Sir Charles Aldis (16 March 1776 – 28 March 1863) was an English surgeon. His son,

Charles James Berridge Aldis Charles James Berridge Aldis (16 January 1808 – 26 July 1872) was an English physician, son of Sir Charles Aldis. Biography He was born in London on 16 January 1808, and was educated at St Paul's School and Trinity College, Cambridge, gradua ...

, was also a physician. Aldis was born in

Aslacton Aslacton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated between Norwich and Diss, and is near Great Moulton. The closest town to Aslacton is Long Stratton. The village name means 'Aslakr's farm/settlement'. ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, the seventh son and one of twenty two children of Daniel Aldis, a medical practitioner, and Mary Dix. He came to London in 1794 and studied at Guy's and Bartholomew's Hospitals. In 1797 or 1798 he was made surgeon to the sick and wounded prisoners of war at Norman Cross barracks,

Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire (; abbreviated Hunts) is a non-metropolitan district of Cambridgeshire and a historic county of England. The district council is based in Huntingdon. Other towns include St Ives, Godmanchester, St Neots and Ramsey. The popul ...

(where from 10,000 to 12,000 French and Dutch prisoners were then detained). In 1800 he moved to

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...

, where he introduced vaccination into three parishes in spite of opposition from the doctors, but in 1802 began to practise in London, and in 1803 became a member of the

College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...

. He was surgeon to the New Finsbury Dispensary, and founded a special hospital, called the Glandular Institution for the Cure of Cancer, in

Clifford Street Clifford Street is a street in central London, built in the early 18th century, on land that once formed part of the Burlington Estate. It is named after the Clifford family, Earls of Cumberland. The daughter and heiress of the last holder of ...

. Charles Aldis was known as an antiquary as well as a surgeon. He died at his London home, 13 Old Burlington Street, on 28 March 1863. Aldis was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in 1821, in somewhat unusual circumstances. His entry in ''The Knights of England'' (1906) indicates that his knighthood along with one other was deemed to be "surreptitiously obtained", and there was some question as to whether they should be listed. Some contemporary reports suggest that he had gained his knighthood by attending a royal levee, falsely presenting himself as attending for a knighthood, and being dubbed by the King before the deception was realised. The title was not revoked, but the situation was regarded with some distrust by many of his contemporaries; the

struck his name off the list of members as a result.

Works

He wrote: "Observations on the Nature and Treatment of Glandular Diseases, especially those denominated Cancer," pp. 116, London, 1820, 8vo, and subsequently; also papers in "Defence of Vaccination," &c.; an "Essay on the too frequent Use of the Trephine;" on the "British System of Education;" and many articles in periodicals.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aldis, Charles English surgeons English medical writers 1776 births 1863 deaths People from South Norfolk (district) Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons Knights Bachelor