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History
William Marsden was born in Sheffield in August 1796. He moved to London, 1816, and became apprentice to Mr Dale, a surgeon practicing in Holborn. He trained at the Anatomical School of Joshua Brookes in Blenheim Street, and at St Bartholomew's Hospital under John Abernethy. In 1820 he married Elizabeth-Ann Bishop and also became a member of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers. He obtained membership of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1827. His inability later in that year to obtain hospital treatment for an 18 year old girl, whom he found on the steps of St Andrew's Church, Holborn, almost dead of disease and starvation, turned his attention to the question of hospital relief. At that time treatment was only given to patients with a governor's letter. In 1828 he set up a small dispensary, the London General Institution for the Gratuitous Cure of Malignant Diseases, in Greville Street, Hatton Garden. The Institution initially met with great opposition, but in 1832 its value became widely recognised as it alone, of all the London hospitals, received cholera patients. After the epidemic the in-patient beds remained, and the hospital changed its name to the London Free Hospital. In 1842 the hospital moved to the Light Horse Volunteers Barracks in Gray's Inn Road. Marsden was senior surgeon of the hospital, and in 1838 he obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Erlangen. In 1846 Elizabeth-Ann Marsden died of cancer, and in 1851 Marsden opened a small house in Cannon Row, Westminster, for patients suffering from cancer. Within 10 years the institution moved to Brompton, and became known as the Cancer Hospital, of which Marsden was also the senior surgeon (The Hospital was renamed the Royal Marsden in 1954). In 1846 he married Elizabeth Abbott, daughter of Frances Abbott, a solicitor and member of the RFH Committee of Mamagement. Marsden died of bronchitis in 1867.
Alexander Edwin Marsden was born on 22 Sept 1832, the son of William and Elizabeth-Ann Marsden. He was educated at Wimbledon School and King's College London. He became a licenciate of the Society of Apothecaries, 1853; and MRCS 1854;. He joined the army in 1854 as staff assistant surgeon, and served in the Crimean War. On his return to Britain he was appointed surgeon to the Royal Free Hospital, where he was also curator of the museum and general superintendent. At the Cancer Hospital he was surgeon, 1853-1884, and consulting surgeon, 1884-1902. He married his cousin Catherine Marsden in 1856. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine by the University of St Andrews, 1862; and was elected FRCS, 1868. In 1898 he was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers. He died 2 July 1902.