Henry Kendall was first mentioned as a Newmarket medic in 1823, as part of the unusual for the time triple partnership Norton, Taylor and Kendall ‘surgeons and apothecaries’. At his death in 1835 he was described as 39 years of age, so he must have been born about 1796, but it’s not yet known where.
Henry Kendall’s 1819 LSA examination records from the Society of Apothecaries in London, the earliest example of this qualification to be held by a Newmarket medic (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 1).
He qualified as an apothecary in 1819, having served the usual 7 year apprenticeship to a Mr. George Thomas Kent of Brick Lane, Spittlefields, London. His examination records at the Society of Apothecaries in London (see image on the right) show that he studied anatomy, physiology, the theory and practice of medicine, chemistry, and materia medica (i.e. medicinal substances). It also records that he attended the St George’s and St James’s Dispensary for 6 months (a charitable institution providing medical services to the poor of the Parishes of St George and St James, Westminster, London). Taking the LSA examination had become compulsory in 1815, and this example from 1819 is the earliest to be held by a Newmarket medic (gained before he arrived in town to practise). The earliest example of someone who trained in Newmarket obtaining the LSA was Robert Peck’s apprectice Edward Sankey in 1820 (see The history of medical treatments, training, qualifications and regulation for an image of his examination records and further details about the introduction of the LSA).
Henry Kendall was recorded as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1820 (MRCS) and must have come to Newmarket some time between then and 1823, joining Walter Norton’s well established practice, about the same time as James Taylor, who was just a few years older. Together they form the central section of the Edwards-Norton-Taylor-Kendall-Thomas-Bullen practice chain. In 1824 he married Mary Travis of Newmarket, who almost certainly was the same Mary Travis mentioned in Walter Norton’s will made in 1823 (his niece).
Henry and Mary Kendall had five children baptised at Newmarket: Ellen, Walter Norton (!), Emily, Catherine and Jessie. Electoral rolls from the 1820s and 30s place him on the Cambridgeshire side of town.
As part of the Norton, Taylor and Kendall practice he was involved with the training of Charles Edwards and Thomas Golding Cocke.
Little is known about Henry Kendall’s medical practice, but in 1825 his maid servant committed suicide by swallowing arsenic she’d purchased from a ‘chymist’, suggesting he perhaps did not have such substances on his own premises, which is interesting, and a little surprising for the time (perhaps he did, but she wanted to make sure she took something that was definitely lethal rather than medicinal (?) or perhaps is suggests they practised from another premises, perhaps an apothecaries shop and/or Walter Norton’s premises?). Her actions were attributed by the coroner to ‘Insanity, caused by love and jealousy’.
In 1828 Henry Kendall gave a reference for Charles Pyman (an assistant in Robert James Peck’s practice), when he applied for the post of Apothecary to the Suffolk General Hospital. He stated that he’d had ‘numerous opportunities’ to judge his ‘merit and talents’, which is interesting given that Charles Pyman had been working for the rival practice. Walter Norton and James Taylor also gave references, as obviously did Robert James Peck (see further comments on the page regarding James Taylor).
James Taylor died in 1833, leaving the practice called simply Norton and Kendall according to Henry Kendall’s own death announcement in 1835. By 1836 Walter Norton had taken on John Thomas to form a new partnership called Norton and Thomas.
It’s not yet know what became of Mary Kendall or most of the Kendall children. However, on the 1841 census Ellen and Jessie Kendall can be seen in the household of the widow Molly Norton, their apparent great aunt (see the page on Walter Norton for an image of that census record). They might just have been staying with their great aunt on the day of the census, but there’s a distinct possibility that they were living with her, and their mother away. It’s interesting that the house appears to be part of Thomas Panton’s old property (between Crockford’s Yard and Richard Faircloth’s residence). In his will Walter Norton left a property he’d purchased from Thomas Panton, where he was residing, to his niece Mary Travis, who was living with him at the time (see the page on Walter Norton for more details on this and Molly Norton’s later will, which all suggests that they were together in Willoughby House).
Jessie grew up to marry a surgeon named Anderson Smith according to a notice regarding her death at the age of 42 in 1876 (it’s not clear where this was – possibly London). A similar notice records the death of Walter Norton Kendall aged 25 in London in 1851.
Image 1: From The Society of Apothecaries’ Court of Examiners Candidates’ Qualification Entry Book 1819-1823, reference MS8241/2 (cropped); image ©, reproduced with kind permission of The Society of Apothecaries Archives, London.
Note: see comments regarding images and copyright © etc. on the Usage &c. page as well.
1819, 9th December: ‘Decr. 9th – 1819 Mr. Henry Kendall of full age – CANDIDATE for a CERTIFICATE to practise as an APOTHECARY in [blank] An APPRENTICE to Mr. George Thomas Kent of Brick Lane, Spittlefield APOTHECARY for 7 Years. EVIDENCE of APPRENTICESHIP. Indenture TESTIMONIAL of MORAL CHARACTER. Dr Duncan Robertson LECTURES. 3 COURSES on ANATOMY and PHYSIOLOGY. J [?] Brooks.- 3 – THEORY and PRACTICE of MEDICINE. Dr Pearson 3 – CHEMISTRY. W F Bragde [?] [and bracketed with Dr Pearson above] 1 – MATERIA MEDICA. Dr Gregory HOSPITAL ATTENDANCE. 6 MONTHS at the St Georges & St James’s Disps [illegible – possibly examiner’s signature out of place] EXAMINED by Mr. [blank]’. Reference: Court of Examiners Candidates’ Qualification Entry Book, The Society of Apothecaries Archives, Apothecaries’ Hall, Black Friars Lane, London EC4V 6EJ. [Note: see image above.]
1820: The Royal College of Surgeons archives record Henry Kendall as a member (i.e. MRCS) from 1820. He gave his address as Rawstorne St., Brompton initially, then is listed in Newmarket from 1824 (although we know from the 1823 reference below that he was in Newmarket by 1823, so he was probably just slow to update his address, unless he moved to Newmarket in 1823 before Pigot’s Directory was compiled, with the Royal College then updating their address in 1824). Reference: Personal email from the Royal College of Surgeons of England Archives, (24th October 2019).
1823: ‘Norton, Taylor & Kendall’ listed under ‘surgeons and apothecaries’ in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire. Reference: Pigot and Co.’s London & provincial new commercial directory, for 1823-4. London: J. Pigot; 1823, pg 172ff. [Note: Peck Robert James is listed separately.]
1823, 21st July: The will of ‘Walter Norton of the parish of All Saints Newmarket in the county of – Cambridge surgeon’. Includes mention of his niece Mary Travis (probate 10th January 1838, to ‘Molly Norton widow the relict’). Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/1889.
1824, 23rd February: Henry Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ (bachelor) married Mary Travis of Newmarket All Saints’ (spinster) by licence, All Saints church, Newmarket. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 8), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: W Norton was a witness.]
1825, 8th January: ‘On Saturday last, a maid-servant of Mr. Kendal, sur-geon, of Newmarket, terminated her existence by swal-lowing arsenic, which she had purchased from a chymist, on pretence of using it for the destruction of vermin.- By the evidence at the inquest, it appeared that this desperate act was the effect of jealousy. The coroner’s jury returned a verdict of “Insanity, caused by love and jealousy.”’ Reference: The Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury. Friday Jan 14 1825: 3.
1826: Henry Kendall on the electoral roll for Newmarket. Reference: ‘A copy of the poll for two knights of the shire, for the county of Cambridge which commenced at Cambridge on Thursday 22d, and ended at the close of Thursday the 29th June, 1826’. Cambridge: Weston Hatfield; 1826.
1826, 24th January: Under deaths, ‘On Tuesday last, at Newmarket, Charles, youngest son of Mr. Edwards, of Dullingham. In his avocation as surgeon and apothecary, he exhibited superior talent, united with tenderness and affection to the objects of his care, and no less respected by those who were his associates. He studied his profession under Messrs. Norton, Taylor, and Kendall.’ Reference: Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. Friday Jan 27 1826: 3.
1825, 21st February: Ellen daughter of Henry and Mary Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ was baptised. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 6), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Henry is referred to as ‘surgeon’.]
1826, 3rd August: Walter Norton son of Henry and Mary Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ was baptised. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 6), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Henry is referred to as ‘surgeon’.]
1828, October: Francis Charles Pyman’s application for the post of Apothecary and Secretary to the Suffolk General Hospital published in the Newspaper, with references, including from the Newmarket medics Robert James Peck, W Norton, J Taylor and Henry Kendall. Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Oct 22 1828: 3. [Note: Henry Kendall is referred to as ‘Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons’, but he was not FRCS it seems, since he is not in Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows: http://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/browse.htm (subsequently changed to https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-publications/library/blog/plarrs-lives-of-the-fellows/ – accessed 29th December 2018) and besides fellowship was not introduced until 1843 apparently, according to the Royal College of Surgeons Archives, but he was recorded there as a Member (i.e. MRCS) from 1820 – see reference above. However, intriguingly he was again referred to as FRCS in the 1851 reference below also.]
1830: ‘Norton,Taylor & Kendall, Newmkt’ listed under ‘surgeons & apothecaries’ in ‘Newmarket, &c.’ Cambridgeshire. Reference: Pigot and Co.’s national commercial directory. London & Manchester: J. Pigot & Co.; 1830. [Note: see the page on the Edwards–Norton–Taylor–Kendall–Thomas–Bullen practice chain for an image of this.], [Note also, Peck Robert James, Newmarket and Handcock Charles, Burwell are listed separately.]
1830, 10th June: Emily daughter of Henry and Mary Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ was baptised. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 7), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Henry is referred to as ‘surgeon’.]
1830, 30th December: ‘Decr. 30th 182 [2 overwritten 30] 24 MR. Thomas Golding Cocke – of full Age CANDIDATE for a CERTIFICATE to practise as an APOTHECARY in [blank] An APPRENTICE to Mr. Walter Norton James Taylor Hry Kendall of Newmarket APOTHECARY for five Years. INDENTURE DATED 3 July 1823 TESTIMONIAL of MORAL CHARACTER. Norton [& Co?] EVIDENCE of AGE. Baptised 19 Feb 1807 LECTURES. 2 COURSES on CHEMISTRY. [Tarads?] 2 – MATERIA MEDICA. Macleod 2 – ANATOMY and PHYSIOLOGY. 2 – Of ANATOMICAL DEMONSTRATIONS [bracketed together] Hawkins 2 – The PRINCIPLES and PRACTICE of MEDICINE Macleod HOSPITAL ATTENDANCE Number. 1737 12 MONTHS at St Geo & St Js Dispes 23 May 1829 2 COURSES of LECTURES on MIDWIFERY. Ley – of CLINICAL LECTURES. [blank] EXAMINED by Mr. Williams & rejected’. Reference: Court of Examiners Candidates’ Qualification Entry Book, The Society of Apothecaries Archives, Apothecaries’ Hall, Black Friars Lane, London EC4V 6EJ. [Note: see the page on the Edwards–Norton–Taylor–Kendall–Thomas–Bullen practice chain for an image of this.], [Note also, he presented again on 22nd December 1831, was examined by Mr. Ridout and rejected again, but was eventually approved at his third examination by Mr Blatch on 19th July 1832; with these re-examinations the details of apprenticeships and courses etc. are not filled in.]
1830, 31st December: Catherine daughter of Henry and Mary Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ was baptised. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 7), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Henry is referred to as ‘surgeon &c &c’.]
1833, 5th February: Under deaths, ‘Yesterday se’nnight… Mr. James Taylor, of the firm of Norton, Taylor, and Kendall, surgeons, of Newmarket.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Feb 13 1833: 2.
1833, 5th September: Jessie daughter of Henry and Mary Kendall of Newmarket All Saints’ was baptised. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 7), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Henry is referred to as ‘surgeon’.]
1835: Henry Kendall on the electoral roll for Newmarket. Reference: ‘The poll of the election of three knights of the shire for the county of Cambridge, taken at Cambridge, Royston, Newmarket, Ely, Wisbeach, and Whittlesea on Thursday, the 15th, and Friday, the 16th days of January, 1835’. Cambridge: John Hall; 1835.
1835, 14th December: Under deaths, ‘On Monday, aged 39, Mr. Henry Kendall, of the firm of Norton and Kendall, surgeons, of Newmarket.’ Reference: Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette. Saturday Dec 19 1835: 2. [Note: The Bury and Norwich Post printed, ‘Mr. Henry Kendall, of the firm of Martin and Kendall, surgeons, of Newmarket’, Martin clearly being a typo for Norton therefore (just in case anyone were to spot this and think that there was a Mr Martin, surgeon, in Newmarket, for which there is no other evidence, and this evidence clearly proves the typo.). Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Dec 16 1835.]
1837, 21st December: Henry Kendall of All Saints’ parish buried, aged 39. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 9), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1841, 7th June: Coming east along the All Saints’ (south) side of the High Street, immediately past Crockford’s Yard, is a household seemingly headed up by Molly Norton aged 55, together with Ellen Kendall aged 15, Jesie Kendall aged 8, and three servants. Interestingly, the next residence east is Richard Faircloth. Reference: The National Archives, 1841 census. [Note: see the page on Walter Norton for an image of this.]
1851, 11th March: Under deaths, ‘March 11th, at Howley Place, Paddington, Walter Norton, only son of the late Henry Kendall, Esq., surgeon. F.R.C.S., of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, in his 25th year’. Reference: The Essex Standard. Friday Mar 21 1851: 3. [Note: Henry Kendall was not FRCS it seems, since he is not in Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows: http://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/browse.htm (subsequently changed to https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-publications/library/blog/plarrs-lives-of-the-fellows/ – accessed 29th December 2018); he was MRCS and died before fellowship was introduced – although see the intriguing 1828 reference above also, and notes.]
1876, 27th February: Under deaths, ‘On the 27th ult., at 63. Burton-crescent, aged 42, JESSIE, wife of ANDERSON SMITH, Esq., F.R.C.S., and youngest daughter of the late Henry Kendall, Esq., surgeon, of Newmarket.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Tuesday Mar 7 1876: 5.
Suffolk Medical Biographies. Profile for Kendall, Henry. http://www.suffolkmedicalbiographies.co.uk/Profile.asp?Key=438 (originally accessed pre October 2013). [Note: see comments regarding this website on the Francis Greene page], [Note also, when originally accessed, this website had only two references to Henry Kendall, the 1835 reference to his death and the 1876 reference to the death of his youngest daughter – in a different Newspaper to the ones I have referenced (Ipswich Journal or Weekly Mercury), which seems to have the same Martin for Norton typo I have referred to above.]
The research notes of Peter May. Reference: HD1584, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
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.).