This chain of Newmarket medics leading to The Rookery Medical Centre goes back a very long way, and it was the first chain researched, in 2013 (click here for how it all began). That initial piece of research set off this whole endeavour that became talkingdust.net. Collateral data revealed during the course of 2013 that there were other parallel chains, which subsequently I researched in more detail before the launch of talkingdust.net in 2019 (see The practice chains of Newmarket).
The Rookery practice chain begins with the strangely named Wotton Braham, first mentioned at Newmarket in 1716, likely having come to the town some time between 1714 and 1716 (see the page on Wotton Braham for more details). This raises the interesting possibility that he replaced William Raby a barber-surgeon, who died in 1714. No hard evidence for that has yet emerged but, aside from the coincidence of dates, Wotton Braham’s apprentice (William Sandiver 1) was a close relative of the Rabys (see the pages on Wotton Braham and William Sandiver 1 for more on this, and the page on William Raby for full details and discussion). Even more tenuous is the possibility that the Raby practice succeeded that of Newmarket’s earlier barber-surgeon Nicholas Searle, and the yet further very faint possibility that the Searle and/or Raby practice had some form of complementary relationship with that of Francis Greene the 17th century apothecary (see the pages on Nicholas Searle and Francis Greene for further comments). The records become increasingly thin that far back and connections increasingly speculative, but merit mention for interest’s sake.
So this chain proper begins with Wotton Braham, who a few years after his arrival in town took on William Sandiver 1 as an apprentice in the 1720s (the indenture was dated 1726 and tax paid in 1728 – see the page on Wotton Braham for an image). William Sandiver 1 stayed on in Newmarket, likely therefore working with Wotton Braham then continuing the practice after his boss’s death in 1735, when William Sandiver 1 would still have been in his early 20s. It’s unlikely he would have set up alone in the same town in competition, but even if he did no doubt he would have continued seeing some of the patients he’d seen as part of Wotton Braham’s practice, and obviously was trained by him, so forming a continuity of patients as well as training at least, and most likely a complete continuity of practice.
William Sandiver 1 appears to have relocated to Mildenhall in the 1760s, leaving his son William Sandiver 2 to continue the Newmarket practice. However, the older William Sandiver was buried back in Newmarket, his memorial referring to William Sandiver 2 as the ‘junior surgeon’, so this family business might have operated on more than one site for a few years, with Newmarket as its base. William Sandiver 1 died in 1769. From 1792 it’s known that William Sandiver 2 lived in the large old house at the bottom of Mill Hill in St Mary’s Square, part of which is still called Sandiver House today, the earliest known precise location for this practice chain (see the page on William Sandiver 2 for an image). It’s not known whether he occupied the whole building, which has historically been divided into three (see the page on William Sandiver 2 for a more detailed discussion on that). It is known however that he used the first property up Mill Hill as an apothecary’s shop (Simpsons of Newmarket at the time of writing). The description of the Sandivers’ old house on its sale in 1814 is particularly interesting – see references below and also click here for full details.)
William Sandiver 2 died on 29th June 1813 and just 4 days later Woodward Mudd of Washam-le-Willows submitted a public notice to the newspaper stating that he ‘humbly solicits the favours of the employers of the late much-respected Mr. Sandiver’. This was dated 3 days before William Sandiver 2’s burial, although the notice did not actually appear in the paper until the following week. Nevertheless, for Woodward Mudd to have named William Sandiver 2 like this, right at the point of his death, suggests a formal rather than opportunistic succession. Also, Woodward Mudd’s apparent speed of relocation suggests that perhaps he was already providing some form of cover during William Sandiver 2’s final illness? The only other practices in town at the time (those of Walter Norton and James Hustler) did not place such a notice. Either way a succession of some form clearly took place, since Woodward Mudd’s Newmarket practice continued, no doubt with at least some of the Sandiver practice patients he saw himself providing services for. The indirect wording of his notice is similar to that used in one placed by Robert James Peck on the death of Woodward Mudd just 5 years later, in which he ‘flatters himself he shall be found deserving of that confidence and patronage he respectfully solicits, and be enabled to give to the Friends of the late Mr. Mudd satisfaction equal to that which they derived from the attendance of that gentleman’, and Robert Peck was in a formal partnership with Woodward Mudd (see below). There are also some interesting possible links between the Sandivers and the Pecks, which may have relevance to this Woodward Mudd bridge between William Sandiver 2 and Robert James Peck. Elizabeth, the daughter of William Sandiver 2, was close to the Isaacsons of Lidgate, described as ‘much loved ffriends and Relatives’ in his will of 1813 (his mother had been Hannah Isaacson of Burwell Manor). Lidgate Isaacsons were sponsors at the baptism of two of Robert Peck’s children. Lidgate is not far from where the latter’s grandfather Richard Hawes had been in practice. Perhaps the Isaacsons were friends of the Hawes/Pecks and were taking an interest in the continuation of the Sandiver medical practice? Perhaps they were related even; in his will of 1836 Robert Peck mentioned his ‘copyhold messuage and heretidaments holden of the Manor of Swaffham Prior’, the neighbouring parish to Burwell on the Isaacson Manor side. This seems to be a strange thing for him to have had, especially since he still had a mortgage of £1000 on his house in Newmarket when he died. Was this something he had inherited from the Isaacsons of neighbouring Burwell Manor?
Anyway, there was some form of connection between William Sandiver 2 and Woodward Mudd, not least the notice in which the latter names former, so Woodward Mudd clearly regarded himself as a successor to William Sandiver 2 in at least some respect (which was most likely a formal agreement), and there’s also this additional possible connection between William Sandiver 2 and Robert James Peck, which brings us to the very well documented connection between Woodward Mudd and Robert James Peck. Entering the 19th century the documentary evidence supporting this chain becomes very much more extensive.
Woodward Mudd died on 23rd December 1818. Just over a week later Robert James Peck placed a notice in the newspaper stating, ‘Mr. PECK, SURGEON, of NEWMARKET, respectfully informs the inhabitants of that Place and Neighbourhood, that he purposes to continue the Practice carried on by the late Mr. Mudd and himself; and he hopes by unremitting attention to secure the same encouragement and support so liberally afforded to his Predecessor and late Partner…’. Interestingly, it appears that Robert Peck likely arrived in Newmarket only a couple of months before this notice (see the page on Robert James Peck for details), so perhaps he was covering for Woodward Mudd during his final illness, making the handover very much like the earlier Sandiver/Mudd succession, just better documented, hence the similar language employed as quoted earlier above? It’s not known what location Woodward Mudd practiced from, except that he lived in east Newmarket, in All Saints’ parish, with good views of the High Street, and not surprisingly his house contained a surgery (so it might well have been Cheveley House). However, we know that Robert James Peck’s practice was at Mentmore House, from 1841 at least, and quite likely earlier (see the page on Robert James Peck for a more detailed discussion on that); Mentmore House is the building in between The Crown and Waggon and Horses, on the north-east part of Newmarket High Street (for many years now The Lancer Indian restaurant and shop next door/underneath).
After a brief partnership with Andrew Ross, Robert James Peck was succeeded by his son Floyd Minter Peck. He trained with his father in Newmarket, worked with him in the 1840s, and despite briefly relocating to Kent (see the page of Floyd Minter Peck for details), he was back in Newmarket when his father died in 1848 to continue the practice. However, he relocated the practice to what was likely the building that became known later as Cardigan Lodge, up the other end of the High Street on the south side (see the page on Cardigan Lodge for more details).
By September 1857 Floyd Minter Peck was in partnership with William Henry Day, who appears to have lived at the same address (3 Park Terrace, i.e. still before it was named Cardigan Lodge). However, Floyd emigrated to Australia in early 1858, leaving his successor Dr Day to continue the practice. Clearly this was some form of short handover partnership too.
By 1862 William Day had relocated the practice to Lushington House, leased from the Lushingtons. He remained there until late 1866 before taking up a post in London by early 1867. Frederick Clement Gray succeeded him at Lushington House to continue the practice there (Dr Gray bought Lushington House in 1875, and some documents relating to that sale are helpful in piecing together details regarding the succession 9 years earlier). The practice was then to continue through three generations of Grays.
Frederick Clement Gray was joined by his newly qualified son Clement Frederick Gray at Lushington House in 1871. They lived and worked there together until Frederick’s death in 1888, after which Clement appears to have employed a series of assistants. Then both of his sons came on board, Gilbert Gray about 1909/10 and Norman Gray in 1915/6. Interestingly, it seems likely that the Grays’ practice absorbed that of the Fysons at this stage, on the death on Ernest Last Fyson in 1917. He was a friend of Clement, who took charge of his practice during his final illness. So the Fyson practice, which went back to the 1830s, was probably a tributary to the Rookery Practice chain (see The Fyson practice chain for more details). For a while it seems possible/likely that Norman and Gilbert used Brackley House in Rous Road (where they lived) as a branch surgery or sorts.
Clement appears to have retired in about 1925, coinciding with the practice moving to Alton House, which the Grays built next door to Lushington House. Clement continued living in the old house/surgery until his death in 1943. He appears to have been replaced by Harold Hendley, who was in partnership with Norman and Gilbert Gray as ‘Grays and Hendley’ until 1930. Later more partners joined the practice so increasingly it ceased to be the Gray family practice, becoming the partnership of Alton House Surgery.
This partnership/practice moved to The Rookery shopping centre in 1974 (subsequently renamed The Guineas) to become The Rookery Medical Centre, which has kept the name Rookery, a name that goes back much further for that area of town (see the page on The Rookery Medical Centre for details). A complete list of the doctors who have been partners or employees since 1925 (excluding locums and trainees) can be found on the pages about Alton House Surgery and The Rookery Medical Centre. So from the arrival of Wooton Braham in town, this chain of connected medics has been going for at least 300 years and counting…
Note: Included here are only the references with direct relevance to the chain as explained above and its connections. For wider references regarding each medic/practice see the relevant links.
1716, 10th March: ‘Wootton ye Son of Mr Wooton Braham and Mary His Wife’ baptised, All Saints’, Newmarket. Reference: J503/4, microfilm of archdeacon’s transcripts, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this is on the 1715 transcript – see New Year change], [Note also, the original All Saints’ parish register for 1715, on microfiche 2, is very badly damaged at this point and can’t be read; the phrase ‘son of Wotton’ can just about be made out in the bottom left hand corner of the page, faintly, knowing it’s there!]
1728, 30th May: Tax paid regarding Will son of Jno Sandiver’s apprenticeship to Wotton Braham of Newmarket, surgeon. Indenture date 23rd February 1726. Reference: Online image of apprenticeship tax records held at The National Archives, ancestry.co.uk (accessed 27th March 2015). [Note: see the page on Wotton Braham for an image also.]
1735, 30th August: Wootton Braham buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1769, 4th February: Memorial to William Sandiver (and his daughter in law Mary). ‘Near this place are deposited the Remains of WILLIAM SANDIVER Surgeon, Eminent in his profession And universally respected He died 4th. Febry. 1769. In the 57th. Year of his age. Also of MARY the Wife of WILL. SANDIVER Junr. Surgeon who died 4.Febry. 1786. Aged 52 Years.’ Reference: Memorial in the base of the bell tower, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. [Note: he was buried the same day he died and also note interestingly they both died on 4th February!], [Note also, see the page on William Sandiver 1 for an image.]
1792, 30th May: William Sandiver, surgeon of Newmarket, admitted to all three parts of ‘that customary messuage now divided into three tenements on the Mill Hill in Newmarket’ on the surrender of Jeremiah Bryant of Newmarket, beer brewer. Newmarket manorial records. Reference: 359/14, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1813, 4th March: Will of William Sandiver of Newmarket in the County of Suffolk Surgeon (probate 16th March 1814). Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/1554/155.
1813, 29th June: Memorial to William Sandiver (and his daughter Elizabeth). ‘Near this place are deposited the Remains of ELIZ:SANDIVER. Spinster Only Daughter of WILLIAM SANDIVER Esqr. and MARY his wife. who died October 26: 1808 Aged 39 Years. Also of WILLIAM SANDIVER Esqr. who died June 29:1813 Aged 74 Years.’ Reference: Memorial in the base of the bell tower, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. [Note: see the page on William Sandiver 2 for an image.]
1813, 3rd July: Woodward Mudd arrived in town to take on William Sandiver’s patients. ‘W. MUDD, SURGEON, &c. BEING REMOVED from Walsham-le-Willows to NEWMARKET, humbly solicits the favours of the employers of the late much-respected Mr. Sandiver, and the public in general.- July 3, 1813.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Jul 14 1813: 2.
1814, 26th April: Sale and description of William Sandiver’s former residence. Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Apr 6, 13 & 20 1814: 3. [Note: click here for details.]
1814, 1st June: The Newmarket manorial records refer to, ‘that tenement or building lying on the north side of the front yard of the said capital mansion some time since a cottage but converted by the said William Sandiver into an apothecary’s shop and lately used by the said Samuel Buckle the son as an office’. Reference: 359/15 (pg 161), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1818, 1st December 1818: ‘DESIRABLE RESIDENCE, NEWMARKET, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, By Messrs. ISAACSON, At the Rutland Arms Inn, Newmarket aforesaid, on TUESDAY the 1st day of December, 1818, at Four in the Afternoon, (unless sooner disposed of by Pri-vate Contract, of which due notice will be given) ALL that desirable and substantial brick and slated sash-fronted RESIDENCE, most eligibly situate in the town of NEWMARKET; comprising, on the ground floor, a dining-room, small parlour, and surgery; on the first floor, a drawing-room and 3 bedcham-bers; 4 convenient attics, a kitchen, back kitchen, large coal house, store room, pantry, beer and wine cellars, on the basement; a laundry (formerly a 2-stalled stable, to which purpose, at trifling expense, may it may again be converted) with corn chamber over the same, a 3-stalled stable and coach-house, with hay chambers; a small garden in front, inclosed [sic] by a wall surmounted with iron palisades, yards and other conveniences. The above is situate at the East end of the town of Newmarket, and commands fine views of the principal street in that town and the neighbour-ing country. The premises have lately been put into thorough repair, and are replete with every convenience for the residence of a genteel family. May be viewed any Tuesday previous to the sale upon application to Mr. Mudd, the proprietor, of whom further particulars may be had, and of the Auctioneers, Moulton, near Newmarket.’ Reference: Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. Friday Nov 27 1818: 2. [Note: there was a similar advert in The Bury and Norwich Post the week before. Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Nov 18 1818: 2.]
1818, 23rd December: Memorial to Woodward Mudd. ‘To perpetuate the memory of WOODWARD MUDD. SURGEON who departed this life the 23. Decr. 1818. Aged 35 years. Resurgam’. Reference: Memorial high on the wall of the porch at All Saints’ church, Newmarket. [Note: apparently these memorials were removed from the old church that was demolished in the 1860s and put into the new porch. Thanks to Dr Robin Slowe for supplying this information, who found the memorial whilst re-decorating the church in 2015 and recognised the name from my research. It’s high on the wall, making it unusually difficult to see.], [Note also, ‘Resurgam’ is a Latin reference to the resurrection of the dead.], [Note also, see the page on Woodward Mudd for an image.]
1819, 1st January: ‘Mr. PECK, SURGEON, of NEWMARKET, respectfully informs the inhabitants of that Place and Neighbourhood, that he purposes to continue the Practice carried on by the late Mr. Mudd and himself; and he hopes by unremitting attention to secure the same encouragement and support so liberally afforded to his Predecessor and late Partner.- Mr. P. having been in extensive Practice at Elham, in Kent, for several years, flatters himself he shall be found deserving of that confidence and patronage he respectfully solicits, and be enabled to give to the Friends of the late Mr. Mudd satisfaction equal to that which they derived from the attendance of that gentleman. Newmarket, Jan. 1, 1819.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Jan 6 1819: 2. [Note: see the page on Robert James Peck for an image.]
1833, 25th February: ‘Mr. PECK, SURGEON, NEWMARKET, re-spectfully announces to his Friends and the Public generally, that he has received his Friend and late Assistant, Mr. ROSS, M.R.C.S. Ed. into Partnership. N.B. A Vacancy for a well-educated Youth as Pupil. 25th of February. Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Feb 27 1833: 3. [Note: see the page on Andrew Ross for an image.]
1836, 19th October: Will of ‘Robert James Peck of Newmarket in the County of Suffolk Surgeon’ (probate 30th December 1848). Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/2085/122. [Note: he mentions that all his ‘medical, philosophical and ecclesiastical books’ and ‘surgical instruments’ should be given to his eldest son ffloyd ‘on his attaining the age of twenty one years if he continue in the profession of a surgeon but not otherwise’. He mentions that if ffloyd should ‘succeed to the half of the business of a Surgeon and Apothecary in which I am now engaged’ (the other half would have been Andrew Ross at the point of writing this will) and he should pay Sarah Peck his widow £50 per year out of the profits of the business. He also mentions that ffloyd be given first refusal on the sale of his home i.e. his Newmarket residence, but interestingly also mentions his ‘copyhold messuage and heretidaments holden of the Manor of Swaffham Prior’.]
1837, 7th July: ‘Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between the undersigned, Robert James Peck and Andrew Ross, both of Newmarket, in the county of Suffolk, Surgeons and Apothecaries, was, on the 1st day of July instant, dissolved by mutual consent.- Dated this 4th day of July 1837.’ Reference: The London Gazette. July 7 1837; Issue 19517: 1728.
1841, 6th June: Robert Peck aged 50, surgeon, together with his wife Sarah, four of his children and three servants. St Mary’s parish, Newmarket. Reference: The National Archives, 1841 census. [Note: the households either side were of Francis Bloss, Publican, and John Martin, Publican, helping to identify their location as Mentmore House, in-between The Crown and the Waggon and Horses pubs respectively. John Martin was still in the Waggon and Horses on the 1861 census, which is named on that census, as is Mentmore House, by that time occupied by George Mead, and The Crown. The 1851 census for Newmarket St Mary’s is missing.]
1841, 29th July: Ffloyd Minter Peck passed the LSA examination, apprenticed to ‘Mr Robert James Peck of Newmarket, Suffolk his said father’ for 5 years, followed by 18 months attendance at St Bartholomews Hospital. Reference: Court of Examiners Candidates’ Qualification Entry Book, The Society of Apothecaries Archives, Apothecaries’ Hall, Black Friars Lane, London EC4V 6EJ. [Note: the apprenticeship is recorded to have started 3rd July 1834 and he started attending lectures in October 1837, yet his apprenticeship was 5 years, attendance at Bart’s 18 months and total training 7 years. So he must have started attending lectures in London whilst still an apprentice in Newmarket, with a two year overlap.]
1844: ‘Peck Rt. James and Son’ listed under ‘Surgeons’ in Newmarket. Reference: History, Gazetteer, and Directory, of Suffolk, and towns near its borders… Sheffield: W. White; 1844, pg 719. [Note: Faircloth Rd., Fyson Robert and Page Fredk. are listed separately.]
1848, 7th November: ‘The death of Mr Peck the Medical Officer of District No 3 was reported to the Board and the election of his successor was fixed for Tuesday the 19th Decr next, the notice whereof was to be confined to the present entry on the minutes. The Clerk was instructed to report the same to the Poor Law Board and to inform them that his son Mr Floyd Minter Peck, who was his partner in his profession and substitute in his office, would perform the duties for the remainder of the quarter ending at Christmas next and that the appointment of a successor to commence from Christmas will take place on Tuesday the 19th Decr’. Reference: 611/18, Newmarket Union Minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1850, 27th March: Notice regarding the auction on 8th and 9th April of the late Robert James Peck’s household furniture (including 250 volumes of books) and ‘freehold family residence situate in the High Street, Newmarket’, described as a ‘spacious dwelling-house’ and ‘for many years in the occupation of the said Robert James Peck. £1000 may remain on mortgage. Possession may be had immediately after the sale’. Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Wednesday Mar 27 1850: 3.
1851, 30th/31st March: Floyd M Peck aged 30, described as a general practitioner and deputy coroner for Cambridgeshire, with qualifications listed also. The household also contained his wife, two daughters, sister Martha aged 19, a visitor, three domestic servants, and Thomas John Kennett aged 22, who was originally from Dover in Kent and described as a pupil and student of medicine. All Saints’ parish, Newmarket. Reference: The National Archives, 1851 census. [Note: the census here seems to be out of sequence – see page on Cardigan Lodge.]
1857, 25th September: ‘Mr. Floyd Minter Peck, Newmarket Medical Officer of District no. 3… named his Partner Dr. William Henry Day as his substitute in case of absence &c’. Reference: 611/21, Newmarket Union Minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1858: ‘DAY, WM. HENRY, 3, Park-terr. Newmarket, Cambs. (Peck and Day)- M.D. St. And. 1857; M.R.C.S. Eng. 1854; L.S.A. 1857; late Asst.-Surg. H.M. 3rd Foot.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1858. [Note: he does not appear in any earlier year’s editions.]
1858, 31st January: ‘SAILING OF THE FLORINE. This fine clipper ship… sailed on Sunday morning for Melbourne, being detained on Saturday by the gale… she had 180 pas-sengers, among whom were… Dr. Peck of Newmarket, Mrs. Peck, 7 children and ser-vant’. Reference: The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian. Saturday Feb 6 1858: 3. [Note: the Pecks had only 5 children, details regarding the other two can be found in the ‘Account of the Peck family’s migration to Australia’ referenced on the Floyd Minter Peck page. Note also, in that account the date of departure is stated as 3rd February, from Liverpool.]
1858, 9th February: ‘THE UNION – MEDICAL OFFICER.- At a meeting of the Board of Guardians, on Friday last, there were two candidates for the appointment of Surgeon for No. 3 District, comprising Ashley, Cheveley, Kennet, Moulton, and Woodditton, namely, Mr. Day, successor to the practice of Mr. Peck, the late officer, and Mr. Mead, of the firm of Page and Mead, Newmarket, when Mr. Mead was successful, having gained the appointment by a majority of ten.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Tuesday Feb 9 1858: 3. [Note: according to the minutes above the majority was 8 – don’t believe everything you read in the papers (or the minutes?)!]
1862: ‘DAY, WILLIAM HENRY, Lushington House, Newmarket, Cambs. – M.D. St. And. 1857; L.R.C.P. 1861; M.R.C.S. Eng. 1854; L.S.A. 1857; obtained Surg. Clin. Prize 1852, and Supl. Surg. Scholarship 1852, of Bristol Roy. Infirm.; late Staff. Asst.-Surg. to Forces, and to H.M. 3rd Foot (Buffs); served in Crimea and Siege of Sebastopol (Crimean Medal and Clasp.) Author of Prize Essay “On Strictures of the Urethra” (awarded by Med. Soc. Bristol Roy. Infirm. 1852.) Contrib: “On Neuralgia of the Uterus following Premature Labour,” “Puerperal Convulsions,” “Sequelae of Remittent Fever,” &c. Lancet, Brit. Med. Journ. &c.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1862.
1866: ‘DAY, WILLIAM HENRY, Lushington House, Newmarket, Cambs.- M.D… Contrib. various Papers on Medical Subjects to Lancet, Brit. Med. Journ. &c.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1866.
1866, 16th October: First mention of Frederick Clement Gray in Newmarket: ‘Newmarket Farmers’ Club.- An adjourned meeting of the members of the Farmers Club Committee was held at the Golden Lion Inn, on Tuesday last… Dr. Gray, of Newmarket, was elected a member of the association.’ Reference: Cambridge Chronicle and University Journal. Saturday Oct 20 1866: 8. [Note: see the page on Frederick Clement Gray for an image.]
1866, 27th October: William H. Day listed as a member of the BMA in Suffolk (Newmarket). Reference: British Medical Journal 1866; 2(304): 478. [Note: Richard Faircloth, Robert Fyson and George B. Mead are also listed.]
1867, 19th January: Under ‘MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS’, ‘W. H. DAY, M.D., has been appointed an additional Visiting Physician to the Infirmary for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square.’ Reference: The Lancet 1867;89(2264):102.
1867, 29th April: Under Births, ‘Day. On April 29th, at 10, Manchester Square, the wife of W. H. Day, M.D., of a son, who survived his birth a few hours.’ Reference: British Medical Journal 1867; 1(331): 528.
1871, 2nd/3rd April: William H Day aged 40, ‘Physician’ born in Wantage, Berkshire, together with a butler, cook (interestingly from Woodditton), and housemaid living at 10 Manchester Square, Marylebone, London. Reference: The National Archives, 1871 census.
1871, 2nd/3rd April: Clement F Grey [sic] born in Dalston, Middlesex, aged 24, ‘Gen Practitioner London’ living in Lushington House, Terrace, Newmarket, in the household of his father Frederick C Grey [sic] also descibed as ‘Gen Practitioner London’ presumably referring to their place of qualification, with his mother, and various other family members and servants. Reference: The National Archives, 1871 census. [Note: although he qualified in 1870, he in fact joined the Medical Register the day before this census was taken!]
1872: ‘GRAY, CLEMENT F., Newmarket, Cambs.- M.R.C.S. Eng. and L.S.A. 1870; (St. Barthol.)’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1872. [Note: he is not in the 1871 directory (nor register), and this entry has an annotation to signify that he ‘had not registered under “The Medical Act,” up to November 1, 1871.’ – interestingly this annotation does not disappear until the 1874 edition, but the later medial registers indicate that he did in fact register on 1st April 1871. This is perhaps because for some unknown reason he does not appear in the Medical Register until the 1874 edition.]
1872, 25th June: ‘Dr Mead named Mr. Clement Gray of Newmarket a legally qualified Medical Practitioner to whom application for medicine or attendance may be made in the case of his absence from home or other hindrance to his personal attendance – approved’. Reference: 611/28, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1875, 25th March: ‘UNION MEDICAL DISTRICTS.- The Union medical district comprising the parishes of Ashley, Cheveley, Kennet, Moulton, and Woodditton, for several years held by Dr. Mead, has been annexed to that held by Mr. Clement F. Gray, son and partner of Dr. Gray, of Newmarket, who will commence his new duties on the 25th inst. About 12 months ago Mr. Gray was appointed to the district of Newmarket St. Mary’s and All Saints, on the resignation of Mr. Fyson, and after the small-pox epidemic, during which he was hospital doctor, he was unanimously elected successor to Dr. Mead as medical officer of the Workhouse.’ Reference: The Bury and Norwich Post. Tuseday Mar 23 1875: 8.
1875, June: Rough notes written in pencil on the back of the Abstract of Title for Lushington House, ‘Wm Henry Day Esq MD of Manchester Square had a lease for [number looks like a 5 and 8 superimposed?*] years. Mr Fredk. Gray – succeeded Dr Day– F G has lived there 9 – For some years S. R Lushington lived in the house’ Three more lines read ‘Lord Chesterfied – Fl[…?] – absolute Cook.[?]’ Reference: ‘Abstract of the title of James Lushington Wildman Lushington and Francis James Wildman Lushington Esquires to a messuage with garden and appurts at Newmarket in the County of Cambridge’ in collection RH114/013, (Cambridgeshire County Record Office [called Cambridgeshire Archives], Cambridge – subsequently relocated to Ely). [Note: I saw this collection at a solicitors’ office in London thanks to thanks to the Directors of the Lushington House Investment Company (see the page on Lushington House), and subsequently arranged for it to be deposited in the Cambridgeshire Archives who inform me it has been given this reference number.] [ * Note also, William Day had leased the house for about 5 years but had been in Newmarket about 8 years, so perhaps this number reflects an initial remark followed by a clarifying remark made by someone in conversation with Frederick Gray as the notes were being made?]
1875, 2nd August: Lushington House described as ‘that messuage or dwellinghouse situate on ‘the terrace’ at Newmarket… formerly in the occupation of Lord Chesterfield afterwards of the said Stephen Rumbold Lushington then of William Henry Day and now in the occupation of the said Frederick Clement Gray’. Reference: Conveyance of a Messuage or Dwellinghouse situate at Newmarket in the County of Cambridge. J. L. Wildman Lushington and F. J. Wildman Lushington to Frederick Clement Gray Esquire, in collection RH114/013, (Cambridgeshire County Record Office [called Cambridgeshire Archives], Cambridge – subsequently relocated to Ely). [Note: see comments above regarding this collection.]
1881, 3rd/4th April: Fredk. C. Gray ‘General Practitioner’ born in Alton, Hampshire, aged 68, together with his wife Sophia, Clement F Gray unmarried son aged 34 ‘General Practitioner’ born in Dalston, London, a granddaughter, neice and couple of servants living at 2 The Terrace (i.e. Lushington House). Reference: The National Archives, 1881 census.
1888, 17th May: ‘DEATH OF DR. F. C. GRAY.- We regret to announce the death of Dr. Frederick Clement Gray, M.R.C.S. England, L.S.A., L.M., Edinburgh, which took place at his residence, Lushington House, shortly before 2 o’clock on Thursday afternoon. The deceased gentleman, who was 75 years of age, came to Newmarket to practise about 22 years ago and soon earned a reputation for skill in his pro-fession; he had an extended experience, having taken his degree in 1834, and undergone his hospital training at St. Bartholomew’s, London. His last illness, caused principally by senile decay, was a lingering one; he was last downstairs on Easter Sunday, and previously to that had been confined to his room for some weeks. He leaves a widow and family to mourn his loss, the latter including Dr. C. F. Gray, the well-known surgeon of this town.’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Saturday May 19 1888: 5. [Note: Frederick Clement Gray is buried in Newmarket Cemetery under a large cross not far from the entrance on the right hand side, with and alongside other family members – see image on the page about Frederick Clement Gray.]
1889, September: Regarding a head injury case in Ashley, ‘Dr. Jones, assistant to Dr Gray, of Newmarket, promptly attended… The patient was seen the next day by Dr. Gray’. Reference: Cambridge Daily News. Saturday Sept 14 1889: 3. [Note: John Matthews Jones appears as resident in Newmarket in the 1890 Medical Directory at Carl House, Grafton Street, the only year he appears in Newmarket. Subsequently, a Dr James Findlay is recorded there in 1892, Sidney Ernest Atkins from 1893, and James Percy Grieves in 1895, who subsequently is listed living at Clifton House from 1896 to 1901 – which Clement Gray purchased in 1895; in 1901 he also appears on the census there (see below also). Dr Atkins was named as assistant to Dr Gray in the Newmarket Union minutes in 1893 and Dr Greaves [sic] was implied to be his assistant in a 1900 newspaper report. So it seems that after Fredrick Gray’s death in 1888 Clement had a series of assistants, first living at Carl House, Grafton Street, then next door to him in Clifton House after he purchased it in 1895. There was also a Bernard Newmarch Molineux there in 1905, presumably another assistant – see the page on Clement Frederick Gray for more details regarding these assistants.]
1891, 5th/6th April: Clement F. Gray born in Dalston, London, aged 44, ‘General Medical Practitioner’ living at Lushington House, High Street, Newmarket, together with his wife Eleanor, young sons Gilbert C. Gray and Norman Gray, widowed mother Sophia and several servants. Reference: The National Archives, 1891 census.
1901, 31st March / 1st April: Clement F. Gray born in Dalston, London, aged 48 [sic, he was 54], ‘surgeon’, living in the High Street, Newmarket, with his wife and 11 year old son Norman. Reference: The National Archives, 1901 census. [Note: Gilbert was aged 15 and away at school.], [Note also, James P. Grieves his assistant and family are shown living next door (in what would have been Clifton House – see 1889 reference above), described as physician and surgeon.]
1909: ‘GRAY, Gilbert Clement… Lushington house, Newmarket…’ Reference: The Medical Register. London: General Medical Council; 1909.
1910: ‘GRAY, GILBERT CLEMENT, Lushington House, New-market (Nat.Tel.8) – M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.Lond. 1908; (St. Bart.); Ho. Surg. Roy. Free Hosp.’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1910. [Note: he does not appear in the 1909 Directory. From 1913 he gave his address as Brackley House, then as Lushington House again from 1922, and Alton House from 1926. Likely he changed from giving his residential address to practice address in 1922.]
1911, 2nd/3rd April: Clement Frederick Gray born in Dalston, London, aged 64, ‘Medical Practitioner’, living in Lushington House, High Street, Newmarket, together with his wife Eleanor, two sons Gilbert Clement Gray ‘Medical Practitioner’ and Norman Gray ‘Medical Student’, and two servants. Reference: The National Archives, 1911 census. [Note: this reference has special significance for talkingdust.net. In the spring of 2013 all I knew about the medical history of Newmarket was that many years ago our practice had been ‘on The Terrace up the other end of the High Street’ and that several of the doctors had been called Gray, all from the same family. I knew none of their first names. An 83 year old patient ended our consultation with the interesting aside that she’d been a patient of the practice since she was born. Interested I asked who the doctor had been when she was a little girl and she replied ‘Dr Norman Gray’, emphasizing the Norman, for obvious reasons. Fascinated by this I sent a message out to all staff, wondering whether anyone knew of a longer-standing patient (subsequently we found several in their 90s). A few days later a receptionist showed me a copy of this 1911 census entry that she’d found. The obvious thing to do was to look further back in the same house – the digging had started and talkingdust.net is the result!], [Note also, see the page on the Grays for an image.], [Note also, see the December 2013 reference below for the end of the first phase of this project.]
1915: ‘GRAY, Norman, Lushington House, Newmarket – B.A. Camb. 1912; M.R.C.S,,[sic] L.R.C.P. Lond. 1914; (St. Bart.)[sic]’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1915. [Note: from 1916 (see below) Norman gives his address as Brackley House, like Gilbert (see 1910 reference above), with Clement, Gilbert and Norman all describing themselves as Gray and Sons. In 1920 Norman was back listing Lushington House (possibly changing to listing his practice address), until 1926, when Gilbert, Norman and Hendley (see 1925 and 1926 entries below) start listing Alton House (Gray and Hendley). It appears Clement might have retired in 1926, since he stops listing Gray and Sons or any other roles (the Rous Memorial Hospital but not the Newmarket Union having been mentioned in 1925). It’s not until 1928 that his entry actually mentions ‘retired’ though – see below.]
1916: ‘GRAY, Norman, Brackley House, Newmarket (Gray & Sons; Tel.69) – B.A. (Nat.Sc.Trip.) Camb.1912 [Note: this changes from 1912 to 1910 in 1917]; M.A., M.B., B.C. 1915; M.R.C.S.,L.R.C.P.Lond. 1914; (Camb. & St. Bart); Surg. Cheveley Park Milit. Hosp.; late Ho. Surg. Roy. Free Hosp.’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1916.
1916, 8th February: ‘Gray + sons’ mentioned in the Newmarket Union minutes in receipt of some medical fees. Reference: 611/43, Newmarket Union minutes, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: earlier references in 1915 refer to Gray and son, then the plural Gray + sons appears on 8th February 1916 (although there are a couple of entries using the singular a couple or few years later, likely in error). Reference: 611/43-44.]
1917, 24th February: Under a heading ‘Death of Dr. Fyson’ a report that included, ‘We record with much regret the death of Dr. Ernest Last Fyson, who passed away at his residence, Cheveley House, Newmarket, on Tuesday, about 3.30 a.m., after a lingering illness… 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. [Note: see the pages on The Fyson practice chain, the Fysons and Ernest Fyson for more details from this report.], [Note also, it seems likely therefore that the Fysons’ practice was absorbed into the Grays’ at this point, who likely had the capacity now being three, although a notice appeared in the paper the following week 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: 3. This appears to be an addition rather than correction? There’s nothing to suggest Ernest Crompton’s practice was expanding at this point. In fact he retired due to ill health a few years later and his practice also appears to cease at that point.]
1921, 30th September: Conveyance of Godolphin House from Capt. E. F. E. Hammond to C. F. Gray. Reference: In collection RH114/013, (Cambridgeshire County Record Office [called Cambridgeshire Archives], Cambridge – subsequently relocated to Ely). [Note: see comments above regarding this collection], [Note also, it appears that following this purchase the property was divided into three sections. The eastern part of the building remains as Godolphin House today (on the corner of The Avenue), the western part was sold to The Freemasons, whose Lodge is still there today (details of this transaction and a diagram of their section are in RH114/013), and the original garden of Godolphin House was added to the Lushington House property. Then the Grays built Alton House in part of this new extended garden of Lushington House.]
1924, 12th March: Plans for Alton House. A notice with the plans reveal that they were for Dr C. F. Gray, Lushington House, Newmarket, and described as ‘Home with surgeries etc. attached’. There are three sheets of diagrams/drawings, all labelled ‘House High Street Newmarket for Dr. Gray’. Upstairs contained the bedrooms and bathroom etc. Downstairs in the main house were four rooms (Kitchen, drawing room, dining room and interestingly ‘waiting room’). A corridor past the waiting room led into the main surgery area, which consisted of another waiting room, a dispensary, two consulting rooms and a mysterious, surprisingly large, ‘electrical room’ (19 1/2 feet by 10 feet). Reference: EF506/6/1/19/666, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: see the page on Alton House Surgery for an image.]
1925: ‘HENDLEY, Harold Jas. Holbein, Lushington House, Newmarket, Suffolk – M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1921; (St. Bart.); late Res. Med. Off. Jenny Lind Hosp. Childr. Norw.; Ho. Surg. & Intern. Midw. Asst. St. Bart. Hosp.’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1925.
1925: Under ‘Newmarket’… then ‘Private Residents’… ‘Gray Clement Frederick, Lushington house. T N 336 / Gray Gilbert Clement, Grasmere, The Avenue / Gray Norman, Alton house, High st / Hendley Harold James H., B.A. Alton house, High street. T N 8’… then under ‘Commercial’… ‘Gray Clement Frederick M.R.C.S.Eng., L.S.A. surgeon, & medical officer to the Newmarket & Moulton Joint Hospital Board, Lushington house, High st. T N 336 / Gray Gilbert Clement M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond. surgeon (firm, Grays & Hendley), Alton house, High street. T N 8 / Gray Norman M.A., M.D., B.Ch., M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond. surgeon (firm, Grays & Hendley, Alton house, High street. T N 8 / Grays & Hendley, surgeons, Alton house, High st. T N 8 / Hendley Harold James H., B.A., M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond surgeon (firm, Grays & Hendley), Alton house, High street. T N 8’. Reference: Kelly’s directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk & Essex (with coloured maps) 1925-6. London: Kelly’s Directories Ltd.; 1925, pg 201-210. [Note: Norman Gray lived at Alton House as his private residence as well as it being the surgery. It appears Harold Hendley perhaps lived there too, unless he was giving his work address in both parts of the directory?]
1926: ‘HENDLEY, Harold Jas. Holbein, Alton House, New-market, Suffolk (Grays & Hendley; Tel. Newmkt. 8) – M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1921; (St. Bart.); late Res. Med. Off. Jenny Lind Hosp. Childr. Norw.; Ho. Surg. & Intern. Midw. Asst. St. Bart. Hosp.’. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1926.
1928: ‘GRAY, CLEMENT FREDK. (retired), Newmarket, Cambs. (Tel. 59) – M.R.C.S.Eng. & L.S.A. 1870; (St.Bart) Author, “Case of Cæsarian Section in which Mother Survived,” Brit. Med. Journ. 1883.’ Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1928.
1930, 31st December: ‘NOTICE is hereby given that the Partnership which has for some time past been carried on by Harold James Hendley, Gilbert Clement Gray and Norman Gray, under the style of GRAYS AND HENDLEY, at Newmarket, in the county of Suffolk, in the practice of General Medical Practitioners, was this day dissolved under a power for that purpose contained in the Partnership deed, and that in future the said practice will be carried on by the said Gilbert Clement Gray and Norman Gray, in partnership – As witness our hands this thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred and thirty.’ Reference: The London Gazette. Jan 30 1931; Issue 33685: 704.
1936: A pre-NHS medical insurance card from a patient of The Rookery Medical Centre, dating from the time of her childhood as a patient of Alton House Surgery. The card is completed in ink with the years 36 to 45 filled in after a printed 19. The underlying printed card however seems to date from much earlier, when the practice was called ‘Messrs. GRAY & SON’, and the ‘RULES AND REGULATIONS’ printed on the back refer to surgery opening hours at Lushington House. This would date the underlying printing from pre-1925 and with the singular ‘son’ 1910-1915! Perhaps they had a large batch printed that they were using over two decades later! It’s for what’s called the ‘Cambridgeshire Medical Club’ and the rules and regulations included notes about the annual subscription and additional fees, which included extra for midwifery, surgical operations, tooth extractions, fractures and dislocations, and the administration of anaesthetics. No-one could be a member of the club ‘whose average weekly income from all sources exceeds 25s per week’. The Lushington House surgery hours were ‘9 to 10 a.m., and 6 p.m. (Urgent cases only on Sundays).’ One rule was that ‘Patients who are able must attend at the Surgery during Surgery hours, and to ensure a visit on the same day messages must be left at the Surgery before 10 a.m.’, another that ‘Every member must supply his or her own clear transparent bottle or bottles, otherwise they will be charged one penny for each supplied.’ There were also extra fees for visits in response to calls received after 10.30 a.m. and night visits, defined as those between 8 p.m. and 8.a.m.
1937, 16th August: Old receipt from Alton House Surgery. Address of the practice: Alton House, Newmarket. Partners: G. C. Gray, N. Gray, J. L. McNeill and T. R. Smith. The partnership was called ‘Messrs Grays, McNeill & Smith. Surgeons’, and under the heading ‘For professional attendance and medicine’ is written ‘during confinement’ (i.e. pregnancy). Reference: Old receipt shown to me by a patient, relating to her birth over 70 years earlier.
1943, 16th January: ‘Death of Dr. C. F. Gray / It is with profound and sincere regret – a regret which will be fully shared by everyone in New-market and district – that we re-cord the death of Dr. Clement Frederick Gray, who passed away at his residence, Lushington House, High Street, Newmarket, on Saturday. / Dr. C. F. Gray was the son of the late Dr. Frederick Clement Gray, of this town, who died in 1888, and, after obtaining his medical qualifications, joined his father in practice. For some-thing like 60 years he had the largest medical practice in New-market and district,… two sons, Dr. Gilbert Gray and Dr. Norman Gray, both en-tered their father’s profession, and, upon gaining their qualifica-tions, joined him in practice… Several years ago Dr. Gray retired and handed over the practice to his sons, by whom, with their partners, it is now carried on.’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Saturday Jan 23 1943: 7. [Note: see the page on Clement Frederick Gray for more details on his life.]
1944, 30th June: Old receipt from Alton House Surgery. Address of the practice: Alton House, Newmarket. Partners: G. C. Gray, N. Gray, J. L. McNeill and J. H. Randall. The partnership was called ‘Messrs Grays, McNeill & Randall. Surgeons’, and under the heading ‘For professional attendance and medicine’ is written ‘Operation’ (which I’m told was a hernia repair carried out by Norman Gray at the Rous Memorial Hospital). Reference: Old receipt shown to me by a patient. [Note: see the page on the Rous Memorial Hospital for an image.]
1954: Norman Gray shown as retired in the Medical Directory, with his address changed from Alton House (Gray & Partners) to Bedford Cottage in Bury Rd, Newmarket. Reference: The Medical Directory. London: Churchill; 1954. [Note: this probably does not reflect him moving, but changing from a business to a residential address on retirement. Gray family documents suggest he was living elsewhere by 1951.]
1972: Summary of the practice in the early 70s: The partnership consisted of Drs Bussell, Walker, Dossetor, Wallace and McNeill. The summary states that the surgery ‘was partly purpose built some years ago’ (see the page on Alton House Surgery for fuller details). Reference: Description of the practice supplied to Dr Baxter by the practice via the BMA before he joined in 1973. [Note: Dr Baxter left this in the coffee room on the day he retired in 2002. I kept it out of interest, but did not research the history any further until 2013.]
1974, 28th October: Under a small heading ‘On the move’ it was reported that ‘From next Monday, the practice of Dr. J. L. McNeill and partners will be at new premises on the Rookery. The practice, which involves six doctors, has been at Alton House, High Street, New-market, for many years.’ Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Thursday Oct 24 1974: 40 (i.e. the back page).
2013, 12th December: The Newmarket Journal published an article on my research into this practice chain under the heading ‘Medical investigation uncovers 300 years of history’. Reference: The Newmarket Journal. Thursday Dec 12 2013: 6-7.
The Peck family Bible (see The Pecks for details). Of particular note it records that the Lidgate Isaacsons were sponsors at two of Robert James Peck’s childrens’ christenings. Also, ‘Mr Ross (my Partner) of Edinborough’ [sic] is recorded as a sponsor at the Christening of James Peck on 24th October 1833. Finally it records that Robert James Peck died of pneumonia after five days of illness at 8pm on 2nd November 1848. [Note: details taken from a transcript supplied by the Peck family and images of some original pages.]
Personal correspondence and discussion with those who have living memory of Alton House Surgery, including doctors, staff and patients.
Personal correspondence and discussion with those who have living memory of The Rookery Medical Centre, including doctors, staff and patients.
The Medical Directory. London: Churchill. [Note: 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.
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.).