Gilbert Innes Strachan,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(August 1888 – 9 December 1963) was a prominent British researcher and professor of medicine.

Early life and education

Born in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

to James and Agnes ( Todd) Strachan, he graduated from the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

with an M.B., Ch.B. in 1910, followed by his doctorate in 1913. Strachan then worked in the

London Hospital The Royal London Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is part of Barts Health NHS Trust. It provides district general hospital services for the City of London and London Borough of Tow ...

before serving in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

as a captain in the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was a specialist corps in the British Army which provided medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. On 15 November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army De ...

. Post-war, Strachan moved to

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

in 1919 to study abortions while working as an assistant pathologist. He was present and involved in the establishment of Cardiff's clinical school, working as an assistant to Sir

Ewen Maclean Sir Ewen John Maclean (15 October 1865 – 13 October 1953) was a British physician, who was the first Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Welsh National School of Medicine. Early life Maclean was born on 15 October 1865 on the isla ...

at this time.

Career in medicine

In 1932, the

Welsh National School of Medicine The Cardiff University School of Medicine () is the medical school of Cardiff University and is located in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Founded in 1893 as part of the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, it is the oldest of the three med ...

promoted Strachan to Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. As part of this role, Strachan was said to be an inspiring lecturer. He retained his post until his retirement in 1953, though he also owned a private practice and worked in research. His most notable research includes his influence in the advancement of radium treatment for cancer of the womb, documented in his published works on the subject, namely in his ''Textbook of Obstetrics'' (1947). He was thus in demand as an examiner in his area of expertise, working for the universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford and Wales. He also travelled to Australia in 1950 where he lectured and examined students in Sydney and Melbourne, representing the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Strachan was a founding member of this institution and, in 1952–55, vice-president. In 1953, he received the

Personal life

Strachan developed a collection of Spode porcelain and china, which he donated to the

National Museum of Wales National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

. In 1920, he married Olive Andrews, daughter of F. E. Andrews, with whom he had a son. He died in his home at 29 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, on 9 December 1963, aged 75.

References

* ''The Times'', 14 Dec. 1963;
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Biography.wales. Accessed 16 December 2022. {{DEFAULTSORT:Strachan, Gilbert 1888 births 1963 deaths 20th-century Welsh scientists 20th-century Welsh educators Commanders of the Order of the British Empire