| Notes |
- given name also spelled Laurence
verify christening date?
Baptism Register shows birth as "Jany 7 1824" dates for baptism agree(1157942 Page 172).
He died at 11:00 a.m. 18th August 1889 on board the yacht Evangeline in Salen Bay, Salen, Sunart, Acharcle, Argyll, Scotland.
LAWRENCE TRENT CUMBERBATCH, M.D. ST.ANDREWS, M.R.C.P.LOND.
THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL. [Sept. 14, 1889 pp628-9]
The sudden death of Dr. L. T. Cumberbatch on August 18th, which weannounced in a recent issue, has caused a widespread feeling of regretboth in metropolitan professional circles and throughout a largesection of the public in the West End of London. A few particulars asto the fatal attack and an account of his life and character, forwhich we are indebted to an intimate friend of the deceased gentleman,himself a man of the highest eminence in the profession, will no doubtbe interesting to many of our readers.
Dr. Cumberbatch had attended on the Friday previous to his death atthe Economic Life Office, of which he was physician, and appeared, tothose who saw him, to be in his usual health, and discharged hisduties on that day without any trouble or fatigue. He left town on thesame evening for Scotland for a few days yachting with some friends,prior to a proposed longer absence on the Continent. On the Saturdayafter his arrival at his destination he appeared in every respectwell, though perhaps somewhat
fatigued with the night journey. On the Sunday morning at breakfasthis friends did not observe the slightest evidence of any comingchange, and he was in his usual good spirits. But soon after this hewas seized with severe pain in the chest. He had complained of aslight attack of a similar character some days previously, and this hehad attributed to indigestion. But the pain became very severe, andwithin half an hour of its onset he ceased to breathe.
Some few of his professional friends who were intimate with him werenot quite unprepared for this sudden termination of the life of one souniversally beloved by all who knew him, and who, to the day of hisdeparture from town, was full of life and energy.
Some few years back Dr. Cumberbatch discovered that his pulse hadsuddenly fallen to forty in the minute. On this occasion, inconsultation with some of his professional friends, he was stronglyadvised at once to lessen work-to avoid all night work-andconsequently to give up active attendance on midwifery cases, and onlyto practise in this department in consultation; for of midwiferypractice he had a larger share than most men at the West End, and thiswork had told on him. He followed this advice; but, nevertheless, hisenergy and activity were called into full action by the large amountof private practice which now fell to his share as a generalphysician. Indeed, to the last week of his residence in town he was asmuch occupied as he well could be, and he longed for a holiday andchange of air.
Dr. Cumberbatch, who was, we believe, the son of a clergyman residingin the neighbourhood of London, studied at Trinity College, Dublin,where, in 1846, he took his B.A. degree. He next applied himself tothe study of medicine, first at Dublin and afterwards in Paris for ashort time. In 1848 he became a Member of the Royal College ofSurgeons of England. He next worked as assistant with a medicalpractitioner at Chipping Norton, and here it was he acquired thatsound practical knowledge which, aided by zeal, good sense andjudgment, and quick appreciation of all the general indications ofmischief or disease, rendered Lawrence Cumberbatch one of the mostjudicious and soundest practitioners in every department of his morespecial line of practice.
He was to have entered the army as an assistant-surgeon, and anappointment was obtained for him with this object, but it was not tobe. The then Director-General of the Army Medical Department refusedto appoint him, as his diploma of the College could not at the time beproduced, and so, fortunately for him, and for many others whosubsequently benefited by his skill and advice, he decided to try hisprofessional fortune in London. He had relations and connections ofgood position in the West End, and in a short time he was able to feelthat his success was by no means uncertain, These satisfactory resultssoon made it desirable that he should assume a higher grade in theprofession; accordingly, in 1886, he took the M.D. degree at St.Andrews, and was admitted a Member of the Royal College of Physiciansof London.
The late Sir Charles Locock influenced him largely as regards takingup midwifery as the chief department of his practice. The late Dr.Cape and Dr. Gream were also fully alive to the great skill and goodjudgment of Dr. Cumberbatch in all cases of difficult labour, andlearnt that he was implicitly to be trusted under all circumstanceswhen either of them had occasion to be absent. So his work increased,and with it the general as well as the professional estimate of theworth and ability of him whom we now have to mourn, and of whom thewriter of these few lines can only speak with the greatest feeling ofregret, and with the highest appreciation of his excellent qualities,professional and general.
Dr. Cumberbatch was very largely occupied for many years in extensivepractice, chiefly amongst the upper classes of society in the WestEnd of London. His success was due to his talent, industry, honesty,and to his gentlemanlike and strictly honourable conduct throughout along professional career. He was well read, and a good scholar. He wasgenerous-minded in every sense of the expression; liberal in hischarities, hospitable in his social life, full of anecdote andpleasant conversation, and in every respect a most sincere, mosttrustworthy friend. We need not draw aside the curtain of his happymarried life. He leaves a widow to mourn the loss of a devotedhusband, and two daughters and three sons that of a fond and attachedfather. He died in his 66th year.
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1824 - 1889 (65 years)