| Activity | Born 27 August 1872, son of Rev John Auden, Vicar of Horninglow, near Burton-on-Trent and Eliza, daughter of W Hopkins; married Constance Rosalie (daughter of the Rev R H Bicknall of Wroxham, Norfolk) in 1899 (3 sons, the youngest being the poet Wystan Hugh Auden (1907-1973)); died 3 May 1957 in Repton. Educated at Repton School (1886-1890) and Christ's College, Cambridge (matriculated 1890, Natural Sciences Scholar, Porteous Gold Medallist, 1st Class in Natural Sciences 1893). Studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London 1894-97 (Kirkes Scholar and Gold Medal, Lawrence Scholar and Gold Medal - prizes won earlier by W H R Rivers). MRCS, LRCP London, 1896; MB, BC, 1897; MA 1899, MD 1900; MRCP 1908; DPH (Cambridge) 1909; FRCP 1919. House physician and clinical assistant, St Bartholomew's Hospital; honorary physician to York County Hospital, 1905-8. Elected to the Royal Medico-Psychological Association 1910. School Medical Officer for Birmingham 1908 until his retirement in 1937. Investigated the condition in children now recognised as dyslexia 1912. Joined RAMC (TF) and posted as a Lieutenant to 2nd SMMB Field Ambulance September 1914; served in Egypt, Gallipoli and France; attached to HQ 2nd Mounted Division in Gallipoli 31 October 1915 and returned to his unit 14 November 1915; found unfit for General Service for 2 months by a Medical Board at Giza 21 January 1916, but fit for light duty in Egypt (his disability was fibrositis, caused by "getting wet at Mudros when leaving"); he became sanitary officer at a camp near Cairo; found fit for General Service by a Medical Board 7 March 1916. "Involved with a nurse while on war service in Egypt" (Auden p. 10). Reported in the UK on leave from Egypt 1 September 1917 and on 10 September applied for transfer to the home establishment on compassionate grounds (his wife's health was giving cause for anxiety); reported for duty to Eastern Command 30 September 1917 and acted as DADMS to 64th Division; Acting Major 25 February 1918, while specially employed, but reverted to Captain 8 July; serving in Western Command as a Physician at Queen Mary's Military Hospital, Whalley when he asked for his majority to be restored 6 September 1918; demobilised at Calais 21 February 1919. Retired from the TA 9 March 1923 on reaching the age limit. Lecturer at Saltley Training College; Assistant Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Birmingham 1913-38, Lecturer 1938-40; PhD (Birmingham) 1926; Acting Professor of Hygiene and Public Health 1940-45; Medical Officer to the University 1942-45. An expert in the disease encephalitis lethargica, which killed many during the 1920s and 1930s. Honorary Psychologist, Childrens' Hospital Birmingham. Lecturer at Ontario Board of Education; Ann Arbor University, Michigan; Columbia University, New York. A member of the Medical Commission of the National Association for the Feeble-minded. Living at 13 Homer Road, Solihull when he joined the army; subsequently lived at 42 Lordswood Road, Harborne; following his retirement he lived at Wesco, Threlkeld, Cumberland for some years and then at 8 Main Street, Repton, Derbyshire. "He was the gentlest and most unselfish man I have ever met" (W H Auden, quoted in Auden, p. 10). FSA 1908. Publications: many articles on psychological, medical and archaeological subjects; A Handbook to York and District (York: John Sampson, 1906); editor of Handbook to Birmingham. Probate London 25 September 1957: £22,127. |