Thompson , Sir , Henry , 1820-1904 , Baronet , surgeon

Sir Henry Thompson was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, in 1820. He was apprenticed to George Bottomley in Croydon in 1844, and he also entered University College London to study medicine. He won the gold medal in anatomy in 1849, the gold medal in surgery in 1851 and took the MB degree. He was House Surgeon from 1850, and Jospeh Lister was one of his dressers. Thompson went into partnership with his former master, George Bottomley, at Croydon, in 1851, but after a few months moved to practice surgery at 35 Wimpole Street, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was Surgeon to the St Marylebone Infirmary, and was Assistant Surgeon, and then full Surgeon to University College Hospital in 1853. He was Professor of Clinical Surgery in 1866, and Consulting Surgeon and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Surgery on his retirement in 1874. Thompson devoted himself to genito-urinary surgery. He operated on King Leopold I of Belgium in 1863. He treated Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, at Camden Place, Chislehurst, in 1872 and 1873. Thompson was also a pioneer of cremation. He first drew attention to cremation with an article in the Contemporary Review in 1874. He was also President of the Cremation Society. Thompson was made knight bachelor in 1867 and created a baronet in 1899. He died in 1904.