John Glanvile M.R.C.S.

Alternate Names

     He was also known as Granville in the 1881 census.

Birth, Marriage and Death information

     John Glanvile M.R.C.S. was born on 7 February 1847 at Wedmore, SOM, ENG; registered Axbridge.
     He was baptized on 18 June 1847 at Wedmore, SOM, ENG, parents William Shartman Glanvile and Charlotte Maria.
     He married Sarah Salmon on 7 May 1879 at All Saints, Clifton, GLS, ENG, (when age calculated as 32 years and 3 months) registered Barton Regis. Announced in The Times newspaper 12 & 13 May 1879 p1 as "On 7th May at All Saints' Clifton, by the Rev W S Glanvile, brother of the bridegroom, John Glanvile, M.R.C.S., eldest son of W S Glanvile of The Retreat, Burnham, Somerset, to Sarah daughter of the late John Salmon, of Easton, near Wells. Trinidad and colonial papers, please copy."
     He died on 14 October 1895 at Brislington, SOM, ENG, (when age calculated as 48.)
     His estate was probated on 21 December 1895 indexed as:
1895 GLANVILE John of Painswick House, Burnham, Somerset, retired surgeon who died on 14 October 1895 at Brislington, Somerset. Probate at Wells on 21 December to Forest Ashfield Glanvile and Richard Ranulph Glanvile, gentleman, effects £152-2-8.

Other information

     On 27 November 1888 The Evening Telegraph reported:
A MAD DOCTOR IN LONDON
HIS ABSENCE FROM HOME BY NIGHT
A medical man of independent means, named John Glanvile, was on Saturday afternoon removed from his residence, 32 Wedmore Gardens, Upper Holloway, to the workhouse as a dangerous lunatic. He struggled violently, but was overpowered by two detectives, the Relieving Officer and his assistants, and forced into a four-wheeled cab. A report spread that the Whitechapel murderer had been arrested. A Star reporter visited the neighbourhood and gathered some information about the doctor. For three months he has been behaving in an extraordinary manner. His wife says he has absented himself from the house.
At all hours of the night and morning, returning home in a very dirty state, brining with him in a old black handbag all sorts of rubbish and filthy things. "Some things," said the old day, "I was ashamed to let the serve see, and myself threw away." The Star man was shewn the bag and rubbish. The bag was very old and of black leather, without any lining, and contained several dirty old playing cards, bits of newspapers of recent date, several long nails, and a chisel without a handle; there was also a long thin lock-saw, with a cork fixed on either end. In the bowl part of a large meerschaum pipe-case was a piece of raw hide. Asked whether any knives were ever in her husband's possession, Mrs Glanvile said that some time ago she had locked up some surgical knives which where in the house, and she did not think her husband had anything but a few small lancets in his posession. He had two or three razors though; she had seen one occassionally in his pocket. She considered his coming home in such a deplorable state most peculiar, as he was a most particular man. He had for the past three months spent large sums of money, she did not know how or where. He had pawned three watches, and she had been obliged to put her jewellery away because he asked her to let him sell it. He had for the past three weeks been living out of the house at lodgings in Sherbrook Road at her request. He constantly said the police were after him. He had been a surgeon in Trinidad. Lately he had developed intermperate habits. He was very religious and reserved in manner. A short time ago he was locked up in Kentish Town, having been found sitting on a doorstep, but as soon as his address was verified he was released. He manner would not lead any one to suppose he was mand, as he generally talked well. He had lately threatened to commit suicide, and at times been very violent, but never to her. His arrest was the result of her emmunications to her friends; she did not know it was going to take place. The Star reporter visited Mr Glanvile in the Workhouse Infirmary, and found him in bed in a strait waistcoat.
He is a tall, powerfully-built, far man, about 45 years of age, with a fresh complexion, fiar moustache, and whiskers. He talked in a perfectly coherent manner, protested against his confinement, said he was not a lunatic, and asked the reporter's advice what he should do.

Islington Workhouse records include:
John Glanvile aged 42 admitted to Ishmaels ward (for alleged lunatics) Islington Workhouse on 24.11.88.
Wife Sarah Glanvile of 32 Wedmore Gardens.
Restrained date 24.11.88. Bruises on arms and legs.
Released date 25.11.88 Seen by Magistrate on 26.11.88

John Glanvile admitted to Ishmael ward again on 7.12.88 (same details of wife and address) Bruises on leg. Seen by magistrate on 8.12.88
Sent to Bethnal House Asylum, by order on 10.12.88.
     On 10 December 1894 he applied (as John Glanville, of the parish of Burnham, a surgeon and a widower) for a licence to marry Eliza Jane Cook of Burnham, a spinster of the age of twenty years and upwards. He stated the consent of Henry Cook, father of Eliza had been obtained.
However, no record of the marriage taking place exists.