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MORRIS Bedlington Howell MB BS

1868-1936

Bedlington Howell Morris was born on the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales on the 22nd April 1868. He was educated at St Thomas College and the Beaumaris School and then in 1893, MB BS with 1st Class Hons from Durham University, first prizeman in surgery, and obtained first-class honours in anatomy and surgery. He was the Goyder memorial scholar in clinical medicine and surgery and the Luke Armstrong scholar in 1893. He held several clinical appointments in England in Mental Disease and Tropical Diseases. He also spent a time as Transport Medical Officer in the Ocean Steamship Company on the Netherlands India Service in Java and Malaya. Morris previously was a resident medical officer in Denbigh Infirmary, and was in practice in Swansea when appointed to the Adelaide Hospital in 1896. Morris arrived at Largs Bay, Adelaide on 22nd December 1896 on the board the RMS Oroya from Plymouth. Morris was one of the “strike breaker” doctors brought to the Adelaide Hospital from the United Kingdom to replace doctors who had resigned in the ‘Adelaide Hospital Row’. He joined the South Australian Public Service in 1896 and was appointed medical officer to the destitute poor and State Children’s department in June 1899. He was granted leave of absence whilst he was engaged on naval duties and served with distinction as staff surgeon on the HMCS Protector in China from August 1900-January 1901. Morris married Ada Jessica Shearer on 11th August 1902 at St Luke’s Church Adelaide. In 1913 Morris was appointed Inspector General of Hospitals. This important position required him to be responsible for the administration of the Mental Defectives Act, the inspection and supervision of all country hospitals and all the duties formerly held by the Colonial Surgeon. It also entailed being Chairman of the Mental Defectives Board, the Dental Association Board and the Medical Board.

Morris was keen to serve in WW1 as he had during the Boxer Rebellion but was not granted leave by the South Australian Government.  He had to be content to remain as a Fleet Surgeon, Permanent Naval Force, at the Adelaide Port Depot assisting the District Naval Medical Officer.

After the war in 1920 to 1921 he with his many other board appointments became the Chairman of the newly formed Nurses Registration Board. He also had a long association with the Australian Red Cross Society. He commenced long service leave from the State Department on 1st March 1936 and was living at Pembroke Street, College Park. Bedlington Howell Morris died in Calvary Hospital Adelaide, aged 68, after a short illness on the 10th July 1936. He was survived by his widow and three sons, C H Morris of Union Bank, Warracknabeal, Victoria; C L Morris of Adelaide, Solicitor and H M Morris of the ES&A Bank, Applia Yarrowie, South Australia.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1. 

Verco, Summers, Swain, Jelly. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2014. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD