William Fitzwilliam O'Grady
Doctor William
Fitzwilliam O’Grady was born to Terence O’Grady and Ann Frances Goggin in
Tralee, County Kerry in 1852, he passed away on the 23rd November
1914 .
O’Grady studied medicine at the Royal College of Physicians And Surgeons in Dublin. Upon conclusion of his studies in the mid 1870’s he moved to England and gained his initial qualified position as a junior medical officer at the New Bridge Street Workhouse Hospital in Manchester, providing free treatment for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it. He worked there for five years up until 1879 when he acquired the post of Medical Officer at the Swinton Industrial Schools, another establishment under the authority of the Manchester Union, where he skilfully cared for the school staff as well as the inmates.
His early years in Swinton were spent in lodgings on Manchester Road until in 1885 when he moved into the newly built Stoneacre. The splendid dwelling of 87 Chorley Road comprising of family accommodation and the doctor’s consultation rooms, designed by John Langham an architect with offices in Albert Square, Manchester. Langham later co-designed Manchester’s London Road Fire Station, the two men remained lifelong friends.
Having now established himself in the suburbs as a general practitioner a role that complimented his obligations at the industrial school he decided to consider a wife. In 1886 William O’Grady married Blanche Kathleen Goggin, a clergyman’s daughter from Rufford. Her father a Tralee man and cousin to O’Grady’s mother performed the wedding ceremony. The marriage produced two sons.
For countless years O’Grady was a committed participant of the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, holding the role of Surgeon to “F” Swinton Company. In 1900 alongside Surgeon Lieutenant Orr; a doctor from Ellesmere Park he was instrumental in training and securing several ambulance men from Swinton to serve in the Bearer Companies of the Royal Army Medical Corps for the duration of the Boer War. In 1908 he achieved promotion to Surgeon Major and in 1912 received the Territorial Officers Decoration for long and effective service. His last official military appointment commenced in July 1914 as medical officer for the Army and Special Reserves for Swinton and Pendlebury in readiness for the inevitable outbreak of war and influx of volunteer recruits. The doctor was also an active member of the Egerton Lodge of Freemasons since the lodge inauguration in the mid 1880’s, being a past master and in his later years held the honourable post of Provincial Grand Senior Deacon of West Lancashire.
In 1904 O’Grady relinquished his duties at the Industrial School to devote more time to his general practice. The responsibilities of a town doctor grew dramatically with the introduction of the National Insurance Act of 1911 which gave the working classes the first opportunity to insure themselves against illness and secure the services of a doctor away from the confines of the Workhouse Hospital. It was believed this ever increasing work load and extended working hours contributed to the doctors declining health, already weakened after a severe illness contracted a few years earlier whilst on an annual summer training camp with the Manchester Regiment on Salisbury Plain.
As the doctor’s condition deteriorated further he came under the care of Doctor Scowby whose house and surgery “Windward” stood on Worsley Road near the Worsley boundary. Scowby was expertly assisted by Doctor Cox and Professor Wild from Manchester. On the day of his death O’Grady felt strong enough to sit in a bedside chair and read a letter received that morning from his eldest son James Fitzwilliam O’Grady, a Lieutenant with the 7th Lancashire Fusiliers serving in Egypt. Having discussed the letter with his wife he passed peacefully away shortly after. At the request of Lieutenant O’Grady his father’s surgery would be kept open until his return from war duty. In April 1915 James was wounded during the Gallipoli Campaign, evacuated to Malta he made a complete recovery. In the later stages of the war he held the post of commanding officer for the 12th (2nd Western) General Hospital. He finally returned home to Stoneacre becoming an anaesthetist at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and held additional private consultation rooms on Mill Brow, Worsley.
The extraordinary regard Doctor O’Grady held in the region was unmistakeable at his funeral. From Stoneacre to St. Peters Church local people lined the route to show their respect, curtains remained drawn at numerous houses. The Industrial School where the doctor served faithfully for so many years flew its flag at half-mast. The Reverend Haywood conducted the service in front of a considerable congregation gathered to pay their final respects. Afterwards an oak coffin draped in the Union Jack with the doctor’s military cap and sword placed on top was transported by car for internment at Swinton Cemetery.
Surgeon Major William Fitzwilliam O’Grady left a substantial estate of £10,388.
© Sue Tydd
O’Grady studied medicine at the Royal College of Physicians And Surgeons in Dublin. Upon conclusion of his studies in the mid 1870’s he moved to England and gained his initial qualified position as a junior medical officer at the New Bridge Street Workhouse Hospital in Manchester, providing free treatment for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it. He worked there for five years up until 1879 when he acquired the post of Medical Officer at the Swinton Industrial Schools, another establishment under the authority of the Manchester Union, where he skilfully cared for the school staff as well as the inmates.
His early years in Swinton were spent in lodgings on Manchester Road until in 1885 when he moved into the newly built Stoneacre. The splendid dwelling of 87 Chorley Road comprising of family accommodation and the doctor’s consultation rooms, designed by John Langham an architect with offices in Albert Square, Manchester. Langham later co-designed Manchester’s London Road Fire Station, the two men remained lifelong friends.
Having now established himself in the suburbs as a general practitioner a role that complimented his obligations at the industrial school he decided to consider a wife. In 1886 William O’Grady married Blanche Kathleen Goggin, a clergyman’s daughter from Rufford. Her father a Tralee man and cousin to O’Grady’s mother performed the wedding ceremony. The marriage produced two sons.
For countless years O’Grady was a committed participant of the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, holding the role of Surgeon to “F” Swinton Company. In 1900 alongside Surgeon Lieutenant Orr; a doctor from Ellesmere Park he was instrumental in training and securing several ambulance men from Swinton to serve in the Bearer Companies of the Royal Army Medical Corps for the duration of the Boer War. In 1908 he achieved promotion to Surgeon Major and in 1912 received the Territorial Officers Decoration for long and effective service. His last official military appointment commenced in July 1914 as medical officer for the Army and Special Reserves for Swinton and Pendlebury in readiness for the inevitable outbreak of war and influx of volunteer recruits. The doctor was also an active member of the Egerton Lodge of Freemasons since the lodge inauguration in the mid 1880’s, being a past master and in his later years held the honourable post of Provincial Grand Senior Deacon of West Lancashire.
In 1904 O’Grady relinquished his duties at the Industrial School to devote more time to his general practice. The responsibilities of a town doctor grew dramatically with the introduction of the National Insurance Act of 1911 which gave the working classes the first opportunity to insure themselves against illness and secure the services of a doctor away from the confines of the Workhouse Hospital. It was believed this ever increasing work load and extended working hours contributed to the doctors declining health, already weakened after a severe illness contracted a few years earlier whilst on an annual summer training camp with the Manchester Regiment on Salisbury Plain.
As the doctor’s condition deteriorated further he came under the care of Doctor Scowby whose house and surgery “Windward” stood on Worsley Road near the Worsley boundary. Scowby was expertly assisted by Doctor Cox and Professor Wild from Manchester. On the day of his death O’Grady felt strong enough to sit in a bedside chair and read a letter received that morning from his eldest son James Fitzwilliam O’Grady, a Lieutenant with the 7th Lancashire Fusiliers serving in Egypt. Having discussed the letter with his wife he passed peacefully away shortly after. At the request of Lieutenant O’Grady his father’s surgery would be kept open until his return from war duty. In April 1915 James was wounded during the Gallipoli Campaign, evacuated to Malta he made a complete recovery. In the later stages of the war he held the post of commanding officer for the 12th (2nd Western) General Hospital. He finally returned home to Stoneacre becoming an anaesthetist at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and held additional private consultation rooms on Mill Brow, Worsley.
The extraordinary regard Doctor O’Grady held in the region was unmistakeable at his funeral. From Stoneacre to St. Peters Church local people lined the route to show their respect, curtains remained drawn at numerous houses. The Industrial School where the doctor served faithfully for so many years flew its flag at half-mast. The Reverend Haywood conducted the service in front of a considerable congregation gathered to pay their final respects. Afterwards an oak coffin draped in the Union Jack with the doctor’s military cap and sword placed on top was transported by car for internment at Swinton Cemetery.
Surgeon Major William Fitzwilliam O’Grady left a substantial estate of £10,388.
© Sue Tydd