Sir Frederick Needham (bapt. 8 November 1835 – 6 September 1924) was an English physician who was a Commissioner in Lunacy of the

Board of Control for Lunacy and Mental Deficiency The Board of Control for Lunacy and Mental Deficiency was a body overseeing the treatment of the mentally ill in England and Wales. It was created by the Mental Deficiency Act 1913 to replace the Commissioners in Lunacy, under the Home Office how ...

from 1892–1924. Needham was born in

York York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...

, the son of Dr. James Peacock Needham and Elizabeth Baker. He was educated at

St Peter's School, York St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school (also referred to as a public school), in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, ...

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

, and the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

(MD, 1862). He was appointed a Member of the

Royal College of Surgeons of England The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...

, in 1858 and of the

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that sets the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by Royal charter ...

in 1865. He was medical superintendent of the York Asylum (1858–74) and of Barnwood House Hospital in Gloucester (1874–92). He was also president of the Medico-Psychological Association of Great Britain in 1887 and was a member of the Royal Commission on the care and control of the feeble-minded. He also wrote a number of papers, including ''Brain Exhaustion'' and ''Insanity in relation to Society''. Needham was knighted in the

1915 Birthday Honours The 1915 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were ...

. He died in

Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the English ...

, aged 88. He was survived by his second wife, Helen Millicent Sherwood Newman, whom he married in 1913. His first wife, Charlotte Shooter, died 1907.

References

1835 births 1924 deaths People educated at St Peter's School, York Medical doctors from Yorkshire Knights Bachelor 19th-century English medical doctors 20th-century English medical doctors {{England-med-bio-stub