A Hucknall History

Medical Health Care

Doctor Surgeries

To combat threat of Cholera epidemics above other public health issues that swept a crowded capital, the first Medical Officer of Health was appointed by the city of London in 1848. Sir John Simon was a surgeon dedicated to sanitary reforms, who's concerns over fresh water supply, waste drainage and lack of clean air in designated slum housing set out basic guidelines for later Medical Officers being appointed to oversee all local authorities.

Huthwaite UDC Medical Officers of Health
1881 A.K. Dyer M.D. Sutton-in-Ashfield
1888 Peter Standen M.B., C.M. Stanton hill
1891 Fredrick William Style LRCP
1894 Dr. Tweedie
1900 R. Irvine L.R.C.P. & L.F.P.
1932 John N. F. Ferguson M.B., B. Ch

Medical Officer of Health

Since forming a Hucknall-under-Huthwaite Local Board in 1870, their appointed Medical Officers of Health can date mention for these early physician surgeons within Sutton parish borders. While very few could readily afford consulting a qualified medical doctor, educated clergymen also often held a doctorate and freely visited sick parishioners homes when spiritual comfort was still possibly kindest medicine before real scientific advances.

Press reporter Mr Bostock noted back in 1935 that "Prior to 1887 there was no medical practitioner at Huthwaite, such aid having to be obtained either from Sutton, Tibshelf or Alfreton, a surgery being provided at South Normanton. About this time the various friendly societies took up the matter and a resident practitioner was appointed."

Industrial injuries increased dire need for quickly seeking recognised care from a physician, or city hospital surgeon. One of the above named is now recognised founding a private practice in Huthwaite before the Liberal government introduced their 20th century welfare reforms. In combination with other Acts that began to mould foundations for our present National Health Service, their 1911 National Insurance Act gave citizens the right to free medical treatment through wider choice of registered physicians, furthermore encouraging more localised surgeries.

Dr. Irvine

Robert Irvine LRCP & LFP took over official role as Medical Doctor of Health for Hucknall Huthwaite Urban District Council before Kelly's 1900 directory identifies he's a trained physician & surgeon. The 1901 census suggests he was born about 1868.

Unlike any prior area Medical Officers, Dr Irvine took residence here as well as founding his own private practice. Robert may therefore be regarded as first Huthwaite doctor able to fully serve this fast developing township. That surely sums up good reason why he retained a trusted Officer title through the next 32 years. (And without any need for exaggerated international spin selling)

Dr Irvine proposed his 1907 plans for building a new residence to incorporate a future surgery upon Sutton Road. Location on corner into King Street points to a large and once single property, all later converted into present semidetached dwellings. Discovering this fact could be a revelation to Huthwaite residents, simply because nobody had been able to offer living memory dating back far enough to this practising physician.

There's no listing at all for Robert Irvine in a 1932 directory, nor record to prove he died here. This leads to a presumed retirement relocating elsewhere, because same year identifies the next Medical Officer of Health as John N. F. Ferguson M.B., B. Ch. Apart from overseeing this districts medical and coroner affairs, John otherwise remains locally unrecognised.

Dr. Wilbourne

Ernest Wardman Wilbourne was born just over the Derbyshire border at Hasland in year 1879. However, 1881 Hucknall-under-Huthwaite census reveals where his young parents Joseph and Fanny Wilbourne, aged 23 and 24 respectively, had soon after claimed their new future home. While his father long continued work in the later renamed Huthwaite mining area as a respected New Hucknall Colliery office clerk, Ernest was presumably raised among tied Pit Yard housing provided for their key staff.

Educated far beyond realms of Huthwaite, Ernest Wilbourne returned as a qualified medical doctor seeking to open a private practice. This can be best dated from Huthwaite Urban District Council records, from when E W Wilbourne Esq., MD, DPH made 1922 proposals to add a garage, plus open a surgery at his Sutton Road premises, amending plans for an anteroom.

Those plans confirm adopted use of what had originally been a large detached property still standing on corner the original Mill Lane entrance. Spacious design to room a Portland Club barely lasted two years. The owner ended up converting use into semi detached residential dwellings, and at least one half did become the combined residence and patients surgery of Dr Wilbourne.

Living memories did assert how right side bay window fronted a ground floor consultation room, when hallway doors connected the doctors personal living quarters.

Rumours alleging Dr Wilbourne had committed a professional indiscretion with one female patient were always vehemently denied. But then his undated departure only further fuelled local gossip between patients given choice of another doctors surgery. Despite which, after a few years gaining much broader practising experience, the doctor is recalled from having returned to reopen a surgery. A final 1941 directory listing qualifies the surgeon MB ChB Edin. DPH Camb. at 98 Sutton Road, where he may have finally ended practice.

Dr Ernest W Wilbourne died aged 75, loosely dated, but nonetheless recorded in the Mansfield district quarter ending September 1954. Even Bill Clay Dove offered words of respected remembrance in St Mary's vestry the morning after the funeral.

Dr. Gaston

June 1932 finds the Huthwaite District Medical Officer of Health recommending Dr J Gaston be appointed to cover one months annual leave. A Notts directory for that year placed Joseph Gaston MB, ChB physician and surgeon already among the few notable private residents, although 7 Market Street address is a very modest property compared with others. It nevertheless managed to house his known family, while front door access accommodated patient waiting plus consultation rooms. Reachable by telephone number 280 suggests very recent connection, undoubtedly quickly installed for work calls just after settling at Huthwaite.

Moving into one of Huthwaite's grandest properties results from the disposing of a wealthy estate left by Simeon Watson. The 1933 sale of 'Mill House' set in large grounds had been relatively slow in attracting any potential buyers. Price and running costs were beyond typical local working men.

Purchasing this fine house as a future family home raised Dr Gaston's social status, although his wife was apparently a grand daughter of Mr Watson. It proved spacious enough to accommodate doctors surgery rooms, until possibly realising loss of some family privacy.

A small separate room was next built on front the Sutton Road driveway. Sharing that surgery, he continued to serve Huthwaite needs through a related partnerships until retirement, and upon the building of a modern New Street Health clinic.

Dr. Vance

Born 29th November 1893 at Belfast, Ernest S G K Vance was only son from the 1890 Shankill marriage between Dr George Alexander Vance and Mary (Minnie) Josephine Killen. The newly qualified doctor began a medical career as Public Vaccinator, in of all places Victoria, Australia. There's record next of marriage 18 Jan 1923 at St. Andrews Church, Mansfield, to youngest daughter Miss Edna Georgina Alice McKenzie of Mount Terry. But moving to Huthwaite a few years afterwards mysteriously offers no clue of ever entertaining a wife here.

Notts Free Press probably best dates Dr Vance's 1932 arrival in January, when joining Huthwaite parish church. That years Nottinghamshire directory then identifies Physician and surgeon Ernest Sydney George Killen Vance M.B., Ch.B.Belf., loosely addressed on Sutton Road. In fact, Dr Vance was known to have been a lodger at the White Hart Inn, which would later also accommodate at least one further Huthwaite physician.

Professional role is confirmed by a 1933 example, even though that reported midnight call out could only confirm with a verified reason accounting for Mrs Barton's sudden death.

Dr Vance took over the small waiting room surgery that was started by, and had become vacated by Dr Gaston. Identified at 7 Market Street, location is shown at bottom end the right sided terraced block. Given choice between two Huthwaite doctors surgeries allowed Dr Vance to continue building up his own patient list. Unverified year of death was suggested by 1980, so he may well have also witnessed construction of a NHS clinic.

Dr. Clitheroe

If living memories sounded somewhat confused recalling a Dr Clitheroe, its likely because titled surname had been shared by two brothers. Rev G W Clitheroe raised three sons at his Coventry Vicarage. Writing a personal account of 1940-41 city air raids explains Donald, John and Maurice were then medical students.

Eldest two chose Huthwaite to independently start practice. So it was with no disrespect they became locally renamed in order to differentiate them as either Dr Don or Dr John.

It seems John Clitheroe joined Dr Vance at his Market Street surgery. By coincidence, also likewise finding initial lodgings at the White Hart, where some folk recalled a morning queue seeking a sick note signature. Reason why Roy Elliott recalled having to knock awake Dr John from his sleep in this past public house, was need to attend my 1959 Blackwell Road home birth.

Dr John Clitheroe did acquire a Huthwaite house before moving somewhere abroad. Elder brother Donald stayed here after marrying Dr Gaston's daughter. But Dr Don introduces another page covering those doctors who would see NHS patients from beyond Huthwaite in a newly built New Street Health Clinic.