Person    | Male  Born 1744  Died 1815

Dr John Lettsom

Categories: Medicine, Philanthropy, Race Issues

Countries: Virgin Islands

Physician, philanthropist, abolitionist and entomologist. Born British Virgin Islands into a Quaker family. Aged 6 was sent to England to be educated. Came to London in 1766 to train at St Thomas' Hospital. Founder of the Medical Society of London of which he was president on and off, 1775 - 1815.

He signed his prescriptions “I” which prompted this rhyme (of which there are some variant versions):

When patients ill, they comes to I,
I physicks, bleeds and sweats ‘em:
Sometimes they live, sometimes they die,
What’s that to I? I Lettsom.

A noted abolitionist, on the death of his father he returned to the Virgin Islands where he freed the slaves he had inherited. But later, his son, through a wealthy marriage back in the Virgin Islands, brought slaves back into the family and Lettsom inherited them shortly before he died. Thus he died with 1,000 slaves in his estate. He had some explaining to do at the pearly gates.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dr John Lettsom

Commemorated ati

Dr John Lettsom's house

{On a modern information plaque at the foot of this edifice:} Stonework from...

Read More

Medical Society and Lettsom

Site of the Medical Society of London 1787 - 1850 gifted by a founder, John C...

Read More

Other Subjects

men and women of Guy's Hospital who died in WW2

men and women of Guy's Hospital who died in WW2

The ninety four men and women of Guy's Hospital who gave their lives during the war of 1939 - 1945.

Group, Medicine

1 memorial
James Parkinson

James Parkinson

Physician, geologist, political activist. Parkinson's disease is his. Born 1 Hoxton Square. Died at home, 3 Pleasant Row, Kingsland Road.

Person, Medicine, Politics & Administration, Science

1 memorial
F. W. Clifford

F. W. Clifford

District Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1920-1942. Officer in the Order of St John. Nature, No. 3806, 10 October 1942 carries Clifford's obituary. At the time of his sud...

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Museums / Libraries, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
London School of Tropical Medicine

London School of Tropical Medicine

This school was founded in 1899 at the Albert Dock Seamen's Hospital by Patrick Manson, the Chief Medical Officer to the Colonial Office. The School moved to he Endsleigh Gardens site in 1920. The ...

Group, Medicine

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Leigh Hunt

Leigh Hunt

Poet. Born Southgate. Named 'James Henry Leigh Hunt' after the Duke of Chandos, James Henry Leigh, who was employing Hunt's father, a preacher, as tutor to his nephew at the time of Hunt's birth. F...

Person, Literature, Poetry

6 memorials
Corporation of the City of London

Corporation of the City of London

The municipal governing body of the City of London. Officially the 'Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London'. In 2006 the name was changed from just 'Corporation of London' to disti...

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration

185 memorials
H. Wedd

H. Wedd

Resident of Golders Green killed serving in WW1.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission

Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission

From their website: "The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission will ensure that the bereaved families, survivors and North Kensington residents lead decision-making on the long-term future of the Gren...

Group, History, Tragedy

1 memorial
Frank Matcham

Frank Matcham

Theatre architect. Born Newton Abbot, Devon. Never qualified as an architect but designed at least 80 theatres and did some work on about the same number again. About 24 of his theatres survive rea...

Person, Architecture, Theatre

10 memorials