Medical Pioneer. John Addenbrooke was born in 1680 in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, the only child of a Vicar of West Bromwich. He was baptized on 13 June 1681 in the parish church of West Bromwich. A third of his life being spent at Catharine Hall, now known as St. Catharine's College. While there he was a Scholar, Lecturer and Bursar. In 1706 he received his license to practice medicine from the College of Physicians. In 1711 John left Cambridge with his newly wed wife to practice medicine near London, but exactly where and with what success is not known. Ill health would force him to retire to Buntingford in Hertfordshire in 1719. He would die in June of 1719 and leave his will stating to hire, fit up, purchase or erect a building for a small physical hospital in the town of Cambridge for poor people, he stipulated that the hospital admit those of any Parish or any county. This bequest gave John Addenbrooke the distinction of being the first Englishman to bequeath his private wealth to found a voluntary hospital. The hospital first opened in 1766, and it was one of the earliest voluntary hospitals in the country, comprising of 20 beds, and a staff of 3 physicians, 3 surgeons and 1 matron. John was buried in the chapel of Catharine Hall, where the tomb and its inscription can still be seen.
Medical Pioneer. John Addenbrooke was born in 1680 in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, the only child of a Vicar of West Bromwich. He was baptized on 13 June 1681 in the parish church of West Bromwich. A third of his life being spent at Catharine Hall, now known as St. Catharine's College. While there he was a Scholar, Lecturer and Bursar. In 1706 he received his license to practice medicine from the College of Physicians. In 1711 John left Cambridge with his newly wed wife to practice medicine near London, but exactly where and with what success is not known. Ill health would force him to retire to Buntingford in Hertfordshire in 1719. He would die in June of 1719 and leave his will stating to hire, fit up, purchase or erect a building for a small physical hospital in the town of Cambridge for poor people, he stipulated that the hospital admit those of any Parish or any county. This bequest gave John Addenbrooke the distinction of being the first Englishman to bequeath his private wealth to found a voluntary hospital. The hospital first opened in 1766, and it was one of the earliest voluntary hospitals in the country, comprising of 20 beds, and a staff of 3 physicians, 3 surgeons and 1 matron. John was buried in the chapel of Catharine Hall, where the tomb and its inscription can still be seen.
Bio by: Memorial Flower
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