GB 1538 S67 - LEWIS, Thomas Lofthus Townshend (1918-2004)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1538 S67

Title

LEWIS, Thomas Lofthus Townshend (1918-2004)

Date(s)

  • 1960s-1980s (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 box; 2 slide boxes; 3 reels of film

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Tom Lewis was born in Hampstead, London, 27 May 1918. He spent his early childhood with his grandfather, A J S Lewis, a civil servant and later mayor of Cape Town, South Africa, where Tom attended the Diocesan College, Rondebosch. In 1933 he moved to London to live with his father, the artist Neville Lewis, and was educated at St Paul's School. He studied medicine at Jesus College, Cambridge and at Guy's Hospital, London, qualifying in 1942. He obtained the Gold Medal in Obstetrics.

In 1943 Lewis returned to Cape Town and enlisted in the South African Air Force, but was seconded to the Royal Army Medical Corps. He served in Egypt, Italy and Greece. After the Second World War, Lewis returned to Guy's Hospital, gaining the FRCS in 1946 and the MRCOG in 1948. He was appointed consultant at Guy's in 1948 and at Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital for Women in 1950. He also developed a thriving private practice.

Lewis was a keen supporter of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He served three times on the College Council, was Honorary Secretary, 1961-1968, and Senior Vice-President, 1975-1978. He was also active in the obstetric section of the Royal Society of Medicine and a member of the Gynaecological Club. He was awarded the CBE in 1979. Lewis died aged 85, 9 April 2004.

Publications: Progress in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology (London: Churchill, 1956).

Archival history

GB 1538 S67 1960s-1980s Collection (fonds) 1 box; 2 slide boxes; 3 reels of film Lewis , Thomas Lofthus Townshend , 1918-2004 , obstetrician and gynaecologist

Tom Lewis was born in Hampstead, London, 27 May 1918. He spent his early childhood with his grandfather, A J S Lewis, a civil servant and later mayor of Cape Town, South Africa, where Tom attended the Diocesan College, Rondebosch. In 1933 he moved to London to live with his father, the artist Neville Lewis, and was educated at St Paul's School. He studied medicine at Jesus College, Cambridge and at Guy's Hospital, London, qualifying in 1942. He obtained the Gold Medal in Obstetrics.

In 1943 Lewis returned to Cape Town and enlisted in the South African Air Force, but was seconded to the Royal Army Medical Corps. He served in Egypt, Italy and Greece. After the Second World War, Lewis returned to Guy's Hospital, gaining the FRCS in 1946 and the MRCOG in 1948. He was appointed consultant at Guy's in 1948 and at Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital for Women in 1950. He also developed a thriving private practice.

Lewis was a keen supporter of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He served three times on the College Council, was Honorary Secretary, 1961-1968, and Senior Vice-President, 1975-1978. He was also active in the obstetric section of the Royal Society of Medicine and a member of the Gynaecological Club. He was awarded the CBE in 1979. Lewis died aged 85, 9 April 2004.

Publications: Progress in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology (London: Churchill, 1956).

Donated by the family, 2007.

Papers of Thomas Lewis, 1960s-1980s, including papers relating to Lewis' tour of the Soviet Union visiting obstetric and gynaecological facilities, including the Moscow and Leningrad Institutes of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Leningrad Medical School, Feb 1978; papers relating to abortion law reform including correspondence, press-cuttings and other papers, including on the views of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; lectures; speeches; unpublished papers; offprints and myomectomy films.

Arranged in sections as outlined in the Scope and Content.

English

Detailed catalogue available in the RCOG archives.

Compiled by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Guardian obituary, 15 June 2004; BMJ obituary, 2004; 328:1570 (26 June); obituary, Guy's, King's & St. Thomas' Hospital Rugby Football Club, http://www.guysrugby.com/obits.asp (accessed 11/07/2005).

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Jul 2008 Lewis , Thomas Loftus Townshend , 1918-2004 , obstetrician and gynaecologist Benign tumours Pathology Diseases Uterine diseases Family planning Contraception Birth control Abortion Obstetrics Surgery Medical sciences Gynaecology Gynaecological surgery Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists x British College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists USSR Eastern Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated by the family, 2007.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Thomas Lewis, 1960s-1980s, including papers relating to Lewis' tour of the Soviet Union visiting obstetric and gynaecological facilities, including the Moscow and Leningrad Institutes of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Leningrad Medical School, Feb 1978; papers relating to abortion law reform including correspondence, press-cuttings and other papers, including on the views of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; lectures; speeches; unpublished papers; offprints and myomectomy films.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in sections as outlined in the Scope and Content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue available in the RCOG archives.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area