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Basil Laver

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Basil Laver
Born(1894-12-18)18 December 1894
Died28 December 1934(1934-12-28) (aged 40)

Basil Laver MS FRCS (18 December 1894 – 28 December 1934), was a British surgeon whose highly successful career was cut short through illness.[1][2][3] Laver's obituary in the British Medical Journal commented on his 'dynamic energy and capacity for work, his acute inquisitiveness of mind, and his absolute intolerance of shibboleths of medicine'.[3]

Life

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Basil Leslie Laver was born 18 December 1894 at Witfoot, Middelburg, Transvaal, South Africa, the third of the three sons of Henry Laver, merchant of Middelburg.[2][1][3] Laver’s parents came originally from Southampton and he received his formal education at Bedford Modern School and medical education at Guy's Hospital.[1][2][3]

During World War I he received a commission on 27 February 1915 as second-lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, and was subsequently adjutant and temporary major.[1][2][3]

Laver returned to Guy's Hospital at the end of World War I, qualified, won the Arthur Durham scholarship and served as surgical registrar and assistant surgical tutor.[1][2][3] Laver then settled at Northampton, where he was elected assistant surgeon to the General Hospital on 22 February 1927, becoming surgeon on 28 April 1931.[1][2][3] He was also consulting surgeon to the Stamford and Rutland General Infirmary.[1][2][3]

On 21 April 1928 Laver married Margaret Joyce Crockett, granddaughter of Sir James Crockett of Northampton who was the co-founder of Crockett & Jones.[1][2][3][4] Laver died in Northampton on 28 December 1934 and his ashes were buried in Southampton.[1][2][3] His wife and daughter survived him.[1][2][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Obituary in The Times, Mr. B.L. Laver, 31 December 1934, p 17c
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Laver, Basil Leslie - Biographical entry - Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online". rcseng.ac.uk.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Basil Laver, M.s., F.r.c.s". British Medical Journal. 1 (3861): 42. 1935. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.3861.42. PMC 2459500. PMID 20778771.
  4. ^ Who Was Who