William Beilby (physician)


William Beilby FRCPE was a British philanthropic physician in Edinburgh.

Life

Born in 1783 in Sheffield, the second son of Isabella and Thomas Beilby. In 1783 the family moved to Birmingham.
In 1807 he entered into a partnership in the linen trade with some relatives in Dublin, and in 1808 married Maria Catherine Moller. They had three children whilst living in Dublin, however only one survived.
In 1813 he moved to Edinburgh to study medicine. He and his wife had a further nine children in Edinburgh.
After passing his MD in 1816, he settled in Edinburgh to practise midwifery. He soon obtained a high reputation in his profession, and was appointed physician accoucheur to the New Town Dispensary at 4 East James Street. He took an interest in benevolent and religious matters, including the schemes of the Evangelical Alliance, and was the first president of the Medical Missionary Society.
In 1828 he is listed as a Governor of the Dean Orphan Hospital.
In 1832–33 he was residing at 33 Great King Street in Edinburgh. The following year he moved to 52 Queen Street. He did not live here long and sold the house to his colleague James Young Simpson around 1840.
He died at 57 Nothumberland Street in Edinburgh on 30 May 1849. He is buried in Warriston Cemetery near the now-sealed eastern entrance.

Family

He was married to Maria Catherine Moller.
His son Julius Henry Beilby became Chairman of the Clydesdale Bank.