Millennium Project
Rob Forsyth with David Castle
Transactions of the Archaeological Society of North Oxfordshire (1856)
This document contains the first reference to a William Griffin practising 'Physics & Surgery' in the 17th century. Apart from this reference, the document has 155 other references to Deddington including discussion on how the civil war affected the parish and on the execution of the King - c.f. pages 25 thro' 50.
A Research group of doctors
working with Exeter University has compiled an historical list of medical practitioners. The first named in the folowing extract is the same William Griffin as in the extract above
.
The Archbishop of Canterbury
issued licences to practice throughout the province of Canterbury, an
area which comprised England south of the Humber and the whole of Wales.
Another William Griffin was licensed in August 1730 'to practice the arts of physics and surgery throughout the province of Canterbury. Granted by William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury, Signed by John Haynes, Register, and with the Archbishop's seal attached' [courtesy of the Wellcome Collection] He is further listed as practising '1734 William Griffin of Deddington (Dadington)'. (Click on image (l) to read the licence) This is the William referred to by Mary Vane Turner in Ch.5. 'Deddington Folk' in her book The Story of Deddington (1933)
Jackson's Oxford Journal
A name change then takes place. John Griffin is named in an indenture dated 1 December1761 between "..John Griffin of Dadington in the County of Oxford Apothecary and Surgeon son of William Griffin of Dadington aforesaid Surgeon and deceased of the one part and John Knibbs of Dadington aforesaid Collarmaker of the Other part". John died in 1809 and the practice was taken over by Richard Ordway. However as the JoJ article states his estate was executed by ...William Griffin. There is reference in the Oxford History Centre (SLD48/D1/1) of him owning in 1790 a 'messauge and close with appurtenances and several plots of land, all in Adderbury'. There is a further reference in Jackson's's Oxford Journal in 1799 to a John Griffin of Deddington being a 'Tax Collector (hair powder, armonal bearings)' - the latter item is possibly rollers for wigs.
Curious Fox website
This is a website on which researchers can get in touch with others searching for same names. It includes this entry ''William Griffin was a surgeon born 1813 in Deddington and moved to Ledbury, Herefordshire, where he was amongst other things Medical officer of the Ledbury Union Workhouse. Interestingly he seems to have come from a line of surgeons all called William Griffin, all from Deddington'' So he may have been the last of a very long succession of medical Griffins in Deddington. He was married to Elizabeth Eliza Timms. He died in Oxford in 1894.
Other Griffins
The name Griffin appears several times on this and other websites but not necessarly associated with medicine. One such is Private Harry Griffin who died in WWI. A John Griffin married Mary Stilgoe of Deddington in 1702 and a William Griffin married Mary Elenora Churchill in 1810; both well known Deddington families whose histories are on this site.