William Gillett [33]

  General Notes:

Ran away with Elizabeth against her parent's wishes.
He is recorded as a carpenter on the marriage licence (1793) of his wife,Elizabeth Hall.
Later,on his son's ( George) marriage certificate (1837) he is recorded as a surgeon.
Fivehead House
In Somerset Archives I found some correspondence dated 1988 (A/CVL 1/55) which contains some information about William Gillett (copy enclosed), and also indicates that Fivehead House is named on Greenwood's map of 1822. Somerset Archives have this map hanging in our back corridor, so I took a camera and tripod down to photograph that portion of the map.
We also have the Tithe Map for Otterford, which shows Upper and Lower Fyffet Farm (Fyffet and Fivehead are interchangeable).
The asylum was at Lower Fyffet Farm. The layout of the buildings is quite different between the two maps and I suspect the surveying was not of the highest standards. The Greenwood map is to a much smaller scale.
According to the Tithe Apportionment, which accompanies the Tithe map, plot 355, called Home Courtlage, seems to correspond best with the location shown on the Greenwood map, although the other houses shown, plots 351 Great Courtlage, and 356 Higher Courtlage, might have also been part of the complex. The building against which 'Fivehead House' is written seems to be missing from the Tithe Map.

The Tithe Apportionment book names William and John Spiller as the owners of Lower Fivehead, and Samuel Trump was the occupier.
The 1841 census shows Samuel Trump and family at Lower Fivehead. He was a farmer.
Also at Lower Fivehead were John Webber and family, Henry Spiller, independent, and a few others (see enclosed copy). There seem to have been 3 or 4 separate households according to the census. I could not find any reference in our catalogues to Home, Higher or Great Courtlage, but I did find some promising catalogue entries.
Lower Fyfett farm
I found a research file on Lower Fyfett Farm, ref: A/EEH 29. This contains a lot of useful information and photographs, so I enclose copies of the entire contents of the file. It appears that the Coombe family owned the property for a long time prior to it being an asylum, and I enclose some catalogue entries from the Coombe family records, ref: DD/CM. These are DD/CM 16, 32 and 39, details of which I will paste below:

DD/CM 16

Paper documents, being half-yearly accounts of rents, headed variously 'Rents recd. at Ilminster. . . [and]. . . at Fyfet [in Otterford]', 1781, 'Rental of Estates at Ilminster belonging to Mrs Combe', 1781-82, 'Rental of estates at Otterford etc. belonging to Mrs. Combe', 1781-82, 'Receipt of rents at Ilminster. . . [and]. . . Otterford', 1782-84, 'Receipt of rents at Otterford', 1785, and 'Receipt of rents at Ilminster', 1785, 1789.
Giving, in tabular form, names of tenants and usually of properties, period for which rent is due, amounts of rent, and disbursements allowed.
From 1782, the rent book folio number is also given [cf. no. DD\\CM/14].
The Ilminster rentals include also properties in Earnshill and Donyatt, Isle Brewers mill, Drayton tithes, and Hambridge mill; and the Otterford rentals include properties in Buckland St. Mary.

DD/CM /32

A bundle of paper schedules, surveys and rentals, apparently prepared for valuation and other reference purposes, including:
Schedule [prepared circa 1780] of the yearly totals of land tax paid in 1751 and 1754 for Hilcombe, Town, Church, Winterhay and Little Windham tithings in Ilminster, and the church rates paid in 1751 and 1754 for Hilcombe, Town Church, and Winterhay tithings, with a note added of a highway rate paid in 1757 for Hilcombe tithing. Schedule of land tax paid for Horton, Church, Winterhay, Town, and Hilcombe tithings, April 1778 to October 1781, poor rates paid for the same, April 1778 to September 1781, church rates paid for the same, April and July 1780, and a highway rate paid for Hilcombe tithing in 1778, with the yearly totals of tax and rates generally paid for each tithing.
'A Survey of the leasehold estates in the Manors of Sea and Hilcomb', and 'A Survey of the leasehold and copyhold estates in the Mannor of Donyat'. [both prepared circa 1780]; giving, in tabular form, names of tenants, tenures including a note of the properties, number of 'lives', lord's rent, and yearly value.
Rental, headed 'Donyat and Sea lords rents for a year to Michaelmas 1780', and another rental (giving the same information), headed 'Chief rents at Donyat, Sea and Hilcombe for a year ending at Michaelmas 1780'; both giving names of tenants in alphabetical order, and amounts of rent. Variations in the titles of certain of the sections of the rentals are: 'Sea lords rents' ('Sea and Hilcomb chief rents'), and 'Quit rents' ('Quit rents at Sea and Hilcomb'). 'Rental of estates at Donyat, Sea and Hilcombe 1780', and another rental similarly entitled but having the date altered to 'from March 1780 to Mar. 1781'; giving names of tenants and amounts of their [rack] rent, the totals only of the chief rents, and the outgoings on land tax, poor rates, church rates, tithes, chief and other rents, together with the total amounts paid for the estates on labour and tradesmen's bills. The first rental includes a note that rents for 'lands exchd. for Pilton' and 'lands exchd. for Herefordshire by Act Parliamt. ' should be deducted from the Sea and Hilcombe rents; and it also embraces the 'Rental of estates at Fyfet for 1780', which includes certain estates 'under settlement in 1759' in Churchstanton, Buckland [Buckland St Mary] and Otterford. The other rental bears notes in red ink to the effect that certain of the estates are 'in settlement'.
Two rentals of estates at Fyfet, Sea and Donyatt, showing the balances of rent due at Michaelmas 1779 and Candlemas 1780, and at Lammas and Michaelmas 1780, respectively; giving names of tenants and amounts of rent. A section headed 'Sea and Dumphole' in one rental is alternatively entitled 'Sea and Hilcombe' in the other.
Four rentals of estates at Fyfet, Donyatt, Sea, and Hilcombe [or 'Dumphole'], one for 1780-81, and three for 1781-82; one of the latter bearing notes of leases for seven years to be granted, and all giving names of tenants and amounts of rent.
Draft rental of estates at Fyfet [etc], 1782; giving names of tenants and of fields, and amounts of rent, together with a few notes on the payment of tithes on certain estates, and the performance of statute labour [on the highways].

DD/CM/39

Original file containing: inventory of the goods etc. at Earnshill, 1780; 'A Particular Account of the Stock and Goods at Earnshill reserved for Mrs Coombe use', circa 1780; 'Account of Stock and Goods sold at Earnshill November 28th 1780'; note [paper slip] of payments 'for sundries reserved for my own use', 1781 and 1782; totals of general inventories of live and dead stock at Earnshill, Donyatt and Fyfet [in Otterford], household furniture and goods at Earnshill, Fyfet and Harley Street house, with an account of what was sold belonging to the Harley Street house, and other notes of inventories, nd., 1783; and various papers concerning jewels, including note from A. C. [Anne Combe], nd., 1799-1802. Inscribed 'Valuations. Sealed up 1808'.
Small paper sections, principally concerning maintenance of the garden [at Earnshill], 1802-06, and general estate administration, 1806-07, with similar papers, 1814.

We have an aerial photo from 1948 that shows the property, ref: A/DXC 1/28/92, and correspondence re application for a licence, including list of patients received from Fivehead House, 1828, ref: Q/RLU/c/7 (Correspondence re application for a licence, including list of patients received from Fivehead House, Otterford, following the transfer of its licence to Fairwater House, 1828)


Note that the other previous correspondence A/CVL 1/52 concerns only patients and tells us nothing about William Gillett or the asylum. A/CVL 1/55 suggests that the writer has written before but we do not have that letter.

Regarding Pauls House, Taunton, this is close to the bus station in Tower Street and is currently the home of Rethink Mental Illness. I found only one inadequate photo on the Internet.



I(Philip Hocking,Somerset Archives 2018 ) found the following Gillett burials at Otterford:

30 July 1807 Charles, a child
31 August 1823 William aged 59
10 January 1834 Elizabeth aged 68

I searched the Otterford monumental inscriptions at St Laurence's church (no grave plan), DD/X/MDT 135, and found:
42) Headstone (leaning backwards, very worn) "Charles son of William and Elizabeth Gillett who died Ju… 26^th 1807 aged 2 years & 10 months (4 lines of verses)" (PR "Charles Gillet, a child" buried 30 July 1807).
Note, there are remnants of two other old headstones close by, which are illegible
I enclose copies of the above. The other two stones might have been for William 1823 and Elizabeth 1834, as it is quite likely that they would have had headstones.



Research done by Rosemary Mountjoy;
On the ancestry website, I found the marriage of William Gillett and Elizabeth Hall at St Mary, Islington, on 22nd May 1793, but the marriage entry does not give William's occupation.
The couple married by licence, and William signed the register. Perhaps you have already found the details of the licence on the British Origins website? Have you any family documents which show your William's signature for comparison?

The first two children were twins, William and Elizabeth Gillett, born 3 June 1794, born at No.2 Little Saint Thomas Apostles, Bow Lane, Cheapside, London.
Elizabeth died 29 June 1794 and William 16 March 1795.
( I have been able to find no confirmation of these, but does the address tie in with anything else?)
The next child was another Elizabeth born 21 October 1795 at the City Road Lying-In Hospital.
(Again, I can find no confirmation and had hoped that there might be records from that institution (also in the hope that it was where WEG was born).
Unfortunately, such records as there are for CRLH are at London Metropolitan Archives and the admissions books and baptisms are missing for the relevant years, so I think we are going to be unlikely to be able to confirm this information.)
I understand that the hospital was for the care of married mothers and that baptism in the hospital chapel was compulsory, so if they were born there we won't find baptisms anywhere else either!
Next came WEG and GG, followed by Henry Gillett born 23 Jan 1803, Lunatic Asylum, St Thomas, Exeter (I think this is Bowhill House, Exeter which we have already discussed was where William and Elizabeth Gillett came from London to run.).
Lastly there was Charles who was born 30 September 1804 but we don't know where, and he died (or was buried) at Otterford, 26 July 1807 confirmed in Genuki Otterford burials.
Working backwards from the children (or at least two of them if we aren't yet happy about the others), how confident are we about the marriage on 22 May 1793 at Islington Church?
Apparently that marriage was 'By Licence', is there a copy of that?

By way of an aside, Brook House, Clapton was run by a family called Monro (who were also physicians to Bethlem from 1728 to 1856) for many years http://studymore.org.uk/3_06.htm#BrookeHouse <http://studymore.org.uk/3_06.htm>), and there was also a lunatic asylum in Islington called Fisher House in which they may have had an interest.
Might William have been there at the time of their marriage as they were both listed as being 'of this parish'?


At this point I changed tack and moved on to the Hawkhurst family and tried to find as much as I could about them, to see whether I could find anything which would prevent William Gillett from being 'ours'. The family definitely exists and at the moment, with one exception - the year of the marriage of William Gillett and Elizabeth Howe - the information matches that provided by HEC! That marriage is listed with the same day and month but differs by one year: 27 October 1760 or 1761. I attach a comparison between HEC's information and that which I have found online about the family, and have marked the points of agreement.

William Gillett,who was Keeper of Brook House,Clapham (as recorded by HEC in 1799) was recommended by Mr John Haslam,when between 1801 and 1803 he moved to assume the Directorship of Bowhill House Mental hospital in the St Thomas area of Exeter,Devon from where he went on to establish his own institution at Fivehead House,Taunton in 1807.

In Trewman's Exeter Flying Post 15.1.1807; Advertisements and Notices;Fivehead House was offering places for`those unfortunate persons who labour under mental derangement`.Mrs Gillett to be the Matron.

Trewman's 24.4.1817; Shooting accident at Fivehead House,one resident shot a visitor and then killed himself.
This was also reported in several other papers of the time,but only lists the proprietor as "Mr Gillett".

Trewman's 20.11.1817; Fivehead Estate and farm to be sold by auction,except for mansio-house in the occupation of "Mr Gillett" and used as a lunatic asylum with 9 years lease unexpired.

Trewman's 25.1.1821; In an advertisement for a rival establishment a note that Gillet's(sic) licence for `Fivehead,from his improper conduct' had been suppressed by the Magistrates.

Trewman's 2.8.1821; Notice-Fivehead House,nr Taunton now solely run by Mrs Gillett and her son WE Gillett jnr., Surgeon and Licentiate of Soc.of Apothecaries.

London Gazette 5.3.1822 Issue 1796;List of Insolvent Debtors "William Gillett the elder,heretofore of Fivehead House in the County of Somerset but late of Churchingford in the Parish of Churchstanton in the County of Devon,Gentleman",to be heard at the Castle of Exeter on 29.3.1822.

William and Elizabeth were thought to be buried at Charmouth,as reported by(Henry) Elliot Clarke (HEC)but this was subsequently found to be Michael Wakley who is buried in Charmouth.

Note: Fivehead House is located in the villiage of Fivehead located on the A378 between Taunton and Langport.
Note.Otterford,Fyfett, Churchinford and Churchstanton are all on the B3170,south of Taunton,en route to Honiton.

Link to Google Earth showing Otterford and Taunton.
<https://earth.app.google/4Xqi5u>


Results of research done by Rosemary Mountjoy;
There is a link on the Lunacy Commission website where you can contact Andrew Roberts, the site owner. <http://studymore.org.uk/01.htm> Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find his contact details. I do not know where the name Joseph came from; in the minute books for Bowhill, William's Christian name is only used once, in the minute of 1st July 1801. The rest of the time he and his wife are referred to as Mr & Mrs Gillett. I will get my foreword altered on the DFHS website. If you want to mention any of the information which I have given you from the minute books when you contact Mr Roberts, please do.

Did you look at the Somerset Record Office on-line catalogue? There were other documents about Fairwater House there which I didn't mention in my last email as I didn't know about the connection between the two asylums.
We have subsequently established this link.William and Elizabeth moved from Bowhill House to establish their own Hospital at Fivehead House ,Otterford,Somerset (nr.Taunton).
The hospital was at Lower Fyfett Farm,Otterford.
In 1828,his son,WEG moved the Hospital to more suitable premises situated at Fairwater House,Taunton.
In 1858 WEG sold Fairwater House to Taunton School.It has since been used as dormitory accomodation for pupils and is still in 2014 being used for that purpose.

I have checked our personal names index for the name Gillett and I found that we have a mortgage dated about 1818, 1766M/T11, by which William Gillett of Otterford used his land in Churchstanton as security for a loan. I have not looked at the original document so I do not know if the land was freehold or leasehold, or how William came to acquire it.

Subject: RE: DRO Reference - 3992F/H21 BOWHILL HOUSE REGISTER OF ADMISSIONS
Bowhill House Minute Books.
You ask how I found the reference to Mr & Mrs Gillett from your source, and the answer is that in my family papers I had mention of the birth of one of their sons, Henry Gillett, being born on 23 Jan 1803 at St Thomas Lunatic Asylum, Exeter. I googled that with the name Gillett, and Joseph Gillett appeared in the studymore site and in your introduction to the register of admissions, together with the name of Bowhill House. Rather confused by 'Joseph', I then contacted you.
William and his wife Elizabeth are my 3x great grandparents and we are struggling to get further back for them. We have him listed as "Keeper" at Brook House, Clapton in 1799 when his son William Edward (later of Fivehead House) was born, but the only marriage we have come across listed William Gillett as a carpenter, son of a cordwainer, in Islington, 22 May 1793, which doesn't sound likely. Our family papers list his marriage to Elizabeth Hall, of Longworth, Lincoln (and record that they were married against the wishes of her father!), but we have no official confirmation of this and so are finding it difficult to go further back.
1821 In advertisement for rival establishment note that Gillet's (sic) licence for ...'Fivehead, from his improper conduct'... had been suppressed by the Magistrates [Trewman's Exeter Flying Post 25.01.1821]
1822 London Gazette Issue 17796 of 5 Mar 1822 - List of Insolvent Debtors - " William Gillett the elder, heretofore of Fivehead-House in the County of Somerset but late of Churchingford in the Pariish of Churchstanton in the County of Devon, Gentleman.", to be heard at the Castle of Exeter on 29 March 1822.
Our records show that he died 25 August 1823 and was buried in Otterford [Genuki - Otterford Burials transcribed by Roy Parkhouse - WG buried 31 Aug 1823, age 59, Church - Taunton].

His son, William Edward Gillett and Elizabeth moved their business sometime about 1828 to a "more commodious residence", Fairwater House, one mile from Taunton, he abandoned general practice and for 30 years carried on care and treatment of the insane, with great success" (BMJ obit. 1866)
Genuki - 1830 Pigot's Directory of Taunton, William Edward Gillett, Surgeon: Proprietor of Fairwater House Lunatic Asylum with 6 paupers and 46 private
Elizabeth died "13 Jan 1834, aged 68, Mrs Gillett, mother of W E Gillett Esq of Fairwater near Taunton" [Trewman's Exeter Flying Post 23 Jan 1834], and buried at Otterford 18 Jan 1834 [Genuki - Otterford Burials transcribed by Roy Parkhouse]
I also understand that William Edward Gillett was apprenticed to Samuel Luscombe of Exeter for five years [Apothecaries' Hall, May 10th 1821], who I believe was senior surgeon at Devon and Exeter Hospital at the time. His brother, George Gillett, was also a doctor and practised in Colyton, and their brother, Henry who was born at Bowhill House may also have been in the medical profession.
I am not sure who to contact about the studymore website to find where they found the information about "Joseph Gillett", but it is interesting to see how information spreads from one site to another. I wonder whether I may use the information about Bowhill House which you have provided to encourage them to remove the "presumption" about Joseph Gillett.


Subject: RE: DRO Reference - 3992F/H21 BOWHILL HOUSE REGISTER OF ADMISSIONS
Thank you for your email and the enquiry about the Bowhill Hospital foreword on the DFHS website. I would be interested to know how you found the reference to Mr and Mrs Gillett from this rather obscure source!
The piece you found on the Devon Family History Society's website is the foreword I wrote for the index to the admissions register for the first patients at Bowhill House, published by the Small Projects Group of the DFHS. The register of admissions does not contain any information about the keeper and his wife; I found the details about Joseph Gillett on a website on the history of mental health http://studymore.org.uk/4_13_ta.htm#BowhillHouse <http://studymore.org.uk/4_13_ta.htm> However, at the time, I only checked the entry about his appointment in the committee minute book, 3992F/H1/1, where he is called Mr Gillett, and I did not read on to find out that his first name was in fact William. Thank you for pointing this out. The relevant infomation in the minute book is as follows:

Friday 20th March 1801. "The Rev. Mr Manning having read Letters from the Apothecary of Bethlem, & the Governor of St Luke's hospitals, each recommending a Man & Woman, as proper persons to be the Director & Housekeeper of this Institution Resolved That the Persons recommended by Mr Haslam, the Apothecary of Bethlem be chosen as Director & Housekeeper of this Institution, and their Salaries to commence at the half Quarter, between Ladyday and Midsummer next."

Wednesday 1st July 1801 "To William Gillett, the Keeper's expence from London, with his Wife Elizabeth as Matron per Note £6 6/-. "

"The Rev Mr Manning introduced Mr William Gillett & Mrs Elizabeth Gillett his Wife as Keeper & Matron of the Institution recommended by Mr Haslam apothecary at Bethlem Hospital London & they were appointed accordingly."

There was a Joseph Gillett admitted to the hospital from Exeter on 22nd December 1801. He was recommended by Mary Gillett his sister and Joseph Sanders his uncle, who was an Exeter banker. He was discharged, cured, the following year, but I noticed that his name reappears in the minute book at a later date. I do not know if Joseph is connected to your family at all.

I have looked at the 19th century British Library newspapers website and searched for any Gillett references in the Exeter Flying Post newspaper. I attach some of the references I found. There was also an account of an inquest in Taunton on the deaths of a recovered patient and a friend who was visiting him at Fivehead House while Mr Gillett was in Exeter. I have not copied this as it is quite long and you may have access to this website yourself, if your local library has a subscription.

The newspaper advertisements suggest that William and Elizabeth Gillett leased Fivehead House from January 1807. William died in 1821 and Elizabeth carried on running the asylum with their son. I found a report on the house in the Somerset Record Office catalogues:
Fivehead House, Otterford: licences to keep lunatics with two copies of visitor's report concerning unsatisfactory conditions, 1817; one copy orig. in volume begun to record an inquiry into the House Q 1809-1817

The asylum closed in 1828 when WEG moved to more commodious premises at Fairwater House,Taunton..

Finally, I checked the second minute book for Bowhill Hospital, 3992F/H1/2, to find when William and Elizabeth left.

Tuesday 6th May 1806 "Mr Gillett, the Keeper, gave in a verbal Resignation of his, and his wife's offices of Keeper and Matron, alleging that their appointments were not sufficient to support their Family, and offering to remain in the House untill it was otherwise provided. Resolved, That their Resignation be admitted, as in consideration of the expence of maintaining their increasing family, now of four Children, the Institution could not afford advancing their appointments, and that steps be taken to supply their Places in the most convenient manner."

Tuesday 3rd June 1806 "Agreed with Mr & Mrs Gillett, that they continue their Services as Keeper & Matron, until the 30th inst."

Tuesday 8th July 1806 " It was this day settled with Mr & Mrs Gillett, that they should deliver up the Furniture, as per Inventory, to Mr Davis the Apothecary, and on Wednesday the 16 inst they would leave the house."

Tuesday 22nd July 1806 "Reported also that Mr & Mrs Gillett left the house the 17th inst."

Information supplied by Andrew Gilett:
Bowhill House was the first institutional mental asylum in Exeter,set up by the worthies-clergy and some aristocrats.It existed from 1801 to 1869.It was superceded by the far more ambitious Wonford House,(see below)Digby and Exminster Mental Hospitals.Where Bowhill Hospital used to stand is a school(in 2014).The only remaining sign of the House is a wall at the school.
Wonford House Hospital,situated in the Wonford area of Exeter,is still in existence.It is adjacent to the main hospital in Exeter. See below for more information on WONFORD

As I have found these references in minute books, we are unable to provide you with photocopies. If you are able to visit this office yourself, you are welcome to photograph the relevant pages.
Subject: DRO Reference - 3992F/H21 BOWHILL HOUSE REGISTER OF ADMISSIONS
BOWHILL HOUSE REGISTER OF ADMISSIONS, 1801-1805, DRO Reference - 3992F/H21 : "Joseph Gillett was appointed the first Director and Mrs Gillett the first housekeeper, on the recommendation of Mr Haslam, the apothecary of Bethlem Hospital." from <http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/forewords/D037.pdf>

I understand you hold the above item and wonder whether I can access any information to supplement family papers which show William Gillett (born c1764), his wife Elizabeth and children, working or living at St Thomas Lunatic Asylum (Note.This is believed to be Bowhill House Hospial situated in the St Thomas area of Exeter) between 1801 and 1806, with their son, Henry Gillett being born there on 23 Jan 1803. William Gillett was previously Keeper at Brook House, Clapton, Middlesex Lunatic Asylum and had moved to Fivehead House, Otterford by 1807 after leaving Bowhill House. In particular, any family connection to Joseph Gillett would be very valuable.

Mrs Susan M. Laithwaite
Senior Archivist
Devon Record Office
Great Moor House
Bittern Road
Sowton
Exeter EX2 7NL
Tel: +44 (0)1392 384253
Fax: +44 (0)1392 384256
Email: devrec@devon.gov.uk <mailto:devrec@devon.gov.uk>
Web site: <http://www.devon.gov.uk/record_office.htm>
Devon County Council web site: <http://www.devon.gov.uk>
Disclaimer: <http://www.devon.gov.uk/email.shtml>


From Wikepedia
Wonford is an undefined area in the centre of Exeter <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter> covering parts of St Loyes and Heavitree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavitree>. Originally, Wonford was a royal estate named after a stream (now called Mincinglake) that rose on the southern slopes of Stoke Hill and flowed through Northbrook Park. In 937, the name was wynford meaning fair stream. The land surrounding Exeter had been part of the Celtic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celt> kings estates from before the Roman <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Britain> occupation and in 7th century these lands continued to be a large royal estate of the Saxon Kings <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxon_Kings>. These lands were gradually reduced in size, until the only remaining hunting ground remaining at the Norman invasion <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_invasion> was Duryard <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duryard>, north of the city.
Although St Michael's Church in Heavitree is Victorian <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_architecture>, it stands on the place of one of the oldest churches outside Exeter. The Wessex <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wessex> King Cenwealh <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenwealh>, established a chapel at this position near the sacred head tree in Wonford in about 660. The area became known as Heavitree, and Wonford shrank as Heavitree grew.
Exeter's main hospital, the Royal Devon and Exeter, is situated in Wonford.

www.exetermemories.co.uk <http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/>
www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/hospitals.html <http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/hospitals.html>

www.imaginarium.co.uk/surgery_and_society/society.htm <http://www.imaginarium.co.uk/surgery_and_society/society.htm>
Exeter has a long history of medical expertise. The first hospital appears to be the Hospital of St Mary Magdalene which was recognised as a leper hospital in a Charter of Bishop Bartholomew in 1163 and confirmed later by Papal Bull of Celestine III in 1192.
The Exeter Guild of Barbers was a Livery Company and is noted in the records of the Guildhall. The Barber-Surgeons were first Incorporated by a Grant of King Henry VII in 1487 and their Coat of Arms bears the motto De Praescentia Dei.
Then in 1665 a hospital was built in Exeter through the Commonality. An Act of Parliament passed in 1694 led to the planning of another new hospital that was completed in 1718.
The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital was founded on 27 August 1741.The old hospital building can be seen in Southernhay and is a fine example of early Georgian architecture. The Gentleman's Magazine of that year records the event in its Poetical Essays
By virtue rais'd, this goodly pile shall last,
Built on a rock, nor fear the northern blast;
Let parties rage, and adverse storms arise,
Firm on it's base, its head shall touch the skies.
Ages to come the pious work shall bless
And curse that name whose envy made it less.
Hence sacred love in purer streams shall flow,
And give fresh verdure to the fields below;
Revive, ye poor, nor drop a silent tear,
Your ills shall find a new Bethesda here;
Angels of health shall ev'ry day descend,
Nor shall the wretch complain he wants a friend.
The hospital committee was asked to form a library and museum in 1813 and thus the Exeter Medical Library Society was born. Anatomy Courses started in 1819 and Chemistry Courses in 1823. The Dissecting Room was active in 1827 and in 1832, at the time of the cholera epidemic in Exeter, the hospital applied for a Licence under the new Anatomy Act of that year which enabled dissection to be carried out without theft of bodies from burial sites although this activity probably did continue for a while. The Exeter Pathological Society was formed in 1832 and in 1833 the Government Inspector recorded that Exeter had used five bodies. The Exeter Dispensary Society was formed in 1848.The Medical School ceased in 1858 when the Medical Act was passed that year.
The Devon and Exeter Medico-Chirurgical Society was formed in 1870. The Society met in the old library in Dean Clarke House in Southernhay, formerly known as the Devon and Exeter Hospital and then as the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital following the visit of Queen Victoria in 1899. Now the building is known as Dean Clarke House after its founder. Some members of the Society will recall the clinical meetings held in the old library before the Postgraduate Medical Centre was built and occupied in 1974 close to the time when the first new hospital was built on the Wonford site, then demolished ;on account of concrete cancer and then rebuilt as the present Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford).
In the early days the Medical Society provided an opportunity for medical practitioners to meet. Those were the days when other medical meetings were few and certainly very different from today's Postgraduate Medical Education sessions. Clinical meetings consisted largely of the presentation of cases and the medical journals of the 1800s record some of the cases and meetings. Notices of the Society's meetings appeared in The Lancet, founded by Thomas Wakley from East Devon.
Details of the Society before the Second World War unfortunately have been lost, presumably destroyed in the Blitz that took such a toll in Exeter in May 1942. Information since 1945 has been preserved well and the Society goes from strength to strength, providing a forum for meetings and discussion separate from other streams of information and management. Membership is drawn from a wide circle of those who contribute to the hospital and its purpose.
Meetings are held several times during the year and are of professional interest and valuable also in the promotion of good fellowship and friendship among doctors, each of whom is welcome to bring guests to Society meetings. The Society has hosted meetings jointly with other groups, invites guest speakers from elsewhere, and encourages local speakers and research reports. Recent developments include the Junior Doctors' Forum and the Children's Christmas Party. An annual outing enables a good get together.
Students of the Peninsula Medical School are most welcome to attend the meetings and of course encouraged to do so. Further details can be obtained from the Executive Secretary, Mrs Celia Lacey at the Postgraduate Medical Centre. The centre is accessed through the Wonford exchange at Extension 3013 or by dialling from outside to (01392) 403 013.

Christopher Gardner-Thorpe
Honorary Curator
Devon and Exeter Medical Society

  Research Notes:

Somerset Archives.May 2018.
Ref PH/ENQ/P/104883 May

  Noted events in his life were:

• He was baptised on 27 Apr 1764.

• He worked as an Administrater of a mental asylum.Lisa was the matron.For two years circa 1801.Precursor of larger Wonford Hospital.Thereafter started a private hospital near Taunton called Fyfet.Approx 15 patients. in Exeter.

• Gravesite:

William married Elizabeth Hall [28] [MRIN: 18], daughter of George Hall [1022] and Mary [1307], on 22 May 1793 in Islington Church, Middlesex. (Elizabeth Hall [28] was born on 30 Jan 1765 in Langworth, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, christened in Langworth, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, died on 13 Jan 1834 in Fairwater House, Taunton. and was buried on 18 Jan 1834 in Otterford church.)