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History of the RSM - October 2009


Jody Holland with the trophy
Jody Holland with the trophy.
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One of the nicest events to take place in the Society this year came about in February as a result of a letter sent to the Society's Archivist by Professor Peter Holland whose nine-year old son Jody had spotted an old silver-plated trophy cup in a charity shop in the small town near to where they live (Wallingford, near Oxford). The trophy was engraved 'Macclesfield Grammar School, Open Championship, 1936, RT Hewitt'.

Professor Holland's letter goes on: "Jody was so excited to see the trophy that he insisted we bought it, even though (at the time) we had absolutely no idea who RT Hewitt was, or how it got from Macclesfield to Oxfordshire. I think Jody was also simply captivated by how old the cup was. After a little research, we found out that this was an Athletics trophy won by Richard Thornton Hewitt as an 18- or 19-year old pupil at Macclesfield Grammar School (now King's School Macclesfield). We then found out that the same RT Hewitt went on to lead some remarkable exploits in the Special Forces in WW2, in the Italian Campaign, and eventually onto the Executive Director position at the Royal Society of Medicine. It was a small glimpse into someone who was succeeding in life even at the age of 18 or 19, presaging his later major contributions to society. I notice that you have a Hewitt Room, so he is clearly remembered. Although Jody was thrilled to find the trophy, we both wonder whether there is a more appropriate place for it."

The Society then invited Jody and his father to visit and to formally present the trophy for inclusion in the Society's archive. Jody, pictured here, clearly enjoyed the occasion, attended by Wayne Sime, Director of Library Services, and Robert Greenwood, Assistant Librarian, and received in exchange the gift of a chocolate Easter bunny thought unlikely to survive quite as long as the trophy has done.

Richard Hewitt's time at the RSM is covered in detail in Penelope Hunting's History of the Royal Society of Medicine in which she writes: "Mr Richard Hewitt had been appointed Secretary in 1952 and he held the post, under the new title of Executive Director, until 1982. He exercised a major influence on the development of the Society during those years, giving priority to securing its financial position and acquiring accommodation into which it could expand."


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