Richard Brunel Hawes

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Sir Richard Brunel Hawes
CMG FRCP
Hawes in 1954
Born1893
South America
Died30 December 1964 (aged 71)
OccupationsPhysician and expert in tropical medicine
Children3

Sir Richard Brunel Hawes (1893 – 30 December 1964) was a British physician and expert in tropical medicine.

Early life and education

Hawes was born in Iquique, Chile, South America in 1893, the son of Dr Francis Brunel Hawes. He was educated at Stonyhurst College and St Thomas' Hospital, London.[1][2]

Career

Hawes joined the Royal Engineers in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I, and after returning to St Thomas' Hospital during the following year, served with the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1916 to 1919.[3] He took part in the retreat from Mons and was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Mons Star. He later served during the Mesopatanium campaign until 1919, and rose to the rank of captain. After the War, he became resident physician at the Old Seaman's Hospital, Greenwich.[1][2]

In 1921, Hawes joined the Colonial Service and went to Malaya where he practised as a physician in Sungai Petani, Kedah.[4][5] In 1926, he was appointed the first full-time professor of medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine, Singapore, a post he held until 1941.[6] In 1935, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. In 1938, he was appointed a member of the government's advisory committee for medical research.[7] He also served as professor of medicine and consulting physician to the government of the Straits Settlements, and physician to Singapore General Hospital, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.[1][2]

In 1940, he left Singapore and returned to England where he was consultant physician to the Colonial Office, a post he held until his retirement in 1961.[1][2]

Hawes made significant contributions to research into Malaria prevention, and the causes of Beriberi and its treatment with vitamin B1.[8] In 1954, he received an honorary MD (Doctor of Medicine) from the University of Malaya.[1][2][9]

Personal life and death

Hawes married Kathleen O'Neill in 1920 and they had three sons.[1][2]

Hawes died on 30 December 1964, aged 71.[1][2]

Honours

Hawes was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1949 New Year Honours.[10] He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 1957 Birthday Honours.[11]

References

  1. "Obituary Notices". BMJ. 1 (5430): 321–323. 30 January 1965. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5430.321. ISSN 0959-8138.
  2. Who was who, 1961-1970 : a companion to Who's who. Internet Archive. London : A. & C. Black. 1979. p. 504. ISBN 978-0-7136-2008-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "No. 29835". The London Gazette. 24 November 1916. p. 11414.
  4. "Social and personal". The Straits Times. 11 January 1921. p. 8.
  5. "Last year in Kedah". Straits Echo. p. 420.
  6. "King Edward VII Medical College, Singapore". The Malayan Saturday Post Illustrated. 4 May 1929. p. 26.
  7. "Gazette Appointments". Morning Tribune. 20 August 1938. p. 17.
  8. "Anti-Malarial experts coming to Singapore". The Straits Times. 29 March 1934. p. 12.
  9. "3 Receive Doctorates". The Sunday Standard. 17 October 1954. p. 1.
  10. "No. 38493". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1949. p. 5.
  11. "No. 41089". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1957. p. 3368.