Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
Given the unbridled joy and enthusiasm we all have for a visit to the Dentist, I thought I might investigate who started this legalised form of torture….and found this speech on the history of dentistry in Brum, given in 1945 by a graduate Dentist, to an assembly of distinguished Dental Surgeons in Brum, at the Dental Hospital, back of the old General….
Ronald Cohen speech from 1945:
The first dental practitioner in Birmingham that can be traced is one Robert Law, who lived near the White Hart in Digbeth in 1741. He made “artificial teeth to the greatest perfection, so artfully fixed as to endure for years without taking out, he neatly cleanseth the teeth taking away all their tarterous scales or filmy or muddy humour, also hardened (!) Or fasteneth those that are loose”!
Besides practising dentistry Law made trusses and steel stays, neat steel collars for young ladies and various machines. He undertook to make trusses for those living at a distance, if they send to him “their bigness round”.
There is also a man described in a 1768 directory of Birmingham as a “nailor and tooth drawer”.
The first dental book to be published in Birmingham is a rare little pamphlet entitled A Treatise on the Teeth, by W. H. Barron, surgeon dentist and cupper, 1824.
The first record of medical teaching in Birmingham goes back to 1767, when Mr John Tomlinson, surgeon to the Town Infirmary, gave a series of anatomical lectures. There is no record as to how long these lectures lasted, but Tomlinson was the first provincial surgeon to give regular anatomical lectures, although spasmodic lectures were often given on the bodies of executed criminals. See? I knew it was Satanic!
In 1765 Dr. John Ash called a meeting to consider the advisability of opening a General Hospital near Birmingham. Building was soon started, but financial difficulties put a temporary stop to the scheme. In September, 1779, however the General Hospital was formally opened.
In 1825 William Sands Cox, then only 24 years old, announced that a regular series of anatomical lectures would be held at 24, Temple Row. This is the beginning of the Birmingham Medical School.
A regular medical school with lectures on various subjects was started in 1828 on the “lines of those established for some time past at Manchester, Leeds, and other large towns”. There were various difficulties from time to time but we have no opportunity now to describe them.
In 1843 Queen Victoria granted a charter to the School and it became “The Queen’s College at Birmingham”. The College prospered exceedingly at first, but shortly disagreements and financial difficulties made it obvious that a very drastic reorganisation both of administration and finance was necessary, and in 1867 an Act of Parliament was obtained to clarify and consolidate the position of the College. The Queen’s Hospital was opened in 1841 to provide clinical instruction for the students at Queen’s College.
The students at the General Hospital began to feel the lack of a school at which they could obtain instruction and in 1851 a new college, known as Sydenham College, was inaugurated. The building was in Summer Lane, opposite the power station. The new school prospered, to some extent probably because the students were not under theological control such as existed at Queen’s. However it eventually became obvious that two medical schools in the city were unnecessary and after the Act of 1867 had put the affairs of Queen’s in order, schemes for amalgamation began to be mooted. In 1868 Sydenham College was formerly dissolved and the Council of Queen’s College appointed professors from the staffs of both hospitals. The Professor of Dental Surgery was Mr. T. Howkins, uncle of Col. C. H. Howkins.
In 1880 Mason College was opened, at first as a Science College only, but two years later students at Queen’s College were able to take part of their lectures at Mason’s. In 1892 the Medical School was transferred from Queen’s to Mason’s; in 1897 the College became Mason University College, and in 1900 a charter was obtained raising it to the status of a University and thus entitled to grant dental diplomas and degrees. It was the first University in the country to grant dental degrees, John Humphreys was the first to receive one.
The Dental School began its existence at Queen’s College in October 1880, and the Council of the College elected Messrs. Thos. Howkins, Charles Sims and F. R. Batchelor to the Professorships of Dental Surgery, Dental Mechanics and Dental Anatomy respectively. The Secretary of the department was Mr. John Humphreys to whose enthusiasm was due the rapid development and enlarged scope of the School. It worked under great disadvantages at Queen’s and it was not until the removal of the medical school to Mason’s College that real progress could be made. At that time it was of course necessary for students to take the diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons or of one of the Scottish Universities.
The Dental Hospital was established in January 1858 at Odd-fellows Hall, 13, Temple Street, largely through the efforts of Samuel Adams Parker, who practised in Colmore Row and was a pupil of John Tomes. It was not the first in the country, being preceded by an Institution for diseases of the Teeth established by Harrison and Saunders 1839, The London Dental Dispensary founded by C. J. Fox 1855, and the Islington Dental Dispensary 1857. The Royal Dental Hospital School was not opened until December 1858, so that the Birmingham Dental Hospital is the oldest in this country.
It led a somewhat peripatetic existence; in 1863 it was moved to 2, Upper Priory to premises shared with the Homeopathic Hospital, in 1871 it moved to 9, Broad Street, in 1882 to 71, Newhall Street, and in 1905 to the present building. The Hospital did not occupy the whole building at 71, Newhall Street; the cellars were let to a brewery and the first floor to a lying in charity. It is to be hoped that callers found their way to the correct destination.
It was at 71, Newhall Street that the Dental Students’ Society came into being. The idea of the Society originated in the enthusiastic brain of John Humphreys. The first President was Charles Sims and the first Secretary A. D. Miller. The first meeting was held on November 4th, 1886. Among those present at the meeting were Messrs John Humphreys, who was President in 1887, Frank Huxley, W. Palethorpe, W. T. Madin, E. Sims, A. J. Wilson, P. Naden, G. C. Matthews, W. Parrott, F. W. Richards, G. Marson, F. R. Howard and A. D. Miller, and I am happy and proud to say that we have one of these with us today Mr. Cale-Matthews.
So, the most interesting building, the one that prompted this discourse, is the one at 71 Newhall Street….a well photographed masterpiece….
…and we are even today approaching the building of the latest futuristic development on the old Pebble Mill BBC studio site in Pebble Mill Road, Edgbaston….hope you enjoy the photographs….
https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/news-ar ... -hospital/
Newhall Street 1890 Dental Hospital on corner...
Dental Hospital and Brewery
1900 style dental work...
Newhall Street Cathedral House now
Newhall St 1900
Ronald Cohen speech from 1945:
The first dental practitioner in Birmingham that can be traced is one Robert Law, who lived near the White Hart in Digbeth in 1741. He made “artificial teeth to the greatest perfection, so artfully fixed as to endure for years without taking out, he neatly cleanseth the teeth taking away all their tarterous scales or filmy or muddy humour, also hardened (!) Or fasteneth those that are loose”!
Besides practising dentistry Law made trusses and steel stays, neat steel collars for young ladies and various machines. He undertook to make trusses for those living at a distance, if they send to him “their bigness round”.
There is also a man described in a 1768 directory of Birmingham as a “nailor and tooth drawer”.
The first dental book to be published in Birmingham is a rare little pamphlet entitled A Treatise on the Teeth, by W. H. Barron, surgeon dentist and cupper, 1824.
The first record of medical teaching in Birmingham goes back to 1767, when Mr John Tomlinson, surgeon to the Town Infirmary, gave a series of anatomical lectures. There is no record as to how long these lectures lasted, but Tomlinson was the first provincial surgeon to give regular anatomical lectures, although spasmodic lectures were often given on the bodies of executed criminals. See? I knew it was Satanic!
In 1765 Dr. John Ash called a meeting to consider the advisability of opening a General Hospital near Birmingham. Building was soon started, but financial difficulties put a temporary stop to the scheme. In September, 1779, however the General Hospital was formally opened.
In 1825 William Sands Cox, then only 24 years old, announced that a regular series of anatomical lectures would be held at 24, Temple Row. This is the beginning of the Birmingham Medical School.
A regular medical school with lectures on various subjects was started in 1828 on the “lines of those established for some time past at Manchester, Leeds, and other large towns”. There were various difficulties from time to time but we have no opportunity now to describe them.
In 1843 Queen Victoria granted a charter to the School and it became “The Queen’s College at Birmingham”. The College prospered exceedingly at first, but shortly disagreements and financial difficulties made it obvious that a very drastic reorganisation both of administration and finance was necessary, and in 1867 an Act of Parliament was obtained to clarify and consolidate the position of the College. The Queen’s Hospital was opened in 1841 to provide clinical instruction for the students at Queen’s College.
The students at the General Hospital began to feel the lack of a school at which they could obtain instruction and in 1851 a new college, known as Sydenham College, was inaugurated. The building was in Summer Lane, opposite the power station. The new school prospered, to some extent probably because the students were not under theological control such as existed at Queen’s. However it eventually became obvious that two medical schools in the city were unnecessary and after the Act of 1867 had put the affairs of Queen’s in order, schemes for amalgamation began to be mooted. In 1868 Sydenham College was formerly dissolved and the Council of Queen’s College appointed professors from the staffs of both hospitals. The Professor of Dental Surgery was Mr. T. Howkins, uncle of Col. C. H. Howkins.
In 1880 Mason College was opened, at first as a Science College only, but two years later students at Queen’s College were able to take part of their lectures at Mason’s. In 1892 the Medical School was transferred from Queen’s to Mason’s; in 1897 the College became Mason University College, and in 1900 a charter was obtained raising it to the status of a University and thus entitled to grant dental diplomas and degrees. It was the first University in the country to grant dental degrees, John Humphreys was the first to receive one.
The Dental School began its existence at Queen’s College in October 1880, and the Council of the College elected Messrs. Thos. Howkins, Charles Sims and F. R. Batchelor to the Professorships of Dental Surgery, Dental Mechanics and Dental Anatomy respectively. The Secretary of the department was Mr. John Humphreys to whose enthusiasm was due the rapid development and enlarged scope of the School. It worked under great disadvantages at Queen’s and it was not until the removal of the medical school to Mason’s College that real progress could be made. At that time it was of course necessary for students to take the diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons or of one of the Scottish Universities.
The Dental Hospital was established in January 1858 at Odd-fellows Hall, 13, Temple Street, largely through the efforts of Samuel Adams Parker, who practised in Colmore Row and was a pupil of John Tomes. It was not the first in the country, being preceded by an Institution for diseases of the Teeth established by Harrison and Saunders 1839, The London Dental Dispensary founded by C. J. Fox 1855, and the Islington Dental Dispensary 1857. The Royal Dental Hospital School was not opened until December 1858, so that the Birmingham Dental Hospital is the oldest in this country.
It led a somewhat peripatetic existence; in 1863 it was moved to 2, Upper Priory to premises shared with the Homeopathic Hospital, in 1871 it moved to 9, Broad Street, in 1882 to 71, Newhall Street, and in 1905 to the present building. The Hospital did not occupy the whole building at 71, Newhall Street; the cellars were let to a brewery and the first floor to a lying in charity. It is to be hoped that callers found their way to the correct destination.
It was at 71, Newhall Street that the Dental Students’ Society came into being. The idea of the Society originated in the enthusiastic brain of John Humphreys. The first President was Charles Sims and the first Secretary A. D. Miller. The first meeting was held on November 4th, 1886. Among those present at the meeting were Messrs John Humphreys, who was President in 1887, Frank Huxley, W. Palethorpe, W. T. Madin, E. Sims, A. J. Wilson, P. Naden, G. C. Matthews, W. Parrott, F. W. Richards, G. Marson, F. R. Howard and A. D. Miller, and I am happy and proud to say that we have one of these with us today Mr. Cale-Matthews.
So, the most interesting building, the one that prompted this discourse, is the one at 71 Newhall Street….a well photographed masterpiece….
…and we are even today approaching the building of the latest futuristic development on the old Pebble Mill BBC studio site in Pebble Mill Road, Edgbaston….hope you enjoy the photographs….
https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/news-ar ... -hospital/
Newhall Street 1890 Dental Hospital on corner...
Dental Hospital and Brewery
1900 style dental work...
Newhall Street Cathedral House now
Newhall St 1900
each:
