Health Care, doctors and medical provision
In the early 20th century Stowupland formed its own Nursing Association and for some 40 years had its own nurse who cared for local people. Before and since (up to 2024) local people have traveled to Stowmarket and further afield to access health services. See our Nurses and other health care providers
With the exception of nursing care, the majority of health care providers used by Stowupland people were based in Stowmarket. However as many owned property in Stowupland since Stowupland families were amongst their patients, clients or customers we will list them on our website.
Some 19th century physicians
John Freeman; John F Freeman: had a medical practise in Stowmarket at the start of the 19th century. In April 1834 this was taken over by Charles Bree.
Charles Bree: 1834 to 1858.
In 1873 a Stowmarket surgeon Mr John Wilton Sheriden gave evidence at the inquest into the death of the first born daughter of Esther and Charles Diaper.
Spencer Freeman: held a Stowmarket practise in the second half of the 19th century.
Some 20th century Doctors.
Dr Hugh Selwyn Gaskell (b. 1879 – 1967) he was born near Peterborough. In 1897 he entered Edinburgh University to study medicine. He fought in the Boer War between 1899 and 1902 returning to Edinburgh he qualified M.B., Ch.B and in 1905 his first job took him to Devon.
In 1916 he was commissioned as a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corp with the 52 nd Field Ambulance in France.
In 1923 he bought a practice in Stowmarket living in The Corner House where he had a surgery till his retirement. Initially in partnership with Dr Hill and Dr Hounsfield and later Dr Hounsfield’s son. Later partnership with Dr Roger Kynaston and Dr Reeve.
Dr Gaskell wrote and published several poems as well as academic papers and was part of Stowmarekt Operatic and Dramatic Society. In tribute to the Royal Flying Corp he penned The Five Sisters
{His Biography was downloaded 11/09/2024}
Dr Hill
Dr Newnham
Dr Harper – we have a report of him being called out to attend Mrs Diaper of Elm Farm in 1906 after her pony and trap were in collision with a cyclist.
We are lucky to have A Brief description of Thyroid Treatment in the 1930s . In this extract the Rev Brame mentions Miss Gwen Smith who was the daughter of a local miller. At the time when she was involved with the care of Ruth Brame she was senior Surgeon at The London Women’s Hospital. {Extract from As I Remember It, Book I: by the Rev L.A.Brame held in private archive.}
In further extracts from his manuscript Rev Brame recalled the available medical provision (p.89) ‘we had three doctors in Stowmarket and we used to pay into a doctor’s club at the rate of about three-pence a week for the family so we could call on any of them without having to pay fees.’ This was probably in the 1920s before the Nursing Association was set up.
The Brame’s family doctor was Dr Hill, ‘and we could go to him or he would come to us for consultations: he had his own little pharmacy in a room next to the surgery, and he would make up his own prescriptions’…it was always pink and always tasted of peppermint…the dose was by the teaspoon, the dessertspoon or tablespoon.
The other doctors were Dr Gaskell and Dr Newnham, ‘but they worked together as a team, and they consulted with one another if another opinion would help’.
Rev Brame described Dr Hill as ‘our family doctor : he knew everybody in the household by name, with their medical history,and to some extent what they might be prone to need from him.
Schools Medical Services.
In addition to the local nurse and doctor, children would be examined at the school by the ‘nit-nurse’ and a pediatrician.
The ‘nit-nurse‘ called at the school 2 or 3 times a year and each pupil was paraded infront of her for their heair to be examined for the dreaded nits or their eggs. To be found with nits was humiliating, the child was segregated from their class mates and the hair treated with sassafras oil and covered with a cotton cap. then sent home with a note to the parent instrucitng the treatment to be continued before the hair was thoroughly washed through with vinegar..
The Pediatrician called at least once a year to examine each child in the prescenc of a nurse. The nurse helped with the removal of clothing and the doctor checked ‘eyes, ears, blood pressure, breathing, heart, liver, stomach and anything else he could palpate.’ The nurse registered height and weight.’
Leslie was aware that his physique caused concern over the risk of tuberculosis. He was knew that a local farmer’s family of three girls and a boy had been wiped out by T.B. as it was not till the end of the 1920s that the link between bovine T.B and human T.b. was established. He went onto to say that his mother had always boiled milk before using it even though other people thought she was being fussy.
Friendly Societies
‘ The doctor also arranged with the Friendly Society, to which most people belonged, to visit and pay some benefit to compensate for the loss of work or other extra expenses incurred during illness.’ The Brame’s belonged to the Ancient Order of Foresters (A.O.F)
At the age of 12 Leslie qualified to be initiated into the A.O.F and ‘with pomp and ceremony went through the rites of admission, and learned their secret signals and password’ which he swore never to divulge and became a Brother of the A.O.F.
From the 19th century
In 1858 when the Medical Register was set up it was estimated that only 1/3 of practising physicians held a medical degree or diploma. Medical practitioners without a university doctorate may have completed a 7 year apprenticeship with an experienced physician, ‘walked the wards’ of a hospital and/or gained surgical experience on board ships or with fighting armies.
CHARLES ROBERT BREE (1811 – 1886)
Charles Robert Bree (1811 – 1886) was married to Francis Elizabeth Bree (d. 19/11/ 1909). They had land in Stowmarket and Stowupland in the second half of the 19th century.6)
Charles Bree who was at that time a doctor practising in Stowmarket bought some land in Stowupland. This land he left in his will to his wife Francis Elizabeth. Bree turns out to be an intriguing character.
In April 1834 he took over the practice of J. F. Freeman in Stowmarket by arrangement with Freeman’s widow.
It was probably at this time he became acquainted was Reverend Professor Henslow of the neighbouring parish of Hitcham. He was related by marriage to the John Edgar Rust of Abbots Hall Stowmarket.
He married in 1845, Frances Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Reverend Sir Augustus Henniker of Plashwood Haughley.
He left Stowmarket in 1858 going to Edinburgh to study for his MD.
Later he went to practice at Colchester Hospital then retired to Long Melford Suffolk.
Other local physicians in the 19th century.
James Bedingfield M.D: Stowupland Street. Had Francis Charles Pyman (1805:1838) as an apprentice between 1819 and 1826.
Spencer Freeman : Market Place
Samuel Ward: Ipswich Street
Barzillai Augustus Harling: Stowupland Street
John Williamson Harper: Stowupland Street
Thomas Bayly a Stowmarket surgeon. In his will of 1794, Isaac Bayly bequeathed: £200.00 to Thomas. John Green Crosse (b. 1790 in Gt Finborough) was apprenticed to Thomas Bayly.
Suffolk physicians who may or may not have had links to Stowupland people.
John Steggall (1789 – 1881) apprenticed to a surgeon in bacton, Suffolk
