Edward Brockbank


Edward Mansfield Brockbank MBE was a cardiologist and surgeon closely associated with the Manchester Royal Infirmary. He was a prolific author of medical textbooks and works of medical history and biography and contributed a number of articles to the Dictionary of National Biography.

Early life and family

Edward Brockbank was born in Geelong, Australia, on 3 March 1866, to John Thomas Brockbank, a metal merchant, and Charlotte Sadler. Of Quaker background, he was taken to England at the age of 4 and educated at the Bootham School, York, and Owens College, Manchester, later known as the Victoria University of Manchester, from where he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1890.
Brockbank married his first cousin, Mary Ellwood Brockbank, in 1899. There were two daughters and three sons from the marriage. Their son William also became a physician and medical historian.

Career

Brockbank had resident posts at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Birmingham General Hospital. He was also a junior physician at the Royal Children's Hospital. After that he returned to the MRI as honorary assistant physician and lecturer in materia medica. In 1912 he was appointed lecturer in clinical medicine and dean of medical studies.
He was made a member of the Order of the British Empire for his work on the prevention of cancer in mule spinners.
He was a prolific author of medical textbooks and works of medical history and wrote medical biographies for the Dictionary of National Biography.

Death and legacy

Brockbank retired from medicine in 1926. He died on 2 January 1959.

Selected publications