Doctor Lloyd was the Commandant and Medical Superintendent of the Wardown Voluntary Aid Detachment (Red Cross) Hospital in Wardown Park, Luton and the Medical Officer to Lady Wernher's Hospital at Luton Hoo, which received wounded officers from Sister Agnes's Home in London.  In addition to this were his local duties as physician on the staff of the Luton Bute Hosp­ital, a cottage hospital later superseded by the large newly built Luton and Dunstable Hospital and physician on the staff of the Luton Sick and Convalescent Home for children in London Road.  He also, temporarily, took over the practices of local medical men called to the Front, including his assistant Dr. C.G.K. Sharpe.  For these services he was awarded the O.B.E. (civil division) at the end of the war.

Dr. Lloyd's full biography, by kind permission of his Grandson C. Lloyd.

Fifth child, second and youngest son of Edmund Eyre and Henrietta Elizabeth Mary Lloyd.

Born at Nellore, S. India, christened 12.2.1875.  Sponsors:-  A.M. Simpson Esq., Junior, Francis Seymour Haden and Miss Catherine A.C. Collett.

Francis was named after his godfather Sir Francis Seymour Haden, a surgeon at St. George's Hospital, to whom his father had been apprenticed.

Francis remained in India at Tanjore until the age of six when he was brought home by his parents in 1880 and left with his sisters and brother in the care of Aunt Emily Augusta Thorne.  (See pages 60-64 for life at this time.)  He attended the Misses Barrs' Preparatory School, Burnt Ash Lane, Blackheath and then Miss Bennett's Preparatory School, Freemantle House, 110 Lansdowne Road, Brighton.

When the family moved to Bedford in 1885 Frank entered  Bedford Grammar School (I was there 1951-54 C.R.S.L.).  Frank became very fond of Natural History and in time amassed a fine collection of local and other bird's eggs.  He joined the Bedford Angling Club and became an enthusiastic fisherman, his best trophy being a perch of nearly 2lbs. weight.  Frank continued at Bedford reaching the VI form when he was transferred to the London class to work for his matriculation as he had decided to take up medicine as a career.

He entered St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington in October 1892 where he was much attracted by Physiology, Histology, Pathology and especially Bacteriology which was an entirely new subject.  He then became in turn Assistant Demonstrator in Physiology under Dr. Augustus Waller and of Pathology and Bacteriology under, successively Mr. J. Jackson Clarke, Sir Almroth Wright and Professor H. Plimmer.  He won prizes in Histology, Materia Medica and Clinical Surgery and finally the Kerslake Scholarship in Pathology and Bacteriology founded by Professor Plimmer in memory of his mother.  Proceeding to the hospital he 'clerked' for Mr. Edmund Owen in surgery and Dr. W.B. Cheadle in medicine.

24.10.1895.  William Edmund Eyre took leave of Eddie and Frank, on his way to India, from 9 Oxford Terrace, London. (This may have been the home of the Greenwell family.)

1898.  Qualified with the degree of L.R.C.P: M.R.C.S.(London) and M.B.: B.S.(London) with 2nd class honours in Forensic Medicine.  He was offered a hospital post at St. Mary's under Sir W. Wilcox but due to the necessity of earning a living had to turn it down.

On the recommendation of Mr. H. Stansfield Collier, surgeon on the staff of St. Mary's, he obtained the post, in 1898,  of assistant to the firm of Horace Sworder and Walter Bolton Tomson in Luton, Bedfordshire.  Horace Sworder lived opposite the Town Hall where Sainsbury's had a shop in later years.   Frank lived at first in rooms at 47 Rothesay Road kept by the Misses Wingrave and later in 1902 at 26 Park Street West.  This building, some years later, was pulled down and the Brewery of J.W. Green & Co (later Flowers and now Whitbread) erected on the site.  Several medical people lived in Park Street West, including I believe the Wardills, a dental family.

Frank received great kindness from the family of Sworder, parents of his senior partner, and received a standing invitation to supper at 'Holly Lodge', their residence between Castle Street and Chapel Street, where the Luton Bus Station is now situated.

1901 Census at 37 Rothesay Rd, Luton

Francis S Lloyd, head, 26,

Catherine Wingrave, servant, 50, b St. Albans

Edith Wingrave, visitor, 35, b Luton

1904.  Frank proposed to Constance Maud, whilst he was riding a bicycle and she a horse, she was the ninth daughter and thirteenth child of Thomas and Ellen Sworder.  Thomas Sworder did not want Constance to marry another doctor as two of his sons (Horace and Ernest) were already doctors and another daughter, Florence Mary, had married Dr. Walter Bolton Tompson.

Lloyd - Sworder - On the 10th October, 1905 at St. Mary's Parish Church, Luton, by the Rev. E.H. Lowe, Vicar of Christ Church, Luton, assisted by the Rev. E.R. Mason, Vicar of the Parish, Francis Seymour Lloyd, M.D. London, son of the late Edmund Eyre Lloyd, Deputy Surgeon General, Indian Medical Service, and of Mrs. Lloyd of Wokingham, Berks, to Constance Maud, daughter of Thomas Sworder of Holly Lodge, Luton, Beds.

Beds Advertiser and Luton Times

Marriage of Dr. Lloyd and Miss Sworder

A crowded congregation filled Luton Parish Church in every part on Tuesday afternoon to witness the wedding of Dr. Francis Seymour Lloyd of Park Street West and Miss Constance Maud Sworder, daughter of Mr. Sworder of Holly Lodge, Luton.  The bride belongs to one of the most respected families in Luton and the bridegroom, who graduated M.D. at London University, has been very popular as First Aid Lecturer and President of the Luton Camera Club.  There was a large crowd in the churchyard when the bride arrived, accompanied by her brother (Mr. Arthur Sworder), who gave her away.

The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E.H. Lowe, Rural Dean and Vicar of Christ Church, assisted by the Rev. E.R. Mason, Vicar of Luton.  The bride, who carried a shower bouquet of roses, lilies and white heather, was charmingly attired in a dress of white crepe de chine over white silk, and wore a wreath of real orange blossoms, and a tulle veil, and heather. She was attended by two bridesmaids, Miss Hilda Sworder (sister of the bride) and Miss Helen Lloyd (sister of the bridegroom), who wore pretty dresses of cream serge trimmed with mauve and velvet.  Dr. Edmund Lloyd (brother of the bridegroom) acted as best man.

Before the bridal party arrived Mr. F. Gostelow (the organist) played Sangster's Bridal March, Lemare's 'Madrigal' and 'Andantino' and Dubois' 'Cantilene' concluding with Mendels­sohn's Wedding March as the happy pair left the Vestry after signing the register.

After the ceremony a reception was held at Holly Lodge, and later in the day, amid the hearty congratulations of their numerous friends, Dr, and Mrs. Lloyd left for Cornwall where the honeymoon is being spent. ( Also went to the Scilly Isles, see letter  26.10.1905 to his mother addresses as ‘Dear Old Grot’..) During the day the bell-ringers of the Parish Church rang several peals in honour of the occasion.  The presents formed a very large and handsome collection and were much admired by the numerous relatives and friends who were received at an 'At Home' on Monday.

Children of the marriage:-

Barbara Elizabeth Mary born 10th September, 1907 at 26 Park Street West, christened 8.10.1907 at Christ Church by the Rev. C. Morgan, Vicar.  Sponsors:-  Hilda Minet Sworder, Sophia Eliza Lloyd and Horace Sworder.

Thomas Edmund Seymour born 11th October, 1908 at 26 Park Street West.

1911 Census at 26 Park Street, Luton

FSL, 36, b Nellore, Physician & Surgeon

Constance M, wife, 40 b Luton

Barbara E M, 3, b Luton

Thomas ES, 2, b Luton

Jeanie Wilson, Cook 23 b Falkirk

Elizabeth Goodger, 19 b Upwell, Cambs.

In April 1911 the family moved to 'Homedale', 42 Dunstable Road, bought from Mr. Charles Phillips who, I believe, was related to William Phillips, Chairman of the Gas Company who lived at 'Lancrets', Dunstable Road on the corner of Liverpool Street.   William Phillips, the son of the Chairman, carried on after his father died and lived in Biscot Road.  The property was almost opposite the start of Dallow Road, just below the Fox Public House.  The Liverpool Road Health Centre is now on that site.  This was a large well-built house of 3 storeys standing in grounds of nearly an acre, including a separate two storey workshop and garage, and a large stone and cement pavilion in the garden.  (The pavilion was the subject of a newspaper article in the Luton News, I think in the fifties, asking readers where this building was to be found.)

From the entrance hall to the house, which was decorated with swords, guns and armour on the walls, there were two rooms on the left the first being a surgery at one time, with the main dining room behind it.  These looked out over Dunstable Road below.  The only room on the right of the hall was the lounge which, I think, by modern standards was not very comfortable.  I remember on Sundays listening in this room to the radio programme the' Brains Trust', almost a ritual, and woe betide anyone who made a noise.    The door at the end of the hall led to the kitchen and servant's quarters.  A long flight of stairs led up to the playroom on the

first floor and behind this was the 'study' where Granny taught me to read.  The main bedroom was on this floor together with a dressing room.  I do not recall ever being bold enough to discover what lay on the second floor except that I could see a round window on the half landing. Outside the drive led from the road up to the garden.  The house lay on the left of the drive looking from the road.  It was taken over by Giffen, Couch and Archer, Solicitors after Frank retired.

The garden contained a full sized tennis lawn and was well stocked with apple, pear, plum, peach and nectarine trees as well as black, white and red currants, raspberry and gooseberry bushes and a large asparagus bed.  There were 3 or 4 large chestnut trees down the house side of the lawn.  On Sundays we sat under the trees and partook of a proper English tea and in those days the sun was always shining.  On the north and east sides of the lawn were vegetable gardens and on the south side was a path along which were fruit trees and at the top of this path, near the rubbish dump, were loganberries.  On the west side of the lawn was the pavilion, which inside was dark and musty with fish and birds stuffed, in glass cases.  Not the sort of place to enter alone.  The south western corner one obtained access through a door to the garages and on top of these was the billiard room, housing a full size table.  One could also go from the garden to the surgery but I forget where the entrance was.   From its central position in the town it was in great demand for Garden Parties and Fetes by Church and other social gatherings.

In the course of his practice in Luton Frank became Deputy Medical Officer of Health under his senior partner, Horace Sworder, and was also the first School Medical Officer to the Borough of Luton.  He took great interest in First Aid and for many years conducted several courses under the St. John's Ambulance and Royal Red Cross Societies to both men and women which apparently were much appreciated, and in great request.

As mentioned, with the onset of the First World War he entered a period of great activity and responsibility, becoming the Commandant and Medical Superintendent of the Wardown Red Cross Hospital in Wardown Park, Luton and the Medical Officer to Lady Wernher's Hospital at Luton Hoo.

Ex The Memoirs of  Felix Eberlie, M.B., B.Chir. Doctor in Luton 1922-1959. (p.32)

‘In Dr. Bell’s stead I asked Dr. (Frank) Seymour Lloyd, the head of a rival partnership to look after Win (Eberlie’s wife)  at the expected birth of our next baby.  We knew him well -  competition between Luton doctors was not bitter, and we got on very comfortably together because there was plenty of work for us all.   However, Lloyd did not drive a car, his chauffeur drove him everywhere during the day and he used a bicycle or walked at night.  I arranged to pick him up if the baby arrived after dark, but she took us by surprise.  It was all over in half an hour.   Nanny rang Lloyd explaining the situation.  When mother and baby were settled , I took the car and found Lloyd trudging up Farley Hill, three hundred yards from Flint Cottage carrying his heavy bag and out of breath – his bicycle was useless on that steep incline.  He satisfied himself and me that all was as it should be , drank a toast to Margaret and was driven home to bed.’

Following the riots on Peace Day in 1919 he was on duty during the night at the Police Station attending to the many casualties.

His second partner Dr.Walter Bolton Tomson who had lived at 'The Downs', Luton retired from practice in 1913 to  St. Leonards-on-Sea  and soon afterwards Dr. Roley E.R. Sanderson joined the firm as junior partner and his surgery was at 'The Towers', Beech Hill. Dr. Frank Garratt joined the partnership in 1921/22.  Dr. Horace Sworder retired about 1925 and went to live at Guildford, so Frank became senior partner in the firm.  Dr. Sharpe left the firm at the end of the First World War  (B.E.M. Garratt has written in the margin that the dates quoted in this paragraph are incorrect) and was succeeded by Edward A. Butterworth F.R.C.S. (my godfather, C.R.S.L.) who specialised in General Surgery and Ophthalmology.  The firm received a great shock when Dr. Sanderson committed suicide in 1946 under sadly dramatic circumstances.  I heard he was a homosexual.

His son, Thomas Edmund Seymour, (my father) after a course of study at St. George's Hospital, London where he held several house appointments, joined the firm in 1935 and married Miss Phyllis Majorie Hoggett in January of that year.  They lived at 'The Glimpse', 100 Alexandra Avenue, Luton.

During World War Two (he was 69 years old in 1939) he was in charge of the First Aid Post and was present to give aid at the scene of several air-raids, notably the V2 which demolished a large area around Biscot Road.

Betty Robins writes:-  Your grandfather was always my favourite as he was so full of fun and always pulling my leg.  He delighted in encouraging me to do things to shock Aunty Maud when I stayed with them.  When she threw up her hands in horror as I scraped my knife across my plate or fork, he rocked with chuckles.

In February 1947 Frank retired from practice, left Luton and went to live at 'High Chimneys', Whatlington Road, Battle, Sussex with his wife, daughter Barbara and her daughter Jill Winefride.  On this small-holding he grew fruit, vegetables and flowers for the market, and kept poultry and two jersey cows.  He read a great deal, being a strong supporter of the Francis Bacon versus Shakespeare theory and was also interested in music, natural history, archaeology and S. polar exploration.  (A godson was a member of the British Grahamland Expedition 1934-37.)

Another great interest was poetry, both humorous and more serious.  He delighted in composing Christmas and Birthday cards for his family and friends and wrote four volumes of poetry entitled 'Scribblings of a Great Grandfather'.  (Jill Hosking, Cornwall, possesses it)

Jill was married on 27th April, 1947 at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Battle, to William James Shaxson Hosking of Ferryside Cottage, Tresilian, Truro, Cornwall where he was farming under his uncle Christopher Hosking of Fentongollan, Tresilian.

Frank and Maud celebrated their Golden Wedding on the 10th October, 1955.  About 1961 Maud began to fail in health, became almost completely blind, and eventually to his greatest sorrow died on the 15th January, 1963. (Writing about death, our dog Whisky, a King Charles spaniel, was run over by a car just half an hour ago.  Gody is very upset. 7.3.1987.)  Barbara, Frank and Maud's daughter, said that Maud would not be pleased to meet Frank Garrett on her way up as he died on the same day.

Frank and Barbara continued to live happily and quietly at 'High Chimneys', their main interest being centred in Wild Flower Botany and they frequently explored the surrounding district in search of specimens with great success.  Barbara especially became very proficient, belonging to several Botanical Societies for which she did alot of hard work.  From his earliest days Frank had been interested in Field Botany and had assisted in preparing for publication Mr. James Saunder's 'Field Flowers of Bedfordshire' which came out in 1911.

He had visits from time to time from Tom and Phyl and members of his family and from Jill and Jim and their children and he paid return visits to them annually.  Hettie came for a short visit in 1966 aged 99.

Frank was in good health, body and mind for a man of his 93 years but he died on the 13th February, 1968 of a broken heart as his son Thomas had died just two months earlier.  The memorial service was held at St. Mary's Church, Battle and the cremation at Hastings.

Pat Campbell, a Sworder relation, wrote:-  Aunt Maud was my father's favourite sister and my favourite aunt.  Her husband Dr. Frank Lloyd was a very jolly man who practised in Luton.  They were both very kind, understanding people and were the ones the rest of the family turned to when in trouble.  For instance when my mother died Aunt Maud came out to Switzerland with Aunt Emily to see my father.

I (C.R.S.L.) recall Sunday lunches at Homedale very clearly, sitting around a rectangular table with Frank at one end and Ba the other.  Maud always sat at the side opposite Jane and I.  The Webb portraits stared down at us.  Maud urged me to finish my food saying I should leave a scotch plate yet whenever I had soup, I was instructed that it was polite to leave a little in the bowl to demonstrate that I had enjoyed it.  Rabbit was a regular repast during the war but I have not, by choice, eaten it since.  We always seemed to have crumpets for tea which we toasted in front of the gas fire.  I don't particularly like them either.  Table manners on these

occasions were important and Frank said that if I behaved myself properly he would one day take me out to dinner.  In those days going out for a meal must have been rather special.

I recall Maud as a very quiet person, even a ticking off was done in the nicest possible way.  She was well read and enjoyed crossword puzzles, the Telegraph I think, and usually completed them.  My mother said that Maud could not cook but with ser­vants so readily available, it wasn't necessary.

Frank, to me, was a rather distant figure at Homedale and appeared very much in command.  There is no doubt that he was a very well respected family doctor and highly thought of by his patients.  (When I was in Madras during my National Service, I met a couple who had known him and as a result they took me out for the week-end.  I stayed at their house overnight and when I awoke found the whole bed covered in diarrhoea.  They took it very well.)  I have met many people who, when I revealed my relationship, said how much they admired him.  Edward Butterworth said he was a very good doctor but could not delegate work, he had to do it himself.  In the early days it was necessary to visit patients on foot, next a pony and trap and finally in a chauffeur driven car.  The car, I remember in the forties, was a large black Chrysler which was driven by a man called Hill, he only had one thumb.

I came to know Frank better during our periodic visits to Battle where we, over several years, spent our summer holidays.  A caravan was hired, or perhaps bought, for us to sleep in.  The smell of calor gas and narrow beds that one could not turn- over safely in, has not endeared me to this type of recreation, nevertheless it suited its purpose.  Every morning Frank cleared out the grates or the boiler, cleaned the shoes and did other odd jobs around the house, amazing for a man of his age.  He spent much time in the flower and vegetable garden and was interested in homoeopathy, birds, antiques, family history, flowers, history, music, croquet, poetry, drawing and stamp collecting.  Apart from playing cards, he always complained he was a 'Jonah' because he rarely won, he seemed to be interested in everything.

Occasionally he would give me a tour of the family portraits pointing out the various relationships but I tended to find this rather confusing.  He acquired some of the portraits from his brother Edmund Eyre who I think was bombed during the war.  Out of the blue one day he gave me a handwritten copy of our family tree which I glanced at and then put away for  8/9 years.  In 1973 I had it printed and gave a copy to each member of the family.  That was the beginning of this history.

One day at 'High Chimneys' in the garden I quarrelled with my sister Jane and either slapped or punched her, I cannot remember which.  However I shall never forget Frank's face as he

witnessed this assault, it turned bright red, he was furious and said that I should never hit a woman and since then I never have, although I have been tempted occasionally but never by Gody.

It is difficult to summarise a person's personality in a few words but honour, duty to one's family and friends plus good manners were I think important to him.  He also had a lovely sense of humour with a wheezing laugh.  What a pity more people are not like him.