John Matthew Fortescue- Brickdale

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John Matthew Fortescue- BrickdaleSurgeon and chest wound specialist1869 to 1921

Early life and education

John Matthew Fortescue-Brickdale was the son of Sarah Anna Lloyd and Matthew Inglett Brickdale. He was one of 5 children and was born in Croydon and was part of a well-to-do family.  He attended Dulwich College, London and then then went on to recieve a BA from Christ Church Oxford and then undertook his medical education at Guy's hospital London achieving MA, MB, and  B Ch medical degrees.  During his degrees and up to his move to Bristol, he worked at Guy's hospital.

He married Edith Augusta White in 1900 and the couple moved to Clifton in Bristol in 1903.

Career

After moving to Bristol, he started working at Royal Hospital for Sick Children & Women (which is now known as Bristol Children's hospital) and then moved to Bristol Royal Infirmary .  He also lectured at Oxford University and Bristol University and was the Editorial secretary of Bristol Medico-Chirurgical Journal from 1913.

He joined the Royal Army Medical Core, Territorial Force in 1908 and saw active service as a Captain during World War One and spent around two years in France until severe illness overtook him (probably tuberculosis). After his return to Bristol he treated chest wounds at 2nd Southern General Hospital, Southmead. He became expert on chest wounds, especially gunshot wounds and wrote papers in a number of journals including Bristol Medico-Chirurgical Journal, British Medical Journal, The Hospital, The Lancet and Quarterly Journal of Medicine

He wrote several books including:

  • A manual of Infectious diseases occurring in schools - 1912
  • Text book for nurses - 1917
  • A textbook of pharmacology and medical treatments for nurses -1920.

Outside of work

In his private life he was known by his friends and family as Jack. He was a man with many pastimes and was interested in literature and music, played violin, and took part in amateur dramatics. Plus from about 1908 he became the churchwarden at All Saints, Clifton from around 1908. This was an Anglican church that was part of the Anglo-Catholic movement.  He was also noted in his obituary as  having a 'boyish' sense of humour.

Death

His work in the First World War had taken a toll on his health and he died at the age of 51 from tuberculosis peritonitis.  

His artist sister Elanor Fortescue Brickdale is meant to have designed a window in Bristol cathedral in his honour.

His wife Augusta died in Holloway Sanatorium Virginia Water, Surrey in 16th January 1941 and is buried in the grave with him.

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John Matthew Fortescue- Brickdale
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