Thompson, Sir Henry (1820-1904)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0114 MS0115
Held at	: Royal College of Surgeons of England   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums-and-archives/archives/ ›
Full title	: Thompson, Sir Henry (1820-1904)
Date(s)	: 1853-1891
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 2 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Thompson | Sir | Henry | 1820-1904 | Baronet | surgeon

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Sir Henry Thompson was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, in 1820. He was apprenticed to George Bottomley in Croydon in 1844, and he also entered University College London to study medicine. He won the gold medal in anatomy in 1849, the gold medal in surgery in 1851 and took the MB degree. He was House Surgeon from 1850, and Jospeh Lister was one of his dressers. Thompson went into partnership with his former master, George Bottomley, at Croydon, in 1851, but after a few months moved to practice surgery at 35 Wimpole Street, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was Surgeon to the St Marylebone Infirmary, and was Assistant Surgeon, and then full Surgeon to University College Hospital in 1853. He was Professor of Clinical Surgery in 1866, and Consulting Surgeon and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Surgery on his retirement in 1874. Thompson devoted himself to genito-urinary surgery. He operated on King Leopold I of Belgium in 1863. He treated Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, at Camden Place, Chislehurst, in 1872 and 1873. Thompson was also a pioneer of cremation. He first drew attention to cremation with an article in the Contemporary Review in 1874. He was also President of the Cremation Society. Thompson was made knight bachelor in 1867 and created a baronet in 1899. He died in 1904.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Sir Henry Thompson, 1853-1891, comprising papers relating to the attendance and treatment of Napoleon III, 1873-1877; papers relating to the attendance and treatment of Leopold I, 1863-1864; and autograph letters, 1853-1891.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

As outlined in Scope and Content.

Conditions governing access:

By written appointment only.

Conditions governing reproduction:

No photocopying permitted.

Finding aids:

Additional manuscripts catalogue.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The provenance of this material is not known.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Zachary Cope's papers contain biographical and family history notes on Sir Henry Thompson.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Anya Turner.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Aug 2008