Michael Ashby
Encyclopedia
Michael George Corbett Ashby, M.A.
, M.B.
, M.R.C.P.
, F.R.C.P
. (1 November 1914 – 10 December 2004) was a consultant neurologist
at the Whittington Hospital
, London
and an expert witness
for the prosecution in the failed trial of suspected serial killer
John Bodkin Adams
.
, the son of Arthur Brian Ashby, a barrister and company chairman, and Dame Margery Corbett-Ashby. He was educated at Ashdown House Preparatory School and at Oundle School
. He studied medicine at New College
, Oxford
, and at the London Hospital. Whilst at Oxford he rowed in the boat that won the Boat Race in 1936 and 1937. At London Hospital he was United Hospitals light-heavyweight boxing champion for two successive years.
On discharge from the Army in 1947 he worked at the National Hospital before returning to London Hospital as senior registrar to Sir Russell Brain and Ronald Henson. In 1949 he was appointed consultant neurologist to the Whittington Hospital in north London, where he remained until his retirement in 1975. He succeeded Macdonald Critchley
as consultant neurologist to the Royal Masonic Hospital in 1965, also retiring from there in 1975.
He also had a private Harley Street
practice which involved much medico-legal work. He gave evidence in the Guenther Podola
and John Bodkin Adams
murder trials. His evidence in the latter in 1957 has been criticised for being too indecisive. While fellow witness Dr Arthur Douthwaite
was adamant Adams had killed the victim, Edith Alice Morrell
, Ashby was more hesitant. In summing up, the judge called Ashby "the key witness", one "coming between the extremes", whose "border-line evidence" made it unsafe to convict. Adams was acquitted of the Morrell charge but was due to be tried for the murder of Gertrude Hullett
straight after. The prosecutor, Reginald Manningham-Buller, withdrew the charge however by entering a nolle prosequi
- partly because - in his words - the case would again be "based on the evidence of Dr Ashby".
Adams was thought by Home Office
pathologist Francis Camps
to have killed 163 patients.
and director of ceremonies at the London Hospital Lodge
.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, M.B.
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
, M.R.C.P.
Membership of the Royal College of Physicians
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians is a postgraduate medical diploma. The examinations are run by the Federation of the Medical Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom – the Royal College of Physicians of London, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and the Royal College...
, F.R.C.P
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
. (1 November 1914 – 10 December 2004) was a consultant neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
at the Whittington Hospital
Whittington Hospital
The Whittington Hospital is a British hospital in Archway, Islington, London. It is named after Richard Whittington.It is a district general hospital, although it is also a teaching hospital of the UCL Medical School and Middlesex University School of Health and Social Sciences.- History :Although...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and an expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
for the prosecution in the failed trial of suspected serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams was an Irish-born British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between the years 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their will. He was tried and acquitted for...
.
Life
Ashby (always known as "Mike") was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Arthur Brian Ashby, a barrister and company chairman, and Dame Margery Corbett-Ashby. He was educated at Ashdown House Preparatory School and at Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
. He studied medicine at New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, 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...
, and at the London Hospital. Whilst at Oxford he rowed in the boat that won the Boat Race in 1936 and 1937. At London Hospital he was United Hospitals light-heavyweight boxing champion for two successive years.
Career
After qualifying, he was a house physician before joining the RAMC, where he served from 1943 until 1947, becoming a medical specialist in 1945.On discharge from the Army in 1947 he worked at the National Hospital before returning to London Hospital as senior registrar to Sir Russell Brain and Ronald Henson. In 1949 he was appointed consultant neurologist to the Whittington Hospital in north London, where he remained until his retirement in 1975. He succeeded Macdonald Critchley
MacDonald Critchley
Macdonald Critchley CBE was a British neurologist. He was former president of the World Federation of Neurology, and the author of over 200 published articles on neurology and 20 books, including The Parietal Lobes , Aphasiology, and biographies of James Parkinson and Sir William Gowers.Macdonald...
as consultant neurologist to the Royal Masonic Hospital in 1965, also retiring from there in 1975.
He also had a private Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
practice which involved much medico-legal work. He gave evidence in the Guenther Podola
Guenther Podola
Guenther Fritz Erwin Podola was a German-born petty thief, and the last man to be hanged in Britain for killing a police officer. His trial was notable and controversial because of his defence of amnesia and the use of expert witnesses to determine whether his illness was real.-Life:Podola was...
and John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams was an Irish-born British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between the years 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their will. He was tried and acquitted for...
murder trials. His evidence in the latter in 1957 has been criticised for being too indecisive. While fellow witness Dr Arthur Douthwaite
Arthur Henry Douthwaite
Arthur Henry Douthwaite was a British doctor, Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians and a prolific medical textbook writer. He was the foremost expert on heroin in Britain in the 1950s, leading to him being called as an expert witness in the trial of suspected serial killer Dr John...
was adamant Adams had killed the victim, Edith Alice Morrell
Edith Alice Morrell
Edith Alice Morrell , was a resident of Eastbourne and patient of the suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams. He was tried for her murder in 1957 but acquitted...
, Ashby was more hesitant. In summing up, the judge called Ashby "the key witness", one "coming between the extremes", whose "border-line evidence" made it unsafe to convict. Adams was acquitted of the Morrell charge but was due to be tried for the murder of Gertrude Hullett
Gertrude Hullett
Gertrude "Bobby" Hullett , a resident of Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, was a patient of the suspected serial killer Dr John Bodkin Adams, who was charged with her murder but never tried for it.-Jack Hullett:...
straight after. The prosecutor, Reginald Manningham-Buller, withdrew the charge however by entering a nolle prosequi
Nolle prosequi
Nolle prosequi is legal term of art and a Latin legal phrase meaning "to be unwilling to pursue", a phrase amounting to "please do not prosecute". It is a phrase used in many common law criminal prosecution contexts to describe a prosecutor's decision to voluntarily discontinue criminal charges...
- partly because - in his words - the case would again be "based on the evidence of Dr Ashby".
Adams was thought by Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
pathologist Francis Camps
Francis Camps
Francis Edward Camps, FRCP, FRCpath was a famous English pathologist notable for his work on the cases of serial killer John Christie and suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams.-Early life and training:...
to have killed 163 patients.
Family
In 1944 Ashby married Pamela Mary Roffey. They had two sons and two daughters. Their elder daughter, Charlotte, died in a car crash in 1966, the day before her 21st birthday.Personal interests
Ashby was a freemasonFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and director of ceremonies at the London Hospital Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
.