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Resource Name:
Resource Type:
External Resource
Metadata
Asset Name:
E004135 - Fripp, Sir Alfred Downing (1865 - 1930)
Title:
Fripp, Sir Alfred Downing (1865 - 1930)
Author:
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Identifier:
RCS: E004135
Publisher:
London : Royal College of Surgeons of England
Publication Date:
2013-06-26
Description:
Obituary for Fripp, Sir Alfred Downing (1865 - 1930), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Language:
English
Source:
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows
Full Name:
Fripp, Sir Alfred Downing
Date of Birth:
12 September 1865
Place of Birth:
Blandford
Date of Death:
25 February 1930
Place of Death:
West Lulworth, Dorset
Occupation:
Titles/Qualifications:
KB 1903

KCVO 1906

CB and CVO 1901

MRCS 12 February 1889

FRCS 8 June 1893

MB BS London 1889

MS 1893

LRCP 1889
Details:
The eldest son of Alfred Downing Fripp by his second wife, E B Roe, he was born on 12 September 1865. Fripp came of an artistic family, for his father exhibited during more than 50 years, chiefly at the Old Water Colour Society, of which his great-grandfather Nicholas Pocock was a founder. His uncle, George Arthur Fripp, RWS, also had a long career as a painter of repute. Alfred Downing Fripp was born at Blandford, where his parents lived until 1870, when they moved to Hampstead. He was educated first at a school in Blandford kept by the Rev James Penny, then at Cook's preparatory school at Brighton, and finally at Merchant Taylors School in Charterhouse Square, London, which he entered in 1879 when the Rev William Baker, BD was head master. Here he played in the cricket XI in 1881, 1882, and 1883. On 1 October 1884 he entered Guy's Hospital as a medical student, acted as dresser to J N Davies-Colley, and filled the posts of house physician and resident obstetric officer, but never that of house surgeon. Throughout his student days he played a prominent part in hospital athletics, and was active for several years both in football and cricket. He went as locum tenens to William Hamerton Jalland, FRCS, who was in practice at York, and whilst serving in this capacity was called upon to treat HRH the Duke of Clarence, who had dislocated his ankle at the barracks, when serving in the 10th Hussars. Fripp made so favourable an impression that he was afterwards presented to Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, and the future King George V then Duke of York; they remained his friends ever afterwards. In 1897 he was appointed surgeon in ordinary to the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII), and in the following year was called upon to attend him on the occasion of a fractured patella. In 1890 Fripp was elected demonstrator of anatomy at Guy's Hospital, and in this post proved himself a good and practical teacher. He was elected assistant surgeon to the Hospital in 1897, becoming surgeon and lecturer on surgery in 1908, and consulting surgeon in 1925. During the Boer War Fripp had much to do with the organization of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital in this country, and went with it to South Africa as chief civilian surgeon attached to the Deelfontein Hospital. Throughout the year 1900 he contributed a series of articles to the *British Medical Journal* describing the state of the Hospital (*Brit med J* 1900, 1, 777, 1196, 1371, 1432; 2, 573). On his return home at the end of the war he served on a committee appointed by Mr Broderick (afterwards Lord Midleton), Secretary of State for War, to examine as to the best way to improve the Royal Army Medical Corps. The chief recommendation was that an Advisory Board, consisting in part of civilians, should be established and that the RAMC should be under its direction. The Army Medical School was removed from Netley to a college built on the Thames Embankment near Vauxhall Bridge, provided with suitable laboratories and a mess room. Periods of study leave were also provided for, and the Army Nursing Staff was reorganized. During the war of 1914-18 Fripp was appointed a consulting surgeon to the Royal Navy. In 1925 Fripp had Mr Bert Temple (who died 18 February 1931) as a patient in a nursing home and, as the result of a casual conversation about the best means of raising more money for the Invalid Children's Aid Association in which Fripp had long been interested, Temple formed an organization which was known as "Ye Ancient Order of Frothblowers", a catching title though it was not necessarily connected with the drinking of beer. The Order was divided into local branches, each being called "a vat", whose business it was to collect money for charities devoted to help children. The scheme proved most successful and upwards of £100,000 was collected before the Order was voluntarily wound up in May 1931. Fripp, in conjunction with Sir Cosmo Bonsor, Treasurer of the Hospital, was also instrumental in collecting large sums of money for Guy's. Fripp received many honours: created a CB in 1901 for his services in the Boer War, he was made CVO in the same year, was gazetted Knight Bachelor in 1903, and was appointed KCVO in 1906; he was elected a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 1901. He was surgeon in ordinary to the Prince of Wales, who retained his services in the same capacity on ascending the throne as King Edward VII; he was also surgeon in ordinary to the next Prince of Wales, afterwards King George V. He married in 1898 Margaret Scott, daughter of Thomas B Haywood of Reigate, who was awarded the RRC for her services in the South African War. She survived him with two sons and three daughters. His elder son, Alfred Thomas Fripp, FRCS, was orthopaedic surgeon at Guy's Hospital at the time of his father's death. Fripp died at West Lulworth, Dorset, on 25 February 1930, and was buried in the churchyard of that town. A memorial was raised by his friends to develop and extend the children's department at Guy's Hospital. As a surgeon Fripp was a good operator, but without deep interest on the scientific side. The individuality of his patients, especially of the children, appealed to him, and he was for many years an active member of the Invalid Children's Aid Association, of which he was in turn vice-president of the council, chairman of the finance committee, founder and chairman of the Hackney branch. As a man he had great social gifts with a handsome presence. He had too a peculiar skill in raising money for charity. A memorial fellowship in child psychology at Guy's Hospital, was founded in his memory; C H Rogerson, MRCS, being the first Fellow in 1932. At Durham University Fripp endowed an annual lecture "Happiness and success", the first lecturer being Stanley Baldwin, MP, in 1931. Publications: *Human Anatomy for Art Students*, with Ralph Thompson, F.R.C.S. London. 1911 Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis, with J H Bryant, FRCS. *Trans Clin Soc Lond*. 1899, 32, 64. Laminectomy for dermoid tumour in the spinal cord, with W Hale White, MD *Ibid*. 1900, 33, 140.
Sources:
*The Times*, 27 February 1930, with portrait

*Lancet*, 1930, 1, 487, with portrait

*Brit med J*. 1930, 1, 473, with portrait

*Guy's Hosp Rep*. 1930, 80, 127, with a portrait and reproduction of the "Spy" cartoon

*Guy's Hosp Gaz*, bicentenary number, 1925, 39, 421

C Roberts Alfred Fripp, London, 1932, with portrait selections from which appeared in *The Daily Telegraph*, 12 October 1932 as following days

*The Dorset Year Book* 1939-40, p 10

Personal knowledge
Rights:
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Collection:
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows
Format:
Obituary
Format:
Asset
Asset Path:
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E004000-E004999/E004100-E004199
Media Type:
Unknown