Canada, see below.], [Note also, St Leonard Villa, Topsham Rd, Exeter, is where his father and household were living on the 1891 census, so it appears he was simply using the address of his family home. Reference: The National Archives, 1901 census.], [Note also, as far as I’ve been able to ascertain, St Leonard’s Villa no longer exists, but if anyone knows otherwise please make contact using the details via the footer below.]
1891: Earnest [sic] Crompton born about 1861 and his wife Margaret Crompton, residing at Victoria, British Columbia, on the 1891 Census of Canada. Reference: The 1891 Canada Census (online database, not image), ancestry.co.uk (accessed 11th December 2017).
1892: ‘CROMPTON, ERNEST, Victoria, Canada – L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S. Eng. 1889.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1901.
1895: ‘Crompton, Dr Ernest, physician and surgeon, office, Courtenay, res 8 Gordon’ in Victoria city directory section. Reference: The Williams’ Official British Columbia Directory. Victoria: The Williams’ B. C. Directory Co., Lt’d; 1895, pg 379.
1899: ‘Crompton, Dr. E., City Coroner, 8 Gordon st.’ in Victoria city directory section. Reference: Williams RT. The Williams’ Official British Columbia Directory. Victoria: The Williams’ B. C. Directory Company, Limited Liability; 1899, pg 369.
1900, 12th March: The death of George Owen Mead at his residence, Mentmore House, High Street, Newmarket. References: East Anglian Daily Times. Tuesday Mar 13 1900: 7., The Bury Free Press. Saturday Mar 17 1900: 7., The Newmarket Journal. Saturday Mar 17 1900: 5.
1900, 7th April: Under the headings ‘Newmarket Urban District Council.’ … / ‘NEW MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.’ … ‘The applicants were Mr. W. R. Etches, Mr. W. Hutchinson, and Mr. J. H. Maund. / The chairman read a letter from Mr. Etches, who stated that he had come to Newmarket with a view of taking the practice of the late Medical Officer of Health (the late Mr. G. Owen Mead), and settling here permanently…’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Saturday Apr 7 1900: 8. [Note: in the event Walter Hutchison was elected. However, this shows that there was to be a formal successor to the Meads’ practice, which was presumably for sale. In the 1901 Medical Directory William Robert Etches can be found in Surrey, having been in Macclesfield earlier. Ernest Crompton, in Mentmore House on the 1901 census (see below), obviously succeeded to the Meads’ practice instead.]
1901: ‘CROMPTON, ERNEST, Victoria, Brit. Colum-bia, Canada – M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1889.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1901. [Note: this was his last Canadian entry in the Medical Directory, but it is marked with a *, indicating that he had not returned his 1901 circular, so he could have been in Newmarket, just not having updated his entry yet – perhaps that’s why it wasn’t returned, having been sent to Canada when he was now in Newmarket? His 1900 entry is identical to this, except without the *.], [Note also, see his 1901 Medical Register entry below, which shows that he was in Newmarket when it was complied, likely in late 1900.]
1901: ‘CROMPTON, Ernest’… ‘Newmarket, Suffolk.’ Reference: The Medical Register. London: General Medical Council; 1901.
1901, 31st March / 1st April: Ernest Crompton born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, aged 39, ‘Physician + Surgeon’, together with his wife Margaret, aged 30, born in Canada, and a housemaid, living at Mentmore House, High St, Newmarket St Mary’s parish. Reference: The National Archives, 1901 census. [Note: see image above.]
1902: ‘CROMPTON, ERNEST, Newmarket, Suffolk – M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1899.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1902. [Note: this is his first Newmarket entry in the Medical Directory – see comments 1901 above. It remains essentially the same until 1925, when it changes to his Devon address, see below.], [Note also, there’s an error in the date of his qualification at this point, stating 1899 – this is corrected back to 1889 in 1903, even though his entry is again marked with a *, suggesting the Medical Directory perhaps spotted the error?]
1902, 17th June: Plans submitted to convert a stable and wash house at Kingston House into a surgery and waiting room. Reference: EF506/6/1/7/100, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: the date on the actual plans is impossible to read, but apparently they came into the record office in a batch of 1902 plans, and 1902 clearly makes sense historically too – see the page on Kingston House for more details.]
1902, 4th July 1902: ‘MONDAY NEXT. NEWMARKET, SUFFOLK. Sale of Valuable Freehold Family Residence, Known as “MENTMORE HOUSE,” Of imposing elevation and well situate in the High Street of Newmarket, within easy distance of the Jockey Club Rooms and New Railway Station. The HOUSE contains Four Reception Rooms, Servants’ Hall, good Domestic Offices, and Nine Bedrooms; there is also a Small Garden, Large Yard, and STABLING FOR FOUR HORSES, With Coachhouse, Harness Room, Loft, &c., as now in the occupation of Mr E. Crompton, at an ANNUAL RENTAL OF £150.’ Reference: Cambridge Daily News. Friday Jul 4 1902: 2.
1904: ‘Crompton Ernest M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.Lond. physician & surgeon, Kingston house’ listed in Newmarket. Reference: Kelly’s directory of Cambridgeshire… . London: Kelly’s Directories Ltd.; 1904, pg 189. [Note: Fyson Ernest Last, Gray Clement Frederick, Maund John Hansby, Molineux Bernard N., and Woollett Sidney Winslow are listed separately.]
1909, 21st April: ‘WANTED. Cook-General. housemaid kept: good character indispensable: no family.– Mrs. Crompton, Kingston House, Newmarket.’ Reference: East Anglian Daily Times. Wednesday Apr 21 1909: 8.
1911, 2nd/3rd April: Ernest Crompton, born in Gloucestershire, aged 49, ‘Physician + Surgeon’, together with his wife Margaret, aged 41, born in Nova Scotia, Canada, and two servants, living at Rutland House, High St, Newmarket St Mary’s parish. Reference: The National Archives, 1911 census. [Note: this records that they had completed 20 years of marriage, suggesting that they were married in about 1890/91.]
1912, 30th August: Dr. Ernest Crompton re-elected President of Newmarket Town Football Club. Reference: The Suffolk & Essex free press. Wednesday Sept 4 1912: 7. [Note: see 1920 reference below also.]
1912, 22nd October: Clement Gray resigned from his Newmarket Union roles. Reference: 611/42, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: after initially expressing an interest in filling these roles, Gilbert Gray did not apply, and they were filled by John Hansby Maund (District 1) and Ernest Crompton (Workhouse) – see 17th December below.]
1912, 17th December: Ernest Crompton appointed Medical Officer of the Workhouse. Reference: 611/42, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: there were three candidates to replace the roles of Clement Gray (Medical Officer of the Workhouse and District 1 of the Newmarket Union), Ernest Crompton, John Hansby Maund and Sidney Winslow Woollett. Ernest Crompton was appointed to the workhouse and John Maund to district 1 – Sidney Winslow Woollett was already Medical Officer for District 2.]
1913, 11th February: Ernest Crompton requested that extra nurses be appointed to the Workhouse, which was agreed to. Reference: 611/42, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: in the same meeting it was minuted that the Master of the workhouse ‘had engaged two Assistants to look after some special cases in the Female Hospital’ ‘on the recommendation of the Medical Officer’, perhaps as a temporary measure to cover a staffing issue? On 25th February they discussed whether to appoint one or two nurses, and decided to appoint one who must be fully qualified. There were further discussions about nurse staffing levels and recruitment later in the year – in ref. 611/42&43. See also the page on Newmarket Hospital regarding nurses etc.]
1913, 8th April: Recommended the purchase of three water beds in his half yearly report regarding the workhouse. Reference: 611/42, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: the minutes from the same day contain a letter regarding a contractual query that gives Ernest Crompton’s address as Rutland House.]
1915, 21st September: Letter minuted by the Newmarket Union, dated 13th September, from Mrs Crompton, Rutland House, Newmarket, regarding Dr Crompton being ‘convalescent’, so obviously he was off sick, perhaps an early sign of his health problems that were to follow? Reference: 611/43, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: he was back at work the following month, since on 19th October the minutes include a letter from him dated 16th October regarding concerns he had that a contagious skin disease could be transmitted from soldiers using the workhouse facilities to tramps there, then spread further afield. He had ‘consulted with the Medical Officer of the Camp’ regarding this. It appears that soldiers from a nearby military camp had been using the workhouse facilities as part of their treatment – note this was in the middle of the first world war. Subsequently the tramps ward was closed to admit 55 soldiers from the 69th (East Anglian) Division suffering from Scabies – in ref. 611/43.]
1917, 3rd March: Notice in the paper to say, ‘We are requested by the relatives of the late Dr. Fyson to state that throughout his illness Dr. Ernest Crompton was most assiduous in his attendance upon him, visiting him night and day.’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Saturday Mar 3 1917: 2. [Note: this appears to be partly in response to an article the week before on the death of Dr. Fyson in which it was reported, ‘During his last illness he was attended by Dr. C. F. Gray (an old friend as well as a pro-fessional confrére), who also took charge of his practice for some months.’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Saturday Feb 24 1917: 3. It appears to be an addition rather than correction?]
1920, 16th June: Planning application to the Newmarket Urban District Council regarding the addition of a garage to Rutland House for Dr. E. Crompton, surgeon. Reference: EF506/6/1/17/564, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this shows very nicely the position of Rutland House, two properties down from the Waggon & Horses, with Primrose House in between, separated by a passage way, and the layout of Rutland House at that time.]
1920, 7th August: Dr Ernest Crompton still reported as being President of the Newmarket football team (see 1912 reference above). Reference: Cambridge Daily News. Saturday Aug 7 1920: 4.
1920, 17th August: A letter from Dr Crompton, Rutland House, Newmarket in the Newmarket Union minutes, disagreeing with some recommendations made by a recent ‘Visiting Inspector of the Board of Control’ regarding the management of some patients in the workhouse. His letter included the view that some epileptics ‘in my opinion should be treated as such, and if possible sent to a suitable institution, and not a lunatic asylum’, and regarding some separate children with learning difficulties ‘I feel strongly that children who are incapable of being educated at the Board school should be sent to special institutions where they would have every chance of improving, and not as will certainly happen if they are simply certified, and detained without proper treatment becoming hopeless imbeciles’. Reference: 611/44, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: the inspectors report is in the 20th July minutes – in ref. 611/44.], [Note also, regarding the terminology used here, see the page on the Newmarket Union.]
1921, 13th September: ‘A letter was read from Dr Woollett stating that he would be absent from home for four days and that Dr Crompton would look after his cases during his absence when it was resolved that this be approved’. Reference: 611/44, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Sidney Winslow Woollett was medical officer for District 2 of the Newmarket Union, which comprised Brinkley, Borough Green, Westley Waterless, Dullingham, Stetchworth and Snailwell.]
1922, 23rd May: ‘A letter was read from Messrs Rustons & Lloyd on behalf of Dr E. Crompton resigning his appointment as Medical Officer of the Workhouse as from 30th June next when it was resolved that such resign-ation be accepted and that the clerk write to Dr Crompton and express the regret of the Guardians at his continued ill health and the hope that he will soon recover.’ Reference: 611/45, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: John Hansby Maund was the only applicant for the post and was unanimously appointed on 20th June – in ref. 611/45.], [Note also, Rustons & Lloyd are solicitors even today, whose premises coincides with one of Walter Norton’s properties in 1821.]
1922, 15th August: ‘An application was received from Dr Crompton who has recently resigned his appointment as Medical Officer of the Institution asking for a superannuation allowance and enclosing a Medical Certificate of in ability to continue his practice when it was resolved that the same be referred to the Finance Committee’. Reference: 611/45, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: a subsequent minute on 27th February 1923 records that ‘The committee considered Dr Crompton’s application’ and ‘Medical Certificate of permanent dis-ability’ when it was realised that he had only completed 9 ½ years service, which was not enough to grant a pension, so they proposed adding a year, which was subsequently agreed by the Ministry of Health and recorded in the 17th July minutes – in ref 611/45. It’s also of note that in relation to this ‘“the especially efficient manner in which his duties were at all times carried out and the devotion shown by him to all patients under his care”’ was minuted on 24th April.], [Note also, ‘the Institution’ was a term for the workhouse in use by this time.]
1925: ‘CROMPTON, Ernest, The Old Dutch House, Topsham, S. Devon – M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1899.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1925. [Note: see comments under his 1902 entry above], [Note also, his entry is the same posthumously in 1926, which was his last appearance in the Medical Directory.]
1925, 16th November: Under the headings ‘Topsham’s Loss.’ and the ‘DEATH OF DR. CROMPTON’ the following was reported, ‘Deep regret was expressed at Topsham yesterday when it became known that Dr. Ernest Crompton… had passed away… a son of a former Exeter solicitor… had been for many years in prac-tice at Newmarket. Indifferent health brought about his retirement, and nearly two years ago he purchased Dutch House… a decided gift for making and re-taining friendships among casual acquaint-ances, and all who have come into contact with him will treasure the memory of pleasant little chats and numerous acts of kindliness… He was 64 years of age and leaves no family.’ It also records that he died following sudden onset chest pain, and passed away ‘almost at once’ despite being ‘ad-ministered a stimulant’ by his wife, who also called another doctor. Reference: The Devon and Exeter Gazette. Tuesday Nov 17 1925: 7. [Note: it’s interesting that here his father’s recorded as a former Exeter solicitor, which is not reflected in the census returns above.]
1925, 18th November: Ernest Crompton buried, aged 64, at Topsham Cemetery, Grave number 3468, division 1844. Reference: Online image of Exeter Corporation Cemeteries Interments, https://exeter.gov.uk/people-and-communities/bereavements-services/burial-index-cards/ (accessed 19th July 2019). [Note: I subsequently found this memorial later the same day (see image above) which reads, ‘IN LOVING MEMORY OF ERNEST CROMPTON, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., DIED 16TH NOVEMBER 1925, AGED 64 YEARS.]
1925, 29th December: ‘A letter was read from Mrs Crompton informing the Guardians of the death of her husband the late Dr Crompton which took place on the 16th November last when it was resolved that an expression of sympathy and condolence of the Guardians be conveyed to Mrs Crompton in the great loss she has sustained.’ Reference: 611/46, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
Heasman D. 160 years of service to the community. A history of Newmarket General Hospital. Mid Anglia Community Health NHS Trust; 1996. [Note: on page 36 this book records that ‘Dr. Crompton always wore a black top hat and frock coat and came to the infirmary in a pony and trap.’]
Newmarket Union Minutes 1900-1925. Reference: 611/37-46, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Ernest Crompton does not feature in these minutes until 1912, when he became medical officer to the workhouse, although he had been in Newmarket for over a decade by then.], [Note also, not all entries regarding Ernest Crompton in these minutes have been detailed above, just some of particular interest/relevance picked out.]
Shops History Newmarket. http://www.newmarketshops.info/index.html. [Note: newmarketshops.info has been supplied with information regarding the medical history of Newmarket by the author of talkingdust.net since August 2013 (see footnotes on some of the pages). Both websites continue to be developed, and in this sense are mutually symbiotic.]
Suffolk Medical Biographies. No entry for Ernest Crompton (originally accessed pre October 2013). [Note: at the time of writing (December 2017), this website had no entry for Ernest Crompton.], [Note also, see comments regarding this website on the Francis Greene page.]
The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1889-1927. [Note: see above references for full 1890, 1892, 1901, 1902 and 1925 entries.], [Note also, this publication has been known by various titles over the years. Initially it just covered London, but from 1847 it had a wider remit, being variously known as the London and Provincial Medical Directory, The Medical Directories, The Medical Directory, etc., essentially the same work with minor variations and developments. It is usually referred to as The Medical Directory (as opposed to The Medical Register), so that is how it’s consistently referred to on talkingdust.net.]
The Medical Register. London: General Medical Council; 1889ff. [Note: he is not in the 1889 register, his date of registration being 7th August 1889. His first appearance is in the 1890 register, with his address as ‘St. Leonard’s villa, Exeter’ (see comments 1890 above), which changes to ‘Victoria, British Columbia’ from 1891. This changes to Newmarket in the 1901 register, as shown in the main references above.]
Note: For published material referenced on this website see the ‘Acknowledgements for resources of published material’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page. The sources used for original unpublished documents are noted after each individual reference. Any census records are referenced directly to The National Archives, since images of these are so ubiquitous on microfilm and as digital images that they almost function like published works. Census records are covered by the ‘Open Government Licence’ as should be other such public records (see the ‘Copyright and related issues’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page for which references constitute public records, and any other copyright issues more generally such as fair dealing/use etc.).