Thomas Berdmore (c.1740–1785) was

dentist A dentist, also known as a dental doctor, dental physician, dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry, the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. The dentist's supporting team aids in provi ...

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

of Great Britain.

Life

He may have been apprenticed to Mark Skelton of Sheffield, Surgeon, in 1755 for the sum of £85. In due course he became renowned as the King's Dentist, under George III. He was wealthy enough in later life to afford travel as a letter of introduction survives in the correspondence of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

describing Berdmore's visit to Paris. ''From Strahan, William. London., to Benjamin Franklin 1784 August 26 - Introducing Mr.

homas In Indian religions, a homa (Sanskrit: होम), also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions. In Hinduism, by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner ("grihastha": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different ...

Berdmore, the celebrated dentist, who goes to Paris on a pleasure jaunt. Visit he received lately from the Governor m. Franklin glad there is nothing now to interrupt his correspondence with Franklin. Urges him to visit England.''

Death

Berdmore died on 7 November 1785, at his house off

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...

. He was aged 45 years and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. He left money to his brother

Samuel Berdmore Samuel Berdmore (before 1693 – 24 March 1742/3Notes on the churches of Nottinghamshire: Hundred of Bingham. John Thomas Godfrey. 1907) was an English clergyman. Berdmore was the fourth son of Edward Berdmore of Worcester. He was educ ...

, headmaster of

Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...

. A marble plaque in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Nottingham, records how Berdmore "acquired a liberal and ample fortune by the profession of dentist. He died the 7th Novr 1785, aged 45 years". His will had directed that his epitaph show his fortune had been acquired "by tooth drawing", but the family had found that too indelicate.

Works

As early as 1768, in what seems to have been the first English dental textbook, Berdmore had proclaimed the use of sugar as being bad for the teeth. His book is entitled: ''A treatise on the disorders and deformities of the teeth and gums: explaining the most rational methods of treating their diseases: illustrated with cases and experiments'', by Thomas Berdmore, member of the Surgeons Company, and dentist in ordinary to His Majesty. London: Printed for the author; Sold by Benjamin White ...

James Dodsley James Dodsley (1724–1797) was an English bookseller. Life Dodsley was born near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire in 1724. He was probably employed in the shop of his prosperous brother, Robert Dodsley, Robert, by whom he was taken into partnership ...

... and Becket and De Hondt ..., 1770.''A treatise on the disorders and deformities of the teeth and gums: explaining the most rational methods of treating their diseases: illustrated with cases and experiments'', by Thomas Berdmore, member of the Surgeons Company, and dentist in ordinary to His Majesty. London: Printed for the author; Sold by Benjamin White ...

... and Becket and De Hondt ..., 1770

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berdmore, Thomas English dentists 1740s births 1785 deaths