Grafton Elliot Smith FRS (1871 - 1937)

Born 15 Aug 1871 in Grafton, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Kathleen Emily (MacCredie) Smith — married 1900 (to 1 Jan 1937) in Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom

Died 1 Jan 1937 at age 65 in Broadstairs, Kent, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Grafton was born in Grafton New South Wales, Australia the second son of Stephen Sheldrick Smith, headmaster, a Londoner who had emmigrated to Australia in 1860, and his Sydney-born wife Mary Jane Evans. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Education

Attended Grafton Public School under his father then, after the family moved to Sydney in 1883, at Darlington Public School then at Sydney High School he enrolled in evening classes in physiology given by Thomas Peter Anderson Stuart (1856-1920). ^{[4] [2]}

University

1888 University of Sydney M.B., Ch.M., 1893. ^[4]

1893 Resident medical officer at Prince Alfred Hospital ^[4]

1894-5 Demonstrator of anatomy at the university research field neuro-anatomy ^[4]

1895 he graduated M.D. with a gold medal for his thesis on the anatomy and histology of the brains of the non-placental mammal. ^[4]

Family

1900 Grafton Elliott Smith married Kate Emily Macredie, daughter of William Latimer Macredie. Chelsea, London^[5]

In 1911 the family lived in Didsbury Manchester^[6]

Parents: Grafton Elliot Smith 39 b Australia New South Wales, Prof of Anatomy Univ of Manchester, Kate Elliot Smith 36 b Australia New South Wales

Children: Arthur Elliot Smith 9 b Egypt, Grafton Latimer Elliot Smith 7 b Egypt, Stephen Elliot Smith 0 b Manchester

Others : Ivy Jean McCredie 27 b Australia New South Wales, Cousin, single, Visitor, Ada Ayres 27 b Willesden, Nursemaid, Olive Sakelby 27 b Gainsborough, Cook, Adeliade Sakelby 23 b Gainsborough, Housemaid, Blowdin Ellis 26 b Llanfyllin, Hospital Nurse

Career

1896 St John's College, Cambridge, England B.A., 1898; M.A., 1903). ^[4]

1899, Elected as a fellow of the college. ^[4]

1900-1909 first Professor of Anatomy in the Egyptian Government School of Medicine, Cairo. Anthropological research. ^{[2] [4]}

1909-1919 University of Manchester. Chair of Anatomy. Theories on migrations of early cultures developed. Ancient Egyptians' (1911), 'The Royal Mummies' (1912), and 'The Migrations of Early Culture' (1915). A fellow of the Royal Society from 1907,awarded its royal medal in 1912. Member of the General Medical Council (1913-1919). ^{[2] [7]}

1919 University of London (University College) ^{[2] [7]}

1920s he developed his 'diffusionist' school of cultural migration ^[7]

1923-33 Fullerian Professor of Physiology at the Royal Institution London ^[2]

1924-1927 President of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland ^[4]

1931 Hon. Fellow of St. John’s College, ^[2]

1934 Grafton Elliot Smith F.R.S., F.R.C.P., M.D., D.Sc., Litt.D was knighted 27 Jun 1934, at Buckingham Palace. His address was 62 Albert Road, Regents Park, N.W 8. ^[2]

1936 Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur ^[2]

Teaching methods introduced whilst in England were said to be revolutionary and only gained general currency among medical educators 25 years later.^[7]

He was also involved at this time in examination of the Piltdown remains (See The Piltdown Hoax)

Death

He was in poor health after a minor stroke in 1932 He and 1 Jan 1937 Broadstairs, Kent, England aged 65. Probate 20 May 1937 to Arthur Elliot Smith, Marion Latimer Symmers, William St Clair Symmers.^[8][9][10]

His wife and two of their three sons survived him. (Stephen died in 1935)^[7]

The Piltdown Skull

A Discussion on the Piltdown Skull

“ A Discussion on the Piltdown Skull” is a portrait painted by John Cooke in 1915 depicting a group of scientists at the Royal College of Surgeons discussing the Piltdown Skull and jaw fragments on 11 August 1913.

Back row: (left to right) Frank Oswell Barlow, Dr Grafton Elliot Smith, Charles Dawson, Dr Arthur Smith Woodward.

Front row: Arthur Swaine Underwood, Sir Arthur Keith, William Plane Pycraft, and Sir Ray Lankester.

He passed away in 1937.

Sources

1. ↑ Family history bmd New South Wales Reg No 10747/1871
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} Knights Bachelor 1935 1936 by Wollaston, Gerald W.Publication date 1935 Page 299
3. ↑ Smith, Sir Grafton Elliot(1871–1937) Graham Richards Published 2004
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8} Smith; Sir; Grafton Elliot (1871-1937); anatomist and anthropologist, University College London, Anatomy Building Sub-Committee Minutes, 1922-1924. University College London Archives. GB 103 MS ADD 348
5. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26SV-ZL7 : 13 December 2014), Grafton Elliot Smith, 1900; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1900, quarter 3, vol. 1A, p. 934, Chelsea, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWBX-138 : 3 May 2019), Grafton Elliot Smith, Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11 , 1988 Sir Grafton Elliot Smith (1871–1937) by Michael J. Blunt
8. ↑ "United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WHQY-F3ZM : Thu Nov 16 23:11:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Grafton Elliott Smith, 1 Jan 1937.
9. ↑ "England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPLN-25F5 : Wed Dec 13 23:31:50 UTC 2023), Entry for Grafton Elliot Smith and Arthur Elliot Smith, 20 May 1937.
10. ↑ SMITH, GRAFTON ELLIOT 65 GRO Reference: 1937 M Quarter in THANET Volume 02A Page 1908

See also

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafton_Elliot_Smith
• Royal College of Physicians Sir Grafton Elliot Smith G H Brown