John Findlater

On 11 November 1823, eight “medical gentlemen” resident in Lancaster, out of 13 practising in the town, met at the Royal Oak Inn (Market Square) to form the Lancaster Medical Book Club. The first President was Dr David Campbell (born in 1749 MD from Edinburgh). He founded the first dispensary in the town giving his own house on the south side of Castle Grove, opposite the Castle Gateway, in 1781. He became the first physician at the dispensary and the first visiting Physician to the County Lunatic Asylum (built 1816).

Dr Campbell entered the town council and became Mayor in 1796. He resigned in 1809 being then an Alderman. In 1809 a David Campbell, ‘doctor of physic’ was buying property in Tewitfield, according to the Warton Manor Court Book; perhaps he lived at Dale House then. When he died in 1832 , aged 83, however, it was at his home “in Dalton Square.”

Medicine had begun its long maturation as a science-based profession. Of course, there is difficulty in defining a profession. A profession is not simply a vocation with an “almost personal relationship” with the client”¹ but “involves qualification after training, with monitoring institutional and professional bodies and has an ascribed special status, which rubs off on its members even as they attempt to “reinforce its validity.”²

The Apothecaries’ Act of 1815, the Medical Act of 1858 and the Act of 1886 following the 1882 Royal Commission were milestones along the professional road for medicine. These official parliamentary enactments accompanied a changing process by which aspiring professionals trained, from the early period when expertise was acquired through apprenticeship. scanty lectures, and a little hospital visiting to the later period of trained specialists whose competence was certified after parliament-approved, professionally self-regulated training processes, thus achieving professional status within the middle classes, more from merit than ascription.

Not the least important feature justifying the professional status of doctors, has been the great importance attached by the great majority of them to continuing self-education – “keeping up-to-date”. This urge was behind the book club idea, though social intercourse was considered very important also. In 1828 the evenings were spent in the greatest harmony; “the party did not break up till twelve o’clock“.

There were only one or two medical book clubs in existence (eg Newcastle 1790) when Lancaster formed one. The original subscription was £1.1s 0d for first six months, 10/6 for the second. Monthly meetings with supper, punch or wine were held. Books were bought and circulated, a system of fines and complicated rules about book sales were instituted.

In 1823 Lancaster’s population was about 11,000. The main industries were cabinet making, ship-building; there was extensive trade with the West Indies. Gas had not yet been introduced (1827). Distance travel within the country was by coach and canal packet boat or coastal boats. In one week that year, at the assizes (held at the Castle), 28 people were condemned to death, all but two being commuted to transportation for life. A ghoulish perk, recorded in the minutes book of the period, was that the society received the corpse for dissection after execution at the gallows; All expenses which may be incurred in conducting the dissection of executed criminals be defrayed from the funds of the club by the Treasurer”. The Anatomy Act, bringing a little more seemliness into such matters, was not passed until 1832!

In 1841 it was decided to dispense with the sale of books and establish a library. A committee room was presented to the members at the Dispensary which had by then been established at Thurnham St (these premises later became the public health offices). Volumes were presented by members.

In 1877 it was resolved that meetings of the club be held in each other’s homes in order of seniority; “Tea and coffee provided on arrival, after which some subject of professional or scientific interest be introduced to be followed by discussion“.

Perhaps the most remarkable figure in the nineteenth century was Mr Christopher Johnson, He had been born in 1782, the son of a doctor practising in the town. He was only 12 when his father died. Though having had little schooling, he was apprenticed to a Preston doctor, then studied at Edinburgh. He practised first in Settle, then came to Lancaster and became Honorary Surgeon to the Infirmary. He was president of the book club for a long period. An enthusiastic microscopist, his translation of an Italian essay on diatoms was published by the Royal Society, (he also produced other prose translations particularly loving Dante); he did botanical research; he held advanced views on sanitation and became a magistrate in 1846.

Interested in agricultural chemistry, Christopher Johnson’s influence was acknowledged by Sir Edward Frankland: “for whatever knowledge of chemistry I possessed at the time I left Lancaster at the age of 25 I was indebted to the Johnsons – father and son – the late Mr Christopher Johnson and Dr James Johnson”. Sir William Turner, KCB, Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh and holder of other prestigious posts after referring to his apprenticeship to Mr Christopher Johnson Jnr (at 15 years of age!) said, “there was in my young days a small lamp of science burning in Lancaster and those who lit it were the family of the Johnsons.” Johnson Snr. was active in politics Liberal, favouring parliamentary reform, repeal of the corn laws and emancipation of slaves.

In 1880 eligibility for membership was extended further afield and members were recruited from Morecambe, Carnforth, Bentham, Bay Horse, Kirby Lonsdale, Windermere, Sedbergh and Milnthorpe.

In 1898 the Book Club began to centre its activities at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary which had been built in 1896. It was in 1899 that the undeclared but underlying philosophy of the Club was proclaimed. It was pointed out that the object of the society, in addition to that of obtaining books and periodicals was the promotion of the honour and interests of the profession as opportunity afforded – and to develop and foster the spirit of professional brotherhood among its members. This laudable purpose was pursued into the twentieth century.

A member – Dr Bingham – was killed in action in Flanders 1915. Dr Ruxton, who was elected in 1920, was expunged in 1936. The first woman member, Dr Margaret Sands, an Assistant MOH, was elected in 1926.

The Club was quiescent during the second world war with only one meeting in November 1940, but came to life again, afterwards. The Book Club’s first postwar dinner took place at the Winter Gardens, Morecambe, on Wednesday 29 January 1947 when Dr George spoke on the history of the club. The membership expanded considerably, with clinical meetings in the winter months, lectures by distinguished academics and papers were read by members. The Annual Dinner was held regularly on a day as near as possible to St Luke’s Day – with an eminent guest speaker obtained by the current President.

I joined the Book Club in the year 1953/4. Dr RG Howat Dalton Square, Lancaster was the President, when, in 1954, he presided at the first Annual Dinner I attended. It was held at the Royal Station Hotel, Carnforth. He had first qualified as a pharmacist and worked in the Gorbals, Glasgow before qualifying in medicine, no mean feat. He had settled in Lancaster in about 1923 and was known to be a hard worker. He told us a story about his time in the Gorbals. In those days a substance, asafoetida, was popular as a panacea and tonic. The most characteristic thing about this disgusting stuff is its terrible smell. A youngster came into the pharmacy one Sunday morning and asked for “two-pennyworth o deil’s dung” Mr Howat had refused, saying “The deil’ll no let doon his breeks for awbuddy on the Sabbath.” Little did I know then that his grandson would become my son-in-law.

Dr P. S. Byrne, of Milnthorpe, was President in 1967 and his wife Dr Kathleen Byrne in 1968. Both of them had been partners of mine, when our two practices had been one. Pat would go on to become Professor of General Practice at Manchester and President of the Royal College of General Practitioners (I have written his biography, published by the RCGP).

I was, myself, President in 1972. At the Annual Dinner. which was held at Lancaster University, my guest speaker was “Sandy” Temple from Yealand Hall – now, of course, His Honour Sir Sanderson Temple M.B.E. Q.C. My very good friend and partner Dr GB Walker – who died in 1995 – was President in 1982. The Lancaster Medical Book Club continues to this day though it in a more limited way, the emphasis is on social activity rather than on medical education projects.

[The original minute books of this club have been preserved and I have read them. Dr Graham Anderson has produced an edited version, published by the Lancaster Medical Book Club].

Notes

1. J.A.Sharpe, Early Modern England: A Social History 1550-1760, (Edward Arnold, 1987) ↩︎
2. H.J. Perkin, The Rise of Professional Society Since 1880, (Routledge London and New York 1989) ↩︎

Published in the Mourholme Magazine issue 33 1998