Dr Edmund Henry Tregothwyn Hambly MRCS; FRCS; MB BS; LRCP (24 March 1914 – 9 March 1985), was a British

orthopaedic surgeon Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

, Labour Party and

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

politician and a supporter of the preservation of the Cornish language.

Background

Hambly was born in

Port Isaac Port Isaac ( kw, Porthysek) is a small fishing village on the Atlantic coast of north Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. The nearest towns are Wadebridge and Camelford, each ten miles (16 km) away. A nearby hamlet, Port Gaverne, is ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, the son of Edmund Hambly and his wife Gertrude Mary Hotten and grandson of Henry Albert Hambly and his wife Anne née Trevan. He was educated at

Blundell's School Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school in the English public school tradition, located in Tiverton, Devon. It was founded in 1604 under the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the t ...

. He married Elizabeth Mary Cadbury, also a doctor. They had four children, a daughter and three sons. He was an active member of the Society of Friends. He moved to Buckinghamshire in the 1940s. He was made a

Freeman of the City of London The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom or ...

. He claimed to be the last person left who spoke Cornish. He was active in rekindling the Cornish language. He was, at one time, Bard "Gwas Arthur" at the Cornish Gorsedd.

Professional career

Hambly qualified as a doctor in 1937 when he graduated from St Bartholomew's. He received a

Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an intercollegiate basis by the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons (the Royal ...

in 1938. Ill health prevented him from joining the forces in the second world war. He was a Harley Street surgeon. He was chief assistant in orthopaedic surgery at the

Westminster Hospital Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded. In 1939 a newly built hospital and medical school opened in Horseferry Road, Westminster. In 1994 the ...

and the

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) is a specialist orthopaedic hospital located in the London Borough of Harrow, United Kingdom, and a part of Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust. It provides the most comprehensive range of ...

throughout the war. He had a special interest in peripheral nerve and spinal management of wounded servicemen. After the war he was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon to the Prince of Wales Hospital,

Tottenham Tottenham () is a town in North London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, bordering Edmonton to the north, Wal ...

, the Royal Hospital, Richmond and Acton Hospital. He practised until 1969 when he was forced to retire due to ill health. He was Liveryman of the

Worshipful Society of Apothecaries The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London is one of the livery companies of the City of London. It is one of the largest livery companies (with over 1,600 members in 2012) and ranks 58th in their order of precedence. The society is a m ...

. He was also a farmer in Cornwall.

Political career

Hambly joined the Labour Party. In 1946 he was elected to the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

representing

Lewisham East Lewisham East is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the by-election on 14 June 2018 by Janet Daby of the Labour Party. History Lewisham East was created for the 1918 general election. ...

. He was appointed vice-chairman of the

town and country planning Town and country planning in the United Kingdom is the part of English land law which concerns land use planning. Its goal is to ensure sustainable economic development and a better environment. Each country of the United Kingdom has its own ...

committee. In this role he took an active part in the planning of postwar London. In 1949 he was elected to represent Lewisham South and continued to do so until the LCC was abolished in 1965. He sat as a Labour Party councillor until August 1961 when he resigned from the party, and served the remainder of his term as a member of the Liberal Party. He was Liberal candidate for the Falmouth and Camborne division of Cornwall at the 1964 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again.British Parliamentary Election Results 1949-1983, FWS Craig

Electoral record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hambly, Edmund Henry 1914 births 1985 deaths Labour Party (UK) councillors Liberal Party (UK) councillors People educated at Blundell's School Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Members of London County Council Cornish language activists