Edmund Distin Maddick
Encyclopedia
Edmund Distin Maddick was an English surgeon
and pioneer of cinema
.
Studying medicine at St Thomas' Hospital
, he became a doctor and later a surgeon in the Royal Navy
, where achieved the rank of Admiral (Surgeon) of the Fleet
.
He was also a surgeon to the Italian Hospital in London and was a Knight to the Crown of Italy.
Becoming interested in cinematography
, he rebuilt the Scala Theatre
in 1905 and fitted it out for a Kinematograph. During the Great War
, as the Intelligence Department's Director of Kinematography, he became closely involved in the filming of the major battles taking place in Europe. Probably the most notable production was the film The Battle of The Somme, released just a month after the first battle started in July 1916. After the War he used the cinema to teach human anatomy.
He was well-connected and well-known in British and Italian Royal circles. The Tory Government offered him a baronetcy in 1925, but the General Election intervened and Ramsey MacDonald's Labour Party
reduced this offer to a knighthood. Insulted, Maddick turned this down and eventually accepted a CBE
in 1927.
He constructed an unusual mausoleum at West Norwood Cemetery
approximately ten years before he died. The building is nearly 40 ft high in white Portland stone
surmounted by a marble figure of Christ and a child.
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
and pioneer of cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
.
Studying medicine at St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
, he became a doctor and later a surgeon in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, where achieved the rank of Admiral (Surgeon) of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
.
He was also a surgeon to the Italian Hospital in London and was a Knight to the Crown of Italy.
Becoming interested in cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
, he rebuilt the Scala Theatre
Scala Theatre
The Scala Theatre was a theatre in London, sited on Charlotte Street, off Tottenham Court Road, in the London Borough of Camden. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire...
in 1905 and fitted it out for a Kinematograph. During the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, as the Intelligence Department's Director of Kinematography, he became closely involved in the filming of the major battles taking place in Europe. Probably the most notable production was the film The Battle of The Somme, released just a month after the first battle started in July 1916. After the War he used the cinema to teach human anatomy.
He was well-connected and well-known in British and Italian Royal circles. The Tory Government offered him a baronetcy in 1925, but the General Election intervened and Ramsey MacDonald's Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
reduced this offer to a knighthood. Insulted, Maddick turned this down and eventually accepted a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1927.
He constructed an unusual mausoleum at West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
approximately ten years before he died. The building is nearly 40 ft high in white Portland stone
Portland stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
surmounted by a marble figure of Christ and a child.
External links
- Obituary, The Times, 8 July 1939
- Friends of West Norwood Cemetery Newsletter 35, Biography, Chris Byng-Maddick