West family papers

Papers of, and relating to, the Birmingham surgeon James Fitzjames Fraser West; his wife, Sarah Hammond West (nee Sellers); and their families. The collection provides a rich source of material relating to West's medical education in London, as well as detailing his career as a surgeon at Queen's Hospital, Birmingham. Included are papers relating to his disputed election as surgeon at Queen's Hospital, Birmingham. West's papers also shed light on his personal and family life. The collection includes his diary for part of 1883 which, as well as providing information on the treatment of patients and activities in medical societies, also provides an insight into his leisure activities and time spent with family members. The diary includes an account of a month's excursion through France and Italy undertaken by West with his wife, Sarah, between March and April 1883. There are also a series of letters kept by West which illustrate his involvement in the administration of his wife's inheritance of Yorkshire property and land.

The papers of the family of West's wife, Sarah Sellers, date back to 1600 and include title deeds and probate records relating to her family's property and mineral rich land in Yorkshire. This was property and land which she inherited and which was exploited for income by the Wests and, after their death, by their children. There is also a small amount of material relating to the children of James and Sarah West, and of one of their two grandchildren, Constance Margery. This material provides an insight into areas relating to their education and careers. Particularly notable are the papers of Gertrude West, daughter of James and Sarah, which relate to her celebrated career as a painter of miniatures. The collection also includes a number of photographs of various members of the West family from the late 19th to the early 20th century, as well as several birth, baptism and marriage certificates of West family members.

The collection also includes papers collected by Geraldine Goodman, step-daughter of Constance Margery West, who inherited the West family papers in 1991. Her papers relate principally to her research on the West family and to the publication of her biography of James West. These papers include copies of birth, marriage and death certificates; geographical and historical maps of areas related to members of the West family; and a number of photographs.

James Fitzjames Fraser West (1833-1883) was the illegitimate son of Mary West (1811-1887) and James Fraser (1804-1841), publisher of Fraser's Magazine. Mary West had another illegitimate child by a different father, Fanny de la Hunt, born 1830.

James West was born in London in 1833 and appears to have been well educated. He received medical tuition at St Thomas's Medical School in London, qualifying as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1854. He then took up an appointment as Residential Medical Officer at Queen's Hospital, Birmingham in 1854 and was elected to the post of full surgeon in 1858. This appointment was the subject of a bitter dispute between the hospital's leading medical men and the council of lay governors. The dispute was only finally resolved after more than six months when West and his rival, Joseph Sampson Gamgee, were elected joint post-holders. In 1867 West became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He was elected honorary surgeon at Queen's Hospital, became clinical teacher and later held the chair of anatomy at Queen's College, the predecessor of the University's Medical School. West travelled extensively, visiting and reporting on other medical institutions. He was a regular contributor to medical journals including The Lancet and the British Medical Journal. For the latter he wrote in support of Joseph Lister's antiseptic treatment of wounds and in which he also published papers on surgery. He played an active role in local medical societies and was also a freemason. West died at his home in Edgbaston and was buried at the Church of Ascension, Hall Green, in May 1883.

James West married Sarah Hammond Sellers in 1864 at Darfield parish church, Yorkshire, and the couple had eight children. The family lived initially at Acocks Green, Birmingham, where the three eldest children were born. They moved to 117 Hagley Road, Edgbaston in 1874. Brief details of their children are given as follows: Walter Sellers West (1865-1895), committed suicide at the age of 29; Conrad Kershaw West (1867-1930), auctioneer and surveyor who married Ellen Ward and had a daughter, (Constance) Margery West (1904-1991); (Marion) Lucy West (1869-1895); Gertrude West (1872-1951) also known as Gerty, linguist, who worked as a translator during the First World War, painter of miniatures; John Frederick West (1875-1936) also known as Jack, a lawyer; Amy Valentine West (later Redfern, 1877-1937) also known as Daisy, who worked as a nurse with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) during the First World War and had one child, Barbara Joyce; Arthur Balden West (1879-1949), a clerk at Selly Oak Hospital and who died at Coton Hill Hospital, Staffordshire, a lunatic asylum for patients of the upper and middle classes; and Bertram Evelyn West (1881-1895).

James West's wife, Sarah Hammond Sellars, also known as Tadie, was born at Great Houghton near Barnsley, Yorkshire. She was the daughter of John Sellers and Sarah (nee Shaw). After her mother's death in 1870, Sarah inherited mineral-rich land and property in Yorkshire, the management of which took up much of James West's time up until his death.

Source: http://jamesfraserwest.livejournal.com/866.html [accessed January 2010]

The collection has been divided into two sub-fonds: one comprises the papers of West family members; the other comprises the research material of Geraldine Goodman. Each sub-fonds has then been divided into series, either relating to individual family members, or according to the type of material contained therein. These series have then, if appropriate, been further sub-divided into groups of documents which represent related activities or subjects.

Open, access to all registered researchers.

Presented to Special Collections in October 2009.

Title supplied from contents of the series.

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Papers initially arranged and described by Jenny Smith, January 2010. Additional work completed by Mark Eccleston, November 2010. Sources: papers of the West Family; Geraldine M. Goodman, 'Biography of James West: A Victorian Surgeon. A Biography of James Fitzjames Fraser West 1833-83, Birmingham Surgeon', Brewin, 2007.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

(Constance) Margery Fryer (nee West, 1904-1991) was the daughter of James West's son, Conrad Kershaw West (1867-1930). She was James West's last surviving descendant and had custody of the West family papers until her death in 1991. The papers then passed to Geraldine Mary Goodman (b 1947), her step-daughter, who used the material to write her biography of James West, in addition to collecting other research material relating to the West family. The biography was published in 2007.

Special Collections also hold various certificates awarded by St Thomas's Hospital to James Fitzjames Fraser West, 1854 (finding number: MS758). Geraldine Goodman's biography of James Fitzjames Fraser West is also held by Special Collections (shelfmark: r RD 27.35.W47G66).

Geraldine M. Goodman, 'Biography of James West: A Victorian Surgeon. A Biography of James Fitzjames Fraser West 1833-83, Birmingham Surgeon', Brewin, 2007.