William Laidlaw Purves was born 16th April 1842 in 5 Hill Place, Edinburgh, on 16 April 1842, the son of William Brown Purves (1799-1852), who had qualified as a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (LRCSEd) in 1835, and subsequently practised as a doctor in Edinburgh.
After education at the High School of Edinburgh, he was apprenticed to William Forbes Skene WS but was not attracted to a career in law and matriculated at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
In July 1864, he qualified LRCSEd, LRCPE and graduated MD from Edinburgh University later that year with a thesis entitled “On bronchocele; a beneficial physiological action.” His ‘masters’ included Goodsir, Simpson, Syme and Christison.
After a period of practice in Australia he returned to Europe, taking a particular interest in aural surgery, with further studies in Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Utrecht. In 1874, he was appointed lecturer and aural surgeon to Guy’s Hospital, London and began a private practice in aural and ophthalmic surgery.
However, he is best known for his contributions to the sport of golf. He planned and designed the course that became Royal St Georges in Kent and was an important figure in the establishment of the Ladies Golf Union in the United Kingdom. He also was a prime mover in introducing the rules of handicapping into British golf.
William Laidlaw Purves died 30th December 1917.
Further Reading:
Journal of Med Biography; 1997 Nov; v 5 (4); p194-9.
