Leslie Pyrah, Collection

Professional papers (subjects include the life of Lord Moynihan and the shortage of nurses); biographical information on Pyrah, engraving of Leeds Infirmary and photograph of Leeds University Degree Congregation in 1924 which included Pyrah.

The first professor of urology in Great Britain, Leslie Pyrah was born at Farnley, near Leeds in 1899, the son of a headmistress. He was educated at Leeds Central High School and served in the army during the First World War. Pyrah read medicine at Leeds University and graduated in 1924. After qualifying, Pyrah undertook a wide variety of training roles, notably with Berkeley Moynihan at Leeds General Infirmary. In 1932, Pyrah visited urological centres across Europe as part of a travelling scholarship, and two years later was appointed assistant surgeon to the Leeds Infirmary and Public Dispensary.

Despite building up a large general surgical practice, Pyrah retained an interest in urology. He was elected to the council of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) in 1948, and in 1956 was appointed professor of urological surgery in Leeds. His work in promoting urology and urological specialist centres throughout Britain led to him becoming President of the Urological Section of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1958 and President of BAUS from 1961 to 1963, and received a CBE in 1963.

The collection contains papers compiled by Pyrah relating to the following subjects: Berkeley Moynihan and the Moynhian Chirurgical Club, shortages of nurses at Leeds General Infirmary’s Wellcome Ward, and professional papers acquired by Pyrah.

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