Transcript

of

Thomas Nadauld Brushfield [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  XLIII, (1911), pp.36-39.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1911 Dartmouth meeting. Dr Brushfield was an “alienist”( former term for psychiatrist) and antiquarian. He was son of Thomas Brushfield, J.P. and D.L. of the Tower of London, by his wife Susannah Shepley; his grandfather George Brushfield married Ann Nadauld, great granddaughter of Henri Nadauld, a Huguenot sculptor. A brief article on his life, together with with a handsome portrait, is available in Wikipedia. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

By the death of Dr. Brushfield the Association suffers an irreparable loss. One of its most active and prominent members, he was a regular contributor to its Transactions, and a constant attendant at its Annual Meetings, where his genial presence and good-humour will be greatly missed.
Dr. Brushfield belonged to an old Derbyshire family. His father, Thomas Brushfield, was born at Ashford, in Derbyshire, and subsequently became Deputy-lieutenant of the Tower of London and a magistrate within its Liberties. Dr. Brushfield was born in London on 10 December, 1828, and was educated at Buckhurst Hill, in Essex. He matriculated at the London University with Honours, and entered the London Hospital as a Student in 1845, where three gold medals were awarded to him; one for medicine in 1849, given by the Governors of the Hospital; another for Chemistry in the Session of 1846-7, and the third for Physiology in the Session of 1848-9, the two last being given by the School of Medicine. He became M.R.C.S. and L.S.A. in 1850, and was appointed House Surgeon at the Hospital in the same year. In 1851 he was appointed House Surgeon at the Chester Lunatic Asylum, having gained his first experience in Lunacy at the Bethnal House Asylum under Dr. Millar. In 1854 he became Medical Superintendent of the Chester Asylum and was the first to be made Resident there. In 1862 he took the degree of M.D. at St. Andrews University, and in 1864 resigned his post at Chester to take up the appointment of Medical Superintendent of the Surrey County Asylum at Brookwood. As at this date the building of that institution had not been commenced, Dr. Brushfield was able to advise in the matter of its arrangement, so that the plans were drawn up mainly after his own ideas and to a great extent under his supervision. Later on a Cottage Hospital was erected in the grounds on a plan devised entirely by himself. By this time he was a recognized authority in Lunacy and one of the pioneers of the non-restraint system. While at Chester he abolished the use of straps, collars, strait waistcoats, and other apparatus of a like nature, all being burnt in the Asylum yard by his orders. He also introduced amusements for the patients, brightened the wards with pictures and inaugurated dances, concerts, and theatricals for their benefit; and as he himself excelled in these accomplishments, he often took part in the performances.
In 1882 he resigned his appointment at Brook wood and settled at Budleigh Salterton, where he purchased the house called " The Cliff," which he enlarged, and there was collected his magnificent library of over 10,000 volumes, one of the finest in Devonshire. Here, too, after his retirement, he devoted himself to literary work. His chief medical works were Medical Certificates of Insanity, which appeared in The Lancet in 1880, and Some Practical Hints on the Symptoms, Treatment, and Medico-Legal Aspects of Insanity, a Paper read before the Chester Medical Society in 1890.
But archaeology claimed the greatest share of his attention, as his numerous contributions to the Journals and Transactions of various learned and scientific societies testify. The chief of these was the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, scarcely a year passing without one or more papers from his able pen appearing in the annual volume. He was also a frequent contributor to Notes and Queries, The Western Antiquary, Devon Notes and Queries, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries, and other kindred publications.
His chief contributions to the literature of Devonshire were: A Bibliography of Sir Walter Ralegh (1st ed., 1886 ; 2nd ed., 1908), and the following papers which appeared in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, viz.: A Bibliography of the Rev. George Oliver, D.D., of Exeter (1885); The Bishopric of Exeter, 1419-20: a Contribution to the History of the See (1886); Andrew Brice and the Early Exeter Newspaper Press (1888); Who wrote the " Exmoor Scolding and Courtship"? (1888); The Literature of Devonshire up to the year 1640 (1893); Richard Izacke and his "Antiquities of Exeter" (1893); Devonshire Briefs, Parts I and II (1896-6); Description of a Perforated Stone Implement found in the Parish of East Budleigh (1890); Notes on the Parish of East Budleigh (1890); The Church of All Saints, East Budleigh, Parts I-III (1891, 1892, 1894); The Churchwardens' Accounts of East Budleigh (1894); Raleghana, Parts I-VIII (1896, 1898, 1900, 1902-7); The Birthplace of Sir Walter Ralegh (1889); Notes on the Ralegh Family (1883); Sir Walter Ralegh: a Plea for a Surname (1886); Sir Walter Ralegh and his ''History of the World" (1887); Ralegh Miscellanea, Parts I and II (1909-10); The Destruction of Vermin in Rural Parishes (1897); John Sixtinus, Archpriest of Haccombe, Sixteenth Century (1902); Aids to the Poor in a Rural Parish (1899); The Financial Diary of a Citizen of Exeter, 1631-43 (1901).
His contributions to the Journal of the British Archaeological Association were: On Norman Tympana, with especial reference to those of Derbyshire (1900); Derbyshire Funeral Garlands (1899); Arbor Low (1899); Britain's Burse, or the New Exchange (1903); Notes on the Punishment known as "The Drunkard's Cloak" of Newcastle-on- Tyne (1888); Ashford Church (1900).
To the Chester Archaeological Society's Journal he contributed: On Obsolete Punishments, with particular reference to those of Cheshire: - Part I, The Brank, or Scold's Bridle (1858), Part II, The Cucking Stool and Allied Punishments (1861); The Rows of Chester (1893); The Roman Remains of Chester, with a particular Description of those discovered in Bridge Street in July, 1863 (1868); The Salmon Clause in the Indentures of Apprentices (1896).
His other archaeological works were: Tideswell or Tideslow (Derbyshire Archaeol. Soc., 1905); Photograph of a letter of Sir Walter Ralegh (Pros., Soc. Antiquaries, 1889); Discoveries in East Budleigh Church, Devonshire (ibid., 1892); The Origin of the Surname of Brushfield (" The Reliquary," 1886) ; Yew Trees in Churchyards, "Antiquities and Curiosities of the Church," ed. by W. Andrews, 1897).
Dr. Brushfield was also one of the principal readers for Dr. Murray's New English Dictionary, and contributed no less than 72,000 references for that work.
Dr. Brushfield was a great admirer of Sir Walter Ralegh, and devoted a great part of his life to researches into matters connected with the life and history of that unfortunate knight, whose character he succeeded in completely vindicating. He became the greatest living authority on Sir Walter Ralegh, and was recognized as such by the authorities of the British Museum.
He joined this Association in 1882, and held the office of President in 1893, when he delivered his Presidential Address on the Literature of Devonshire before the year 1640, which is a monument of research and erudition. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a local Secretary of that body. He was also ex-President of the Devonshire Branch of the British Medical Association, and a member of the Chester Medical Society; of the Medico-Psychological Association; of the British Archaeological Association; the Chester Archaeological Society, the Derbyshire Archaeological Society, the Teign Naturalists' Field Club, and the Torquay Natural History Society. In the local affairs of Budleigh Salterton he took a great interest, and was at one time a member, of the Urban District Council, and took a leading part in the building and organization of the Cottage Hospital, of which he was Vice-President and one of the Trustees for the first ten years. He was also a Director of the Budleigh Salterton Railway Company from its inception to the day of his death.
Local amusements also claimed a share of his attention. He was for many years Hon. Secretary of the Tennis Club, and took an active part in promoting concerts and amateur theatricals.
He married on 5 August, 1859, Hannah, daughter of Mr. John Davis, of London, by whom he had issue five sons and four daughters. His wife, three sons, and three daughters survive him.
Dr. Brushfield died on 28 November, 1910, in his eighty-second year, and was buried at Budleigh Salterton.