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Sir John Charles Bucknill 1817–1897: Our Founder

Based on a Lecture given at the Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Exeter on 9th July, 1979

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

G. E. Langley
Affiliation:
Exe Vale Hospital, Exminster, Exeter EX6 8AB
G. E. Langley
Affiliation:
Exe Vale Hospital, Exminster, Exeter EX6 8AB

Extract

‘Citizen, soldier and psychologist’ was the description of Sir John used by his obituarist. He was an eminent psychiatrist of his time, but why is he mentioned as a psychologist and what did he do for the Army to be rewarded with a knighthood? He established his career in rural Devon and at the age of 27 he became the first medical superintendent of the Devon County Lunatic Asylum, now the Exminster wing of Exe Vale Hospital. Here he remained for 18 years, but at the age of 45 on becoming Lord Chancellor's Visitor, he retired with a pension of £650, the fruits of leading a vigorous campaign on behalf of medical superintendents who were previously unsuperannuated.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1980 

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