Sir Henry Halford Bart MD

  General Notes:

In 1814, Wistow was inherited by the King's Physician, Dr Henry Vaughan, who had, five years previously, on being created a baronet, changed his name by Act of Parliament to Halford in the confident expectation of his inheritance. He was a great grandson of Sir Richard Halford, 5th Baronet, through his maternal grandmother.

This remarkable man, who as Sir Henry Halford, was President of the Royal College of Physicians continuously from 1820 to 1844, was physician to George III, George IV and William IV, and attended also all the Royal Dukes and Princesses at that time. Indeed, almost everyone of importance in London during the first quarter of the 19th century were his patients, including the Duke of Wellington, Warren Hastings, Sir Walter Scott, Fox, Pitt and Talleyrand. He was not only their physician; he was in most cases their friend and confidant. According to his diary, on 23rd June 1824, he was "called to the King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands who lie dangerously ill of the measles".

King George's illness was thoroughly researched by Ida Macalpine and Richard Hunter in their fascinating book "George III and the Mad Business" and it was an entry in the diary of Sir Henry Halford that confirmed their opinion that the King was not mad but suffered from the hereditary disease of porphyria.

The Royal Coat of Arms of George III is on the hatchment facing the doorway on entering the historic church opposite the front drive to Wistow Hall. On the right hand side of the nave are the arms of the Physician, which were granted to Sir Henry by George IV in 1826 as a gesture of gratitude after his unremitting attention to the Duke of York during his last illness. The Greyhound crest of the Halfords is very noticeable, as is the medical staff entwined with the serpent and the emu supporters. George IV had given Sir Henry two emus, which are reputed to have done much damage in the garden at Wistow and, when they died, one was stuffed and placed in a glass case there.

Sir Henry made extensive improvements to the property of Wistow, and created the lake, at the same time diverting the road around it. He was also responsible for complete the Georgian restoration of the church, as can be seen by his initials on the rainwater heads outside.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation/Address: Surgeon, 1841, Curzon Street, London.

Henry married Elizabeth Barbara St John, daughter of John St John 12th Baron Bletsoe and Susannah Louisa Simond, on 31 Mar 1795.⁵⁹ (Elizabeth Barbara St John was born on 22 Feb 1762 ⁷⁰ and died on 17 Jun 1833 ⁵⁹.)