Noel Broxholme
Noel Broxholme,
Early life
Broxholme was, according to William Stukeley, a native of Stamford, Lincolnshire, of humble origin,[2] the son of Robert Broxholme of Oakham, Rutland.[3] He was admitted on the foundation at Westminster School in 1700, and, in 1704, was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge.[4] He proceeded, however, to Christ Church, Oxford, where he was nominated student 23 July 1705, and graduated B.A. on 20 May 1709 and M.A. on 18 April 1711.
In 1709, he had commenced his medical studies, under
Medical career
Broxholme then began practice in London. He was admitted a Candidate of the
He was one of the six physicians appointed to
Personal life
On 7 May 1730 at Trinity Chapel, Knightsbridge, he married Amy Hammond, widow of the politician William Dowdeswell, of Pull Court at Bushley in Worcestershire, and daughter of the poet Anthony Hammond.[8][9] Her sons William Dowdeswell (1721-1775) and George Dowdeswell became significant beneficiaries in Broxholme's will.[10]
Dr. Stukeley, his countryman and fellow-student at St. Thomas's Hospital, reported that Broxholme "was a man of wit and gayety, lov'd poetry, was a good classic, … got much money in the Misisipi project in France. At length he came over and practised, but never had a great liking to it, tho' he had good encouragem[en]t."[2] "He was always nervous and vapoured," wrote Horace Walpole, "and so good-natured that he left off his practice from not being able to bear seeing so many melancholy objects. I remember him with as much wit as ever I knew."[11] In 1755 Robert Taylor (1710-1762), royal physician, speaking of his exceptional intellectual and personal qualities, described Broxholme as an ornament to the Radcliffe award.[5]
Legacy
He died in his country home at
In 1754 there appeared A Collection of Receipts in Physic, purporting to be Dr Broxholme's remedies.[13]
References
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3722. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b c W.C. Lukis (ed), 'Common Place Book', The Family Memoirs of the Rev. William Stukeley, M.D., Surtees Society LXXIII, for 1880 (Durham, London and Edinburgh, 1882), pp. 96-97 (Google).
- ^ a b 'Broxholme, Noel', in J. Foster (ed.), Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714 (Oxford University Press, 1891), pp. 171-200, Braly-Bruer (British History Online).
- ^ "Broxholme, Noel (BRKM704N)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ a b c d 'Noel Broxolme, M.D.', with a latin encomium of Broxholme from Robert Taylor's Harveian Oration of 1755, in W. Munk (ed.), The Roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 2nd, revised and enlarged edition (Royal College of Physicians, London 1878), II: 1701-1800, pp. 89-90 (Google).
- ^ G.C. Peachy, History of St George's Hospital (J. Bale, London 1910-1914), p. 36 (Internet Archive).
- ^ Peachy, History of St George's Hospital, p. 247 (Internet Archive).
- ^ The record of the marriage is printed in H.G. Davis, ed. Charles Davis, The Memorials of the Hamlet of Knightsbridge, with Notices of its Immediate Neighbourhood (J. Russell Smith, London 1859), p. 84 (Google).
- ^ Amy's parentage is referenced in J. Brooke, 'Dowdeswell, William (1721-75), of Pull Court, Worcs.', in L. Namier and J. Brooke (eds), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790 (from Boydell and Brewer 1964), History of Parliament online, note 1.
- ^ a b Will of Noel Broxolme, Doctor in Physick (P.C.C. 1748, Strahan quire).
- ^ '272. Horace Walpole to George Montagu, Esq, 25 July 1748', in P. Cunningham (ed.), The Letters of Horace Walpole, Fourth Earl of Orford, 9 volumes (Richard Bentley and Son, London 1891), II, pp. 118-20, at p. 120 (Hathi Trust).
- ^ Will of Amie Broxolme (P.C.C. 1754, Pinfold quire).
- ^ A Collection of Receipts in Physic, being the Practice of the late eminent Dr. Bloxam: containing a Complete Body of Prescriptions answering to every Disease, with some in Surgery. The Second Edition. (Lockyer Davis, 8vo, London 1754). Page views at Google.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1886). "Broxholme, Noel". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 7. London: Smith, Elder & Co.