No 410 Brigade Surgeon Richard Chapman Lofthouse
MD (St And 1854) LM (1854) RCS (Eng 1854) LSA (Lond 1854)
26 Mar 1831 [Knaresborough Yorkshire] – 7 Jan 1907 [Harrogate]
Brigade Surgeon Richard Chapman Lofthouse qualified MD University of St Andrews in 1854. He passed his examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1854, became a Licentiate of the Apothecaries on 25 May 1854 and obtained his Licentiate in Midwifery on 6 April 1854. He entered the Army Medical Department as an Assistant Surgeon on 14 July 1854.
In 1855, he served with the 10th Hussars in the Eastern Campaign and was present at the Siege and fall of Sebastopol, the Battle on the Tchernaya and the affair of 21 September 1855 near Kertch. He received the Crimea Medal with clasp and the Turkish Medal.
From July 1857 to August 1859, Brigade Surgeon Richard Chapman Lofthouse took part in the Indian Mutiny. He saw service with the 14 Light Dragoons during the campaigns in Central India under Sir Hugh Rose and Sir R Napier. He was present at the siege of Rahutghur, the action of Barodia, the relief of Saugor, the siege and capture of Garrakota, the disarming of the Bhopal Contingent at Sehore, the forcing of the pass of Muddenpore, the Battle of the Betwa, the siege and fall of Jhansi, the action of Koonch, all the affairs during the advance on Calpee including the Battle of Golowlie, the capture of the town and fort of Calpee, the action of Morar, the recapture of Gwalior, the operations in Bundlecund, the affairs of Garotha and Jachlone and the pursuit of Tantia Topee. He was in medical charge of a wing of the regiment in India up to the capture of Gwalior. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 18 April 1859) and was thanked for his services by the Director General Army Medical Department. He received the Mutiny Medal with clasp for Central India.
Brigade Surgeon Richard Chapman Lofthouse also served in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882–1884.
Service Record
14 July 1854 Appointed Assistant Surgeon 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot vice Assistant Surgeon Mark Stanley Todd promoted to Staff on 28 March 1854.
Served in the Crimean War.
12 May 1857 Assistant Surgeon 14th Light Dragoons on promotion from 86th Foot vice Assistant Surgeon Charles Hamilton Fasson promoted surgeon 53rd Foot on 19 February 1857.
1857 Served in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny.
9 Mar 1867 Staff Surgeon.
1 May 1867 Surgeon 32nd (Cornwall-Light Infantry). He served as their medical officer until February 1878 when he moved to the Staff at Reading.
14 July 1874 Surgeon Major.
Sep 1877 Returned to England from the Cape with the 32nd Foot.
1879 On duty at Reading.
27 Nov 1879 Brigade Surgeon.
1880 On duty at Gosport and Haslar.
Malta 14 Sep 1880 Arrived from Gibraltar.
1881 On duty at Cork.
July 1882 Moved to Cyprus.
Nov 1882 On duty in Egypt.
6 Aug 1884 Retired with the honorary rank of Deputy Surgeon-General.
1898 Resident at Albert Home, Harrington Mansions, Queens Gate, London.
7 Jan 1907 Deputy Surgeon-General Richard Chapman Lofthouse, formerly of 35 Harrington Road South Kensington, resided at the Crown Hotel Harrogate, Yorkshire. He died at Harrogate and was interred at Knaresborough Cemetery. He directed that his property should accumulate during the life of his sister and, on her death, left over £40,000 for charitable purposes, almost entirely in Harrogate. An impressive memorial was erected in the south chapel of the now redundant church of St Mary in Harrogate.
Bibliography
- Drew R., 1968. Entry No: 5321. Medical Officers in the British Army 1660 – 1960. Volume I: 1660 – 1898. London: Wellcome Historical Medical Library.
- RAMC/PE/3/27/Drew. Manuscript for Drew's Roll.
- Succession Book Vol VII. Returns of service of medical officers in the Regular Army.
- Obituary, Deputy Surgeon General Richard Chapman Lofthouse. Br Med J (1907); 1: 238 (Published 26 January 1907).
- Hart H. G., The New Annual army List for 1865.