Talk in London features Audlem

Celia Bloor has sent AudlemOnline a photo of Christopher Hilton, Senior Archivist at the Wellcome Trust, giving a talk in London which features Audlem and the Bellyse Memorial in the Square.

We are not sure if it's Dr Bellyse's medical work that has attracted the attention of the Wellcome Trust or his love of hunting. A recent post by Christopher Hilton is about hunting, where he writes:

"Huntsmen in their red jackets, steam rising from huge horses on a frosty morning, the clamour of hounds: for many years this scene, immortalised on a thousand sporting prints or table mats, was a fixture in the British countryside and in particular on Boxing Day, December 26th.

"Even before the Hunting Act 2004 banned the practice and reduced packs of hounds to following a trail dragged by a human being, the scene was probably an exotic one to most of the inhabitants of what has long been a majority-urban country, something that played no role in their normal life."

The photo shows, partly hidden by the speaker, part of the memorial's inscription: 'A man he was to all the country dear.'

The Memorial Lamp Stand was erected in the village centre in 1877 and was in memory of Dr Richard Baker Bellyse.

The Inscription reads:
"In memory of Richard Baker Bellyse who practised as a surgeon in this town for 40 years,
born 17th May 1809, died 11th January 1877
a man he was to all the country dear
in appreciation of a life spent in relieving the sufferings of his fellow creatures
by medicine life may be prolonged yet death will seize the doctor too".

Our thanks to Judy Evans who wrote after this news story was posted: "Not sure of the context of the presentation, but Chris Hilton is an Audlem lad (with parents still living here) and that would explain his personal interest."

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