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November 2008 Archives

Medicine Men

Posted by Tom Duffy on November 28, 2008 2:40 PM

THIS week Times Past will reflect upon Formby's proud but rather neglected association with the medical profession.
And this link is principally based upon the lives of Dr Robert Minnitt and Dr Richard Formby. Dr Minnitt, who invented the iconic 'gas and air' machine, grew up in Formby. He lived in the Old Vicarage on Lifeboat Road, which was demolished toward the end of August earlier this year.
Richard Formby was born in 1815, and grew up in the gas light of Formby Hall. He studied law at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, a strong interest in anatomy led him to Edinburgh, where he completed a post graduate degree in medicine.
On his return to Merseyside in 1818, the following notice appeared in the Liverpool Mercury:"Dr Formby will commence a course of lectures on anatomy and physiology on Tuesday, the 17th Instant, at eight in the Morning." This was the beginning of Dr Formby's illustrious career in Liverpool, which saw him contribute to the establishment of the city's medical school and make a substantial contribution to the public health of the city.
Interestingly, it also thought that Dr Formby was fleetingly involved with the grave robbers or 'resurrectionists' who spirited bodies from graves in the dead of night.Before the Anatomy Act of 1832, the medical community relied upon this illicit trade to provide bodies for anatomical purposes, and it seems Dr Formby was no exception.
T Cecil Gray, in 'Dr Richard Formby, states:"He must have been involved with the resurrectionists, but which and where are unknown."
However, Dr Formby principal achievement was his contribution to the emergence of Liverpool Infirmary Medical School; he provided the introductory lecture on October 1 1844, and was elected Honorary Member on September 29 1864.
Dr Formby also worked for Liverpool's Lunatic Asylum, sitting on its governing committee. The doctor and his wife, Charlotte, would occasionally invite patients to their home on Formby Point, for a day of fresh air and rest.
The final chapter of Dr Formby's life is associated with Shorrocks Hill., where he built a house to spend his retirement in. Dr Formby enjoyed a happy retirement 'close to the pinewoods and dunes.' A series of heart attacks brought his life to an end in 1897, and a plaque in St Luke's Church celebrates his life.

Tensions never off agendas

Posted by Tom Duffy on November 21, 2008 11:45 AM

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IN light of last week's stormy parish council meeting, this week Times Past will cast its eye over the history of local government in Formby.
Local government appears to have arrived in 1894, when Formby was run by West Lancashire Rural District Council. And controversy was not far away, even then. Councillor Sean Brady, who attended last week's meeting, has posted an entry on his blog about Formby's first parish council on his blog.
He describes the tensions between the council and the Formby Times, which was critical of the bodies performance. Cllr Brady writes:"The local newspaper of the day, The Formby Times, was full of constantly critical reports as the new members struggled to come to terms with the requirements of the law. Week after week in early 1895 the equivalent of the editorial complained of the lack of competence and compared the Council unfavourably with the newly established Parish Council in Ainsdale."
However, Formby people were less than happy with remote rule from Ormskirk, and a groundswell of opinion led to the formation of the Urban District Council in 1905.However, as Formby's population began to boom during the mid 20th century, this body became less able to serve the needs of the people it was meant to represent.
In 1997 a Local Government Commission for England survey discovered that many Formby people began to feel marginalised and frustrated with the quality of council services. This report led to the emergence of Formby Area Committee, which is currently chaired by Councillor Vincent Sedgley Platt.
However, by 2001, Formby Civic Society and Claire Curtis - Thomas MP joined forces to press for the establishment of a parish council. A public meeting was held, at which 75% of the audience agreed that there should be a submission to the Deputy Prime Minister's Office.
The first Formby Parish Council elections were held in January 2004, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Lest we forget

Posted by Tom Duffy on November 13, 2008 5:10 PM

THIS week Times Past takes a closer look at the wooden cross in the grounds of St Peter's Church in Formby.
Although a cross in a church is not in itself unusual, this structure is a little different. Recovered from the trenches of France, it marks the names of the soldiers from the 12th King's ( Liverpool Regiment ) who died at Ginchy in 1916.
And as Remembrance Sunday begins to fade from our collective memory for another year, perhaps now is the time to take a closer look at some of the names on it. They are Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings, Arthur Ernest Thompson, George Eric Thompson, John Smethurst, Thomas Power Corish, Robert Davison, Herbert Harman Dunn and Harry Edwards. All the men's bodies were destroyed by German shelling, so the cross is an important record of their lives.
And two of the fallen heroes were living in Formby before the war. Lieutenant Hutchings was at South View on Old Town Lane in Freshfield. He was commissioned in to the The King's on September 12 1914, and killed on September 3 1916. His name is also recorded on the epic Thiepval memorial in France.
And George Thompson came from a Formby family who lived at Parkfield on Freshfield Road. George was educated at Rugby and Harrow, and was a member of Northern Cricket Club and West Lancashire Golf Club. He enlisted in to The King's on August 31 1914 and was killed on September 3 1916, aged 20, after 7 weeks on the front. His name is also commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, and at Northern Cricket Club in Great Crosby.
Fr Paul Ormerod of St Peter's said:"The cross is important because it records the names of local men and a Liverpool Regiment."


This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Formby Times Past in the November 2008. They are listed from oldest to newest.

October 2008 is the previous archive.December 2008 is the next archive.

Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.