Last year we published on the blog an account of a tragic accident at Earlston Railway Station in 1866, when John Thomson, a coal agent aged 36 was crushed between the buffers and a coal truck. His arm had to be amputated and he died as a result of his injuries. At the scene he was attended to initially by local physician Dr.Robert Riddell.
Blog
reader Dr. John Burns recently gave additional background
information on Dr. Riddell to add to the account of the accident, together with rather a gory medical incident. Two obituaries were also traced in the British Newspaper Archive, giving us a vivid picture of Dr. Riddell's life and character - a man who at an early stage aspired to be an army surgeon, but who came to earn great respect as Earlston's physician.
Census returns of the period showed that Dr. Riddell lived on Earlston High Street, with his near neighbours the Whale sisters, renowned manufacturers of Earlston gingham, and Daniel Aitkenhead, parochial schoolmaster.
We have a fine description of the doctor in the writings of Earlston people and places by Rev. William Crockett.
"Here was a man skilled in diagnosis, a very capable servant, responsive to every phase of human distress. Even if (because of his slightly humped back), they spoke of him as” Humpy" Riddell, it was never with any feeling of disrespect. The doctor was endowed with a big brain; poor people said he had a heart of gold. He showed his queer habits on occasions - a street fight fascinated him for instance. Dr. Riddell believed in prayer and once told the minister "I always pray before I start an operation."
A further description was given in Rev. William Mair's biography "My Life" when he wrote:
"It had taken but a short time in Earlston to know that there was one who seemed to have become a part of it, and whom it had taken to its heart - old Dr. Riddell.
Dr. Riddell was a man skilled in diagnosis, a very capable surgeon, responsive to every face of human distress. He was endowed with a big brain, and poor folk said he had a heart of gold…..
For fifty years he had practised there, and when I first met him in 1870 he still attended friends of old standing by special request. In his day he had been called in by "gentle and simple " all around.
He was a man who is not commonly supposed to have existed in the medical profession in rural parts. It is not a small thing to say that he was well versed in the literature of his profession, had a knowledge of the newest things in medicine, and delighted in speaking of them.
He knew his Horace and Caesar well, and although there was nothing martial in his bearing, and he lived peacefully, the operations of war had a wonderful fascination for him - war of every degree from a street brawl to the clash of nations. He had read Napier's "History of the Peninsular War" again and again, and could discourse for hours on the details of the Waterloo campaign."
Dr. Riddell was a man skilled in diagnosis, a very capable surgeon, responsive to every face of human distress. He was endowed with a big brain, and poor folk said he had a heart of gold…..
For fifty years he had practised there, and when I first met him in 1870 he still attended friends of old standing by special request. In his day he had been called in by "gentle and simple " all around.
He was a man who is not commonly supposed to have existed in the medical profession in rural parts. It is not a small thing to say that he was well versed in the literature of his profession, had a knowledge of the newest things in medicine, and delighted in speaking of them.
He knew his Horace and Caesar well, and although there was nothing martial in his bearing, and he lived peacefully, the operations of war had a wonderful fascination for him - war of every degree from a street brawl to the clash of nations. He had read Napier's "History of the Peninsular War" again and again, and could discourse for hours on the details of the Waterloo campaign."
In his biography, the Rev. Mair included a rather gory story told to him by Dr. Riddell :
"He was taking off a man's hand by the light of a candle when the man who held the candle fell in a faint and all was darkness. The arteries were not tied, and the spurting blood, unknown to him, touched his spectacles, so that when light was got again he could neither see properly nor, for a while, tell the reason why. The poor sufferer, however, survived it all, and was a neighbour of mine when I moved to Earlston."
“The Southern Reporter" : 19th January 1871 wrote a glowing tribute to Dr. Riddell.
The Doctor was at all times an earnest thinker, and keen observer; and even up to near the close of his long life he kept himself well-informed on the many changed and improvements taking place in his profession. Nor was general literature neglected; he was a good classical and French scholar, and had a remarkable acquaintance with the military history of Great Britain.
Dr. Riddell’s memory will be fondly cherished by a wide circle of friends in the town and district”.
A lengthy and wordy obituary in "The Berwickshire News" of 18th January 1871 paid another fulsome tribute, with extracts below:
"The Late Dr. Riddell - We have this week to notice the death of Robert Riddell, Esq., surgeon, in the 80th year of his age, and who for the long period of fifty-five years had been a successful practitioner in Earlston and district. The memory of Dr. Riddell will long be fondly cherished by those among whom he practised, as he was a gentleman whose honest and genial nature, with the quaint traits of character for which he was so well known, secured for him a ready welcome alike in the mansions of the wealthy and the cottages of the peasantry.
Dr. Riddell was born at Stow in the year 1791, and no doubt received his early education at the parish school there. He afterwards studied at the Edinburgh University; and received his diploma from the Royal College of Surgeons in the year 1814, about the time of Napoleon’s escape from Elba. He at once offered to join the army in Flanders as a medical volunteer, but before he received his papers peace was proclaimed.
He then turned his attention to the country, and commenced practice in Greenlaw where, he remained nearly two years. His success there not being equal to his expectations, he removed to Earlston in the autumn of the year 1816.
Here his practice at first was small, but an indomitable perseverance, which was one of his leading characteristics, enabled him to surmount all difficulties; and in the year 1823 he was so well established that it was only at the urgent solicitations of the proprietors of Cowdenknowes and Carolside, that he entered into partnership with the then long-established medical man of the district Dr. Hume.
The co-partnery was not of long duration, but by the time of its dissolution, Dr. Riddell’s abilities were so well known that he soon became the medical attendant of all the resident noblemen and landed proprietors for many miles around Earlston; and many a friendship between him and them was formed which ended only in death.
He was also for many years medical attendant on the poor of the parish, an office he was lately compelled to resign through failing health.
He then turned his attention to the country, and commenced practice in Greenlaw where, he remained nearly two years. His success there not being equal to his expectations, he removed to Earlston in the autumn of the year 1816.
Here his practice at first was small, but an indomitable perseverance, which was one of his leading characteristics, enabled him to surmount all difficulties; and in the year 1823 he was so well established that it was only at the urgent solicitations of the proprietors of Cowdenknowes and Carolside, that he entered into partnership with the then long-established medical man of the district Dr. Hume.
The co-partnery was not of long duration, but by the time of its dissolution, Dr. Riddell’s abilities were so well known that he soon became the medical attendant of all the resident noblemen and landed proprietors for many miles around Earlston; and many a friendship between him and them was formed which ended only in death.
He was also for many years medical attendant on the poor of the parish, an office he was lately compelled to resign through failing health.
The Doctor was at all times an earnest thinker, and keen observer; and even up to near the close of his long life he kept himself well-informed on the many changed and improvements taking place in his profession. Nor was general literature neglected; he was a good classical and French scholar, and had a remarkable acquaintance with the military history of Great Britain.
Dr. Riddell’s memory will be fondly cherished by a wide circle of friends in the town and district”.
A lengthy and wordy obituary in "The Berwickshire News" of 18th January 1871 paid another fulsome tribute, with extracts below:
“The late Dr. Riddell.—The death of a man who for so long a time featured so largely in the public eye, the late Dr. Riddell, is deserving of a more extended notice than that of a mere insertion in an ordinary newspaper obituary.
In the year 1813, he obtained his diploma as a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Soon thereafter he settled in Greenlaw medical practice — the peace of 1815 disappointing the hopes he had of seeing active military service as an army surgeon……..
When in the prime of life, when fullness of knowledge and considerable experience had matured his judgment, Dr. Riddell's eminence as a surgeon was such that his advice was eagerly sought by his professional brethren in cases of difficulty and the utmost reliance placed in his medical skill by all ranks of the community from the
His knowledge of Latin was accurate, and extensive… The Doctor's fondness for things military did not show itself in only his reading - when a young man he rode as trooper in yeomanry cavalry corps connected with the Borders. During the course of his practice he met with many old soldiers of all grades whose stories of the [Napoleonic] War his unfailing memory could reproduce with the utmost exactness.
As indication of the esteem in which Dr. Riddell was held, was some ten or eleven years ago, he was invited to a public dinner and presented with a gold watch and a purse of sovereigns. Having been such, we have above made a hasty and imperfect attempt to describe, will be seen that Dr. Riddell was a man who by natural gifts, assiduously cultivated and improved, was enabled in his day and generation to perform great and valuable services……
For the last year or two he felt the infirmities of age, but it was only in October last that resigned the office of medical attendant to the people of the parish. He died peacefully on the evening of Friday in the presence of those dearest to him, to whom as well as to others the cautious and sagacious old man is now no more than recollection.”
In the year 1813, he obtained his diploma as a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Soon thereafter he settled in Greenlaw medical practice — the peace of 1815 disappointing the hopes he had of seeing active military service as an army surgeon……..
When in the prime of life, when fullness of knowledge and considerable experience had matured his judgment, Dr. Riddell's eminence as a surgeon was such that his advice was eagerly sought by his professional brethren in cases of difficulty and the utmost reliance placed in his medical skill by all ranks of the community from the
His knowledge of Latin was accurate, and extensive… The Doctor's fondness for things military did not show itself in only his reading - when a young man he rode as trooper in yeomanry cavalry corps connected with the Borders. During the course of his practice he met with many old soldiers of all grades whose stories of the [Napoleonic] War his unfailing memory could reproduce with the utmost exactness.
As indication of the esteem in which Dr. Riddell was held, was some ten or eleven years ago, he was invited to a public dinner and presented with a gold watch and a purse of sovereigns. Having been such, we have above made a hasty and imperfect attempt to describe, will be seen that Dr. Riddell was a man who by natural gifts, assiduously cultivated and improved, was enabled in his day and generation to perform great and valuable services……
For the last year or two he felt the infirmities of age, but it was only in October last that resigned the office of medical attendant to the people of the parish. He died peacefully on the evening of Friday in the presence of those dearest to him, to whom as well as to others the cautious and sagacious old man is now no more than recollection.”
Dr. Riddell was buried in Earlston Churchyard with the family gravestone reading:
[Source: Berwickshire Monumental Inscriptions - Earlston, published by Borders Family History Society, 2005].
"Dr. Robert Riddell, surgeon, Earlston, born 11.12.1791, died 25.1.1871; also his wife Agnes, born 12.9.1797, died 9.4.1879; and their son, John Dalziel Riddell died 7.3.1904 ; Robert Riddell, surgeon died 7.5.1901 aged 84 years; Marion Riddell, his wife,died 8.5.1888 aged 51 years."
[Source: Berwickshire Monumental Inscriptions - Earlston, published by Borders Family History Society, 2005].
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NOTES:
- Regarding the Earlston train accident in 1866, this was a time of early days in the use of anesthesia, with infection control weak, and the incidence of mortality following amputation high. It was only in 1867 that Joseph Lister published his work in using carbolic acid as an antiseptic.
- The Rev. William Shillinglaw Crockett (1866-1945) was born in Earlston and was buried in Earlston churchyard, though most of his ministry was spent at Tweedsmuir. He was a prolific writer of many publications on Borders life and literature, including a series of articles on Earlston people and places.
- The Very Rev. William Mair DD (1830–1920) spent most of his ministrant at Earlston. and served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1897/98
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Contributed by Susan Donaldson, Auld Earlston Group
with thanks to Dr. John Burns.
with thanks to Dr. John Burns.
