In memoriam, Philip Burnard Chenery Ayres.

Date:
[1899]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: In memoriam, Philip Burnard Chenery Ayres. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    and suggestive design of two dragons supporting a central ruby. His health began ICO fail in 1895 in consequence of the great strain and anx'ety which the epi.lemic of ifhe Plague brought upon him, and he took, for the first time since he went to the CColony in 1873, long leave of one year. He returned to Hong-Kong in 1896, and rretired in 1897, his health then giving cause for much anxiety. On leaving he received irnany v.dedictory addresses from the Hong Kong community, the Police P'orce, the iChinese merchants, and others, all testifying to the good work which he had done, and their appreciation of his skill, devotion, and self-sacrifice in the performance of Wiis duties, and so he left Hong-Kong, the place he loved so well, in which he had imade so many friends, and to which he said farewell with the profoundest regret. The Colony lost a well-known and striking personality, from which it parted with rregret; he carried with him the regard, respect, and good wishes of all those amongst whom he had lived so long, and whose well being he had so much at heart. He was ;ia prominent Freemason, having been Worshipful Master of his Lodge, and an officer cof the District Grand Lodge of China, besides having taken several of the Higher IDegrees. Dr. Ayres was not able to enjoy his well-earned rest, for on his return to England iin 1897 his health became rapidly worse during the two following years, and his many ifriends in China and elsewhere will see with surprise and sorrow the announcement of Ihis death at lirith House, Erith, Kent, on October 12th, aged 59 years. He was buried aat Brookwood Cemetery (St. Michael’s Avenue), Woking, on October 16th, 1899.— ilhe Lancel, October z%th, 1899. The British Medical Journal, in an obituary notice of October 2isl, 1899, writes : “ It was no light task that fell to Mr. Ayres’ lot when he arrived in Hong-Kong, Ibut in conjunction with his friend the Director of Public Works, an immense amount (of useful work was done, and the sanitation of Hong-Kong was completely re-organised. (Greit improvements were made in hospital accommodation. A staff of English nurses was introduced into the Civil Hospital where before coolies Served ; a Sanitary Board vwas created, over which he for sometime presided; a Medical Officer of Health was iintroduced to the Colony, and a Colonial Veterinary Surgeon was appointed ; a vaccine iinstitute and numerous other improvements for the j)ublic good were instituted under Ihis enlightened guidance. For many years I\Ir. Ayres was engaged in private practice, Ibut as the Colony increased in size and importance he had to confine his attention wholly to his official duties. For some years the effects of his long residence in the lEast had been telling upon him, and it was plain that his physical powers were decreasing. His friends —and they included every individual in the Colony—were grieved to see his failing strength proclaim the fact that they must part with their “ Doctor.’ Generous, kindly of speech, and untiring in the interests of the sick, never was a medical man regarded with more affection than was ]\Ir. Avres.” Dr. Ayres possessed considerable powers as an artist in pen and ink. Whilst he was in India sketches from his pen of Lord Mayo hog hunting appeared in The LGraphic, and he also contributed to the Calcutta Punch. His letters often contained iinteresling and amusing sketches of passing events in his daily life, and people he met, ifrom the time he was a student until he left the East. As a boy he was most anxious ito become an artist. 1 he obituary columns of The Times, ol October i6th and 17th, 1899, and the 'Morning Post, of October i6ih, 1899, also contained notices of Dr. Ayres’ career, life, Jand work in the East.