52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 23. Bridge: John Randolph Surgeon of Bridge Street, Westminster.

 MR JOHN RANDOLPH Esq. 1797-1877 SURGEON: My 3x Great Grandfather 

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 John Randolph was born on 23^rd September 1797, the son of George Randolph (Blog 1) a Glasgow Grocer and Tobacconist, of Kings Street, Glasgow and Catherine nee Lepper of Lydd, Kent, England. Unfortunately, his father died in 1800, it would appear the family were living in the maternal family’s parish of Lydd in Kent at this time and yet he appears to have gained his education in Glasgow attending school there from 1811 to 1813.

He is still in Glasgow in 1818, where he marries William Mary Wilson (Blog 2) on the 26^{th of} October, the document identifies him as a student at this time. Later Medical Registers suggest that he may have commenced his medical training in Scotland. However, he and his new wife moved back down to Kent, England shortly after their marriage. Their eldest daughter, Catherine (named after her paternal Grandmother) Jane being baptised at New Romney in 1819. John and William Mary had a total of 11 children. Details can be found within (Blog 2)

John continued with his studies and became a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. London in 1820. This would have allowed John to have practiced in a similar manner to a modern-day General Practitioner. John continued with his medical training, and he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. England in 1827, as identified in later copies of Medical Directories and Medical Registers.

The Randolph family moved to London a few years after qualifying as surgeon. In 1833, he and the family were living at 11 Parliament Street, Westminster. In 1839, the local trade directory shows that he was working from no.2 Bridge Street Westminster. A year later his financial state had deteriorated to a state that he was declared bankrupt.

17 Nov 1840 Bankrupcy London Gazette and other newspapers

'And on the 17th day of November 1840, by

JOHN RANDOLPH, late of No. 2, Bridge-street, in (be

parish of St. Margaret, in the city of Westminster, and

county of Middlesex, but now residing at No. 4, Westminster-

bridge-road, in the parish of St. Mary, Lambeth,

in the county of Surrey, Surgeon and Apothecary, that be is

in insolvent circumstances, and is unable to meet his engagements

with his creditors.'

On the 1841 census, John and William Mary are living at no.3 Bridge Street, along with John and Mary Wallace (Solicitor) and the Smith family. John and Mary’s five younger daughters are all with their Grandmother, Catherine in Lambeth.

Later in 1841, John was discharged from the Bankruptcy court and the family moved to 55 Marsham Street, both the family home and his business premises. In March 1847, a newspaper article in The London Daily News, names John Randolph as performing the post mortem on a male body found drowned in the Thames. He opinion was that the body had been in the river for approx 2 months.

In November 1849 a paper written by John Randolph, is recorded in medical journal, The Lancet.

LONDON HOSPITAL SURGERY:

 Kings College and St Bartholemew,s Hospitals: 

Observations of the nature, causes and treatment of cholera.

The Medical Directory for 1855 shows that John Randolph was in partnership with his son-in-law, Thomas Parker Rust 1825-1902, who married John and William Mary’s sixth daughter Mary Muir Randolph.  Thomas qualified as a MRCS in 1847. This partnership continued until John’s death in 1877.

John and his family continued to live in Marsham Street during the 1860’s, but the home was not without it’s sadness. Their daughter, Rosella, attempted suicide whilst staying with her parents and did not survive the overdose of laudanum she had taken (Blog 3) and his wife, William Mary died in 1865, from breast cancer.

Widower, John Randolph married his maid and witness of his daughter’s suicide attempt, Mary Anne Stanley on 4^th July 1867 at St Mark, Kennington. They had 2 sons, John Stanley in 1868 and George Herbert Godfrey in 1870.

In 1871, the family are living at no 11, Holland Grove, Kennington. There are also 2 identified servants, Sarah Stanley, who is cited as retained by the family, and Elizabeth Riley a general servant. Further research suggests that Sarah is Mary Anne’s sister.

By 1875, the electoral roll, shows John living at 16, Bessborough Gardens, Pimlico. Trade directories also show the business ‘Randolph and Rust’ registered at the same address. On the 8^{th of} Sept 1877, John Randolph, Surgeon, aged 80 died at this home address, from angina pectoris of one week duration alongside Pulmonary Congestion. The death was registered by his brother-in-law, Benjamin Stanley.

 crown copyright

 John was buried at Norwood Cemetery on 15^th of September 1877.

To complete, John’s story, his last will was made on 13^th April 1875, leaving his entire estate to his wife, Mary Anne Randolph, although probate indicates the sum of this was under £1000.

 

                  

                                                                crown copyright

Further information:

Blog 1: George Randolph 

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 15. Brick Wall (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

Blog 2 William Mary Randolph nee Wilson 

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks: Week 3. Namesake (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

Blog 3 Margery Rosella Pye nee Randolph

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Mothers Day (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)