Charles Upham (doctor)
Charles Upham | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 July 1863 |
| Died | 31 July 1950 (aged 87) |
| Other names | The Little Doctor |
| Occupation | physician |
| Relatives | Charles Upham (nephew) |
Charles Hazlitt Upham MRCS LRCP (20 July 1863 – 31 July 1950) was a doctor and popular figure in Lyttelton, New Zealand.
Biography
Charles Hazlitt Upham[1] was born in Hampstead, London, England on 20 July 1863.[1][2][3] He was a descendant of prominent British painter John Hazlitt,[4] and Upham himself was a talented sketch artist.[1] Upham trained at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, and joined the Royal Navy as a medical officer, becoming at that time the youngest staff-surgeon in the Navy.[1][5]
Upham arrived in Lyttelton in 1898 as ship's doctor aboard HMS Torch, and chose to buy a local medical practice and settle down.[5] He was well-liked in the town, and known for his generosity and care of his patients.[6][7] Upham was active in the Anglican church, serving as vicar's warden at Holy Trinity church in Lyttelton, where he taught bible lessons.[5][1] He was a shorter man, and came to be known by the affectionate nickname "The Little Doctor".[5][8][1]
Upham cared for the lepers on the colony at Ōtamahua / Quail Island for most of the nineteen years it operated.[6][5][8]
Upham died at his home in Lyttelton on 31 July 1950.[1] After his death, a large memorial clock tower was erected on the site of the former Lyttelton Gaol in his honour in 1953.[6] He shared his name with his nephew, Charles Upham,[1] who became New Zealand's most decorated soldier during World War II, being awarded the Victoria Cross twice.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Death of Dr. C. H. Upham", The Press, vol. LXXXVI, no. 26179, p. 8, 1 August 1950, retrieved 16 October 2025 – via PapersPast
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Upham, Charles Hazlitt", ADM – Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies, The National Archives, retrieved 16 October 2025
- ^ Macdonald, George, "Charles Hazlitt Upham", Macdonald Dictionary of Canterbury Biography, Canterbury Museum, retrieved 16 October 2025
- ^ a b c d e Westhoff, Ben (5 October 2019), "How NZ's cutting-edge experiment with drug legalisation came crashing down", The Spinoff, retrieved 16 October 2025
- ^ a b c "Dr Upham's house", Lyttelton Info Centre, retrieved 16 October 2025
- ^ ""The Little Doctor"", The Press, vol. LVIII, no. 17495, p. 10, 1 July 1922, retrieved 16 October 2025 – via PapersPast
- ^ a b c "The Upham Clock on the Lyttelton Gaol Site and Lyttelton's "Little Doctor"", Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum, 30 January 2023, retrieved 16 October 2025