Papers of Henry Hamilton

Scope and Content

Papers received by William Waugh from Henry Hamilton, [orthopaedic surgeon at the Port Arthur Clinic and archivist for the Charnley Low Friction Society], as part of research conducted for his biography [John Charnley: the man and the hip].

There is correspondence between Charnley and Hamilton discussing a residency for Hamilton with Charnley and the development and improvement of equipment and procedures for the hip replacement operation. There are reminiscences by Hamilton of Charnley, and requests from Waugh for information about Charnley’s work in North America and Canada.

There is reference to tapes of conversations between Hamilton and William Kershaw regarding Charnley, to the provision of a brief history of the Charnley Low Friction Society, and also letters on Charnley to the Low Friction Society in relation to society meetings and events.

Also included is correspondence collected by Hamilton which relate to Charnley and his work, from sources including Chas. Thackray Ltd and David Lloyd Griffiths, and information on Keith Burns and his work with Charnley. There is discussion of an experimental operation that Charnley requested was carried out on himself.

Also included are:

  • Copies of programmes for conferences at which Charnley gave lectures and papers
  • Copies of records relating to Charnley’s association with the Manchester Royal Infirmary, compiled by Kathy Holmes, archivist at the Jefferson Library and Archives, Manchester Royal Infirmary
  • An introduction for Charnley by Hamilton to the staff of the General Hospital of Port Arthur, and an article on Charnley’s visit to the hospital in The Chronicle-Journal, 1981
  • An account of his experiences at Dunkirk from W.E. Kershaw, Surgeon Captain, who worked with Charnley during the evacuation of British troops
  • John Charnley by N.W. Nisbet and Sit Michael Woodruff, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of The Royal Society
  • There are notes and reminiscences on their relationship with Charnley by David Lloyd Griffiths, Frank Nicholson and A.S. Bullough
  • An Address by Sir Henry Platt, delivered at the Thanksgiving Service for John Charnley at Manchester Cathedral, 15 Sep 1982
  • Information on the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, and reference to Charnley’s brief residency at the hospital
  • Information on Charnley and his relationship with Chas. Thackray Ltd
  • An obituary for Charnley in The Times, 1982