X125/13

Medical case-book kept by Doctor John Symcotts of Huntingdon, and various members of the family:

1635-1800

From: 1635 To: 1800

[John Symcotts was physician to Oliver Cromwell: cf Sir Philip Warwick, Memoirs of the reign of King Charles I, folio 275: 1646 "I … had occasion to converse with Cromwell's physician, Dr Simcott, who assured me that for many years his patient was a most splenetic man"]. Only the first 21 folios of this volume were used by John Symcotts; they give notes on his patients in both Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire from 1636-1654. The remainder of the volume is filled with various other accounts 1708-1835, while the reverse end has been used as a commonplace book with notes on local history. 1636-54, 1708-1836. Approximately 250 leaves. (Reference to Oliver Cromwell on folio 16). Notes on Dr Symcotts' Case-book. Compiled by C Price, 1926. [Not entirely reliable; the extract has been partially corrected ,e.g. he supposed that Mistress Symcotts was a daughter-in-law of William Symcotts instead of the unmarried daughter; and there may be other slips]. John Symcotts seems to have been born at Sutton. This book was in use by various members of the family for about a hundred years 1636-1735 and contains: 1. The medical cases above mentioned in Dr Symcotts' handwriting. They show him to have been a careful practitioner and a kindly and devout man. 2. 1709-1717 - no doubt [ ??? see no reason for this. J G] in the handwriting of John Lord of Toddington - Account of rents etc. amounting to about £180 per annum received on behalf of Mrs Smith, Miss Symcotts and John Crawley (daughters and son-in-law of William Symcotts) and divided between them. These were the rents of the Clifton estate. Apparently Mrs Crawley survived her sisters. Dr Crawley of Hampstead Norreys may have died without issue. At any rate the Symcotts money, after being long in Chancery, came to Charles Lord's family and was finally divided between the families of Mrs Marsack and Mrs Price in 1916. 3. The name and detailed accounts for the maintenance of mental patients received at Drayton Parsloe Rectory during the incumbency of the Lords (John - William - James) from 1759-1835. [cf. The Blecheley Diary of the Reverend William Cole, p.43]. Most of these came for short periods only, but four of them were patients for much longer: Reverend Mr Howell 1785-1835 Mr Whitchurch 1777-1804 Mrs Brandreth 1769-1802 Mrs Kiteley 1769-1780 The first two were each of them Senior Students of Ch.Ch. and received their emoluments from the College quarterly throughout their time, and Mr Howell was (perpetual) curate of Ardington, then a Ch.Ch. living, for which he received £18 per annum till his death. It is little wonder that such unusual inhabitants should have given rise to a tradition that the Rectory is haunted …. These patients were received under medical certificate and the Rectory was licensed by Commissioners for the reception of lunatics. The fees for Board etc. seem to have varied from £83 per annum for women to £163 or £200 for men…. 4. - in the handwriting of John of Dayton - a series of notes on the history of the manors of Mursley and Selden by his friend and neighbour Browne Willis the celebrated antiquarian … also a humorous ballad on the death of Browne Willis, also an index to the Botanical Classes in Hill's Herbal, 1755.

book

item

Symcotts, John,
Cromwell, Oliver,
Symcotts,
Crawley, John,
Symcotts, William,
Crawley,
Lord, Charles,
Marsack,
Price,
Howell,
Whitchurch,
Brandreth,
Kiteley,
Willis, Browne

MEDICINE & HEALTH, books, Huntingdon, BEDFORDSHIRE, Huntingdonshire, accounts, Drayton Parslow