Francis John Gillingham
Encyclopedia
Prof. Francis 'John' Gillingham CBE
(15 Mar 1916 – 3 January 2010) was a British neurosurgeon.
, England
on March 15, 1916, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Gillingham. He was educated at Hardye’s School
, Dorset, and then studied medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College of London University
and Lord Mayor Treloar Cripples’ Hospital, in Hampshire, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps
. Subsequently he was appointed General Duties Officer at the Military Hospital (head injuries), Oxford
, under Colonel Hugh Cairns
and Group Captain Symonds.
He served from El Alamein
onwards and later returned to Oxford under Sir Hugh Cairns.
After World War II, he returned to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital with Sir James Paterson Ross and Mr. J.E.A. O’Connell.
and was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon in the Department of Surgical Neurology. Additionally he was appointed Director of the Department and Senior Lecturer in Surgical Neurology at the University of Edinburgh
. In 1955, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
. In 1980 he was elected President of the College.
In 1962, he was named Reader and, in 1963, succeeded Professor Norman Dott as Professor of Surgical Neurology, University of Edinburgh.
Francis Gillingham was considered a pioneer in the field of Stereotactic surgery
and was widely credited with introducing the concept of subspecialty fellowships to British neurosurgical training.
Due a growing reputation as an expert in Parkinsons Disease Gillingham was selected to operate on S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
, Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front
, who was suffering from the disease. The surgery, carried out in Edinburgh
in 1961 was deemed a success and ultimately prolonged Chelvanayakam's life.
In January, 1982, Prof. Gillingham was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, three years previously he had also received the Clark Foundation Award for Services to Road Safety after campaigning for seatbelts to become mandatory in every car.
until 2005, after which he moved to Prebendal, Shipton-under-Wychwood
. He died aged 93 on Sunday 3 January 2010.
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...
(15 Mar 1916 – 3 January 2010) was a British neurosurgeon.
Early life
Gillingham was born in Dorchester, DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on March 15, 1916, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Gillingham. He was educated at Hardye’s School
The Thomas Hardye School
The Thomas Hardye School is a secondary school in Dorchester, Dorset.As part of a scheme run by the BBC and the British Council called Olympic Dreams, the school is twinned with The Doon School which India's first Olympic Gold Medalist Abhinav Bindra attended as a child.-Admissions:It provides...
, Dorset, and then studied medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College of London University
Involvement in the Second World War
After completing house appointments at St. Bartholomew’sSt Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
and Lord Mayor Treloar Cripples’ Hospital, in Hampshire, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
. Subsequently he was appointed General Duties Officer at the Military Hospital (head injuries), Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, under Colonel Hugh Cairns
Hugh Cairns (surgeon)
Sir Hugh William Bell Cairns was a British neurosurgeon.Hugh Cairns was born in Port Pirie, but came to Adelaide for his secondary education at Adelaide High School and tertiary education at the University of Adelaide...
and Group Captain Symonds.
He served from El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
onwards and later returned to Oxford under Sir Hugh Cairns.
After World War II, he returned to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital with Sir James Paterson Ross and Mr. J.E.A. O’Connell.
Move To Edinburgh and Subsequent Presidency of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
In 1950, he moved to EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon in the Department of Surgical Neurology. Additionally he was appointed Director of the Department and Senior Lecturer in Surgical Neurology at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. In 1955, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
. In 1980 he was elected President of the College.
In 1962, he was named Reader and, in 1963, succeeded Professor Norman Dott as Professor of Surgical Neurology, University of Edinburgh.
Francis Gillingham was considered a pioneer in the field of Stereotactic surgery
Stereotactic surgery
Stereotactic surgery or stereotaxy is a minimally invasive form of surgical intervention which makes use of a three-dimensional coordinates system to locate small targets inside the body and to perform on them some action such as ablation, biopsy, lesion, injection, stimulation, implantation,...
and was widely credited with introducing the concept of subspecialty fellowships to British neurosurgical training.
Due a growing reputation as an expert in Parkinsons Disease Gillingham was selected to operate on S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament. He was the political leader and father figure of the Sri Lankan Tamil community for more than two decades...
, Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front
Tamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
, who was suffering from the disease. The surgery, carried out in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in 1961 was deemed a success and ultimately prolonged Chelvanayakam's life.
In January, 1982, Prof. Gillingham was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, three years previously he had also received the Clark Foundation Award for Services to Road Safety after campaigning for seatbelts to become mandatory in every car.
Retirement
Prof. Gillingham retired in 1985 and lived in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
until 2005, after which he moved to Prebendal, Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton under Wychwood is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode valley about north of Burford, Oxfordshire. The village is one of several named after the ancient forest of Wychwood. The others are Milton-under-Wychwood immediately to the west of the village and Ascott-under-Wychwood about to...
. He died aged 93 on Sunday 3 January 2010.
External links
- Professor John Gillingham - Daily Telegraph obituary