Person    | Male  Born 16/5/1877  Died 17/12/1947

Sir Bernard Spilsbury

Categories: Law, Medicine

Forensic pathologist. Born Leamington Spa, son of a manufacturing chemist. He was a pioneer in the science of determining the cause of death by examining a corpse and gave evidence in many cases which attracted publicity and made him quite famous. His cases include: Crippen and the 'brides in the bath'. He was also key to 'Operation Mincemeat'.

However he was clearly not a 'team-player', refusing to share his methods, train others or submit to peer review. He rather steam-rollered his views through the courts and concerns about possible miscarriages of justice have been raised recently.

Of his three sons one died in the Blitz while working as a doctor at St Thomas's Hospital and one died of tuberculosis in 1945. Failing health and these two deaths are thought have contributed to Spilsbury's suicide by gas in his laboratory at University College.

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:
Sir Bernard Spilsbury

Commemorated ati

Sir Bernard Spilsbury

Sir Bernard Spilsbury, 1877 - 1947, forensic pathologist, lived here, 1912 - ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Tothill Fields Prison

Tothill Fields Prison

Also known as Tothill Fields Bridewell, Westminster Bridewell and the Westminster House of Correction. It was one of the less severe places of incarceration, as one of the main punishments was not ...

Place, Law

2 memorials
Cy Grant

Cy Grant

Actor, musician, writer and poet. Born Cyril Ewart Lionel Grant in Beterverwagting, British Guiana (modern day Guyana). He served in the Royal Air Force during WW2, and in Britain, he qualified as ...

Person, Armed Forces, Law, Music / songs, Race Issues, TV & Radio, South America

1 memorial
Rt. Hon. George Denman

Rt. Hon. George Denman

George Denman was born on 23 December 1819 at 50 Russell Square, London, the fourth son of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman of Dovedale, (1779-1854) and Theodosia Anne Denman née Vevers (1779-1852)....

Person, Law

1 memorial
King's Bench Prison

King's Bench Prison

Established in medieval times as a place to hold prisoners of the King's Bench court, primarily debtors. It was originally sited in Angel Place, off Borough High Street, just north of what is now J...

Place, Law

1 memorial
Arthur Cohen

Arthur Cohen

Lawyer. Born in Wyndham Place, Bryanston Square, son of Benjamin Cohen and nephew of Moses Montefiore. Studied maths and became the first practising Jew to graduate from Cambridge. Admitted to Inne...

Person, Law

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Lady John Manners

Lady John Manners

There is sheet music dated 1873 for a song "True for ever" with words and music by Lady John Manners and Virginia Gabriel. Could this be the same LJM who opened our garden? We hope so.

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
Highbury Quadrant Congregational Church - 3 Smith

Highbury Quadrant Congregational Church - 3 Smith

N5, Highbury Quadrant

The 7 plaques are on different faces of the frontage of the building. We've numbered them left to right. Plaque 3 can be seen in our phot...

1 subject commemorated
Argyll Rooms Concert Hall

Argyll Rooms Concert Hall

The 'Argyll Rooms' venue opened in 1806.  A new building was designed, as part of the Regent Street redevelopment, by John Nash himself, to provide a concert hall, other public rooms and shop space...

Building, Music / songs

1 memorial
King Lucius

King Lucius

According to Wikipedia: a legendary 2nd-century King of the Britons traditionally credited with introducing Christianity into Britain.

Person, Religion, Royalty

1 memorial