Cover image for
Resource Name:
Resource Type:
External Resource
Metadata
Asset Name:
E005388 - Gaskell, Sir Arthur (1871 - 1952)
Title:
Gaskell, Sir Arthur (1871 - 1952)
Author:
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Identifier:
RCS: E005388
Publisher:
London : Royal College of Surgeons of England
Publication Date:
2014-06-04
Description:
Obituary for Gaskell, Sir Arthur (1871 - 1952), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Language:
English
Source:
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows
Full Name:
Gaskell, Sir Arthur
Date of Birth:
6 July 1871
Place of Birth:
Dartmouth
Date of Death:
12 January 1952
Place of Death:
Fareham, Hampshire
Occupation:
Titles/Qualifications:
KCB 1930

CB 1916

OBE 1919

MRCS 1 August 1892

FRCS 8 June 1899

LRCP 1892

DPH RCPS 1913
Details:
Born at Dartmouth on 6 July 1871 fifth child and second son of Hunter Gaskell JPO and his wife née Stempkowska, he was educated at Tavistock and at University College Hospital, and was commissioned in the Royal Naval Medical Service in 1893 and posted to the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham. He was in charge of the surgical section of the advanced base hospital at Leu-Kung-Tao in China during the Boxer rebellion of 1900. He was promoted Staff-Surgeon in 1902 and Fleet-Surgeon in 1906. In 1914 he was appointed Professor of Hygiene and Director of Studies at the RN Medical College at Greenwich. During the war of 1914-18 he fitted out the hospital ship *Soudan*, and was then Assistant Director of Medical Services to the Naval Division at Gallipoli (1915). From 1916 he was in charge of the Naval Hospital at the Cape of Good Hope, and returned to Chatham in 1919 as a surgical specialist with the rank of Surgeon-Captain (1920). While in South Africa he distributed at his own expense a primer which he had written on first-aid, and was subsequently employed to write the official Naval first-aid handbook. He was created CB in 1916 and OBE in 1919 for his war services. Gaskell was promoted Surgeon Rear-Admiral in 1923 and Surgeon Vice-Admiral in 1927, when he was appointed Medical Director-General of the Navy. He was knighted as a KCB in 1930, and retired in 1931. He subsequently served on the advisory committee on the medical branches of the fighting services. Gaskell was a Fellow of the Royal Sanitary Institute, and was elected a Fellow of University College. He was an honorary surgeon to the King. He married in 1911 Sophie, daughter of the Hon Sir Lewis Michell CVO; Lady Gaskell survived him with a son and daughter. Their elder son was killed in action in 1944. He died suddenly at his home Greenwood, Fareham, Hampshire on 12 January 1952 aged 80. A memorial service was held on 19 January in the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar.
Sources:
*The Times* 15 January 1952 pp 6 D-E

*Brit med J*1952, 1, 278

*Lancet* 1952, 1, 268

*JRN med Serv* 1952, 38, 101-103 with personal recollections by RCM, AEM, and KHH and portrait in uniform facing p 49

Information from Lady Gaskell
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/E005000-E005999/E005300-E005399
Media Type:
Unknown