John Muriel (Ely,1799 - Ely,1884) Surgeon Of Ely
by Gareth Abbey
It was said John was so contented in nature he regularly fell asleep on his horse as it trotted through the fen country, and had to be rescued from the many bogs and ditches into which he had fallen. The Bury and Norwich Post records one of John’s accidents.
The Bury and Norwich Post 05/04/1843:
“On Wednesday evening, as Mr John Muriel, surgeon of Ely, was returning home with his assistant, near Church Lane, his horse took fright, and ran away upset and smashed the gig. Mr M, was conveyed in a senseless state into the house of Mr Cole (surgeon), who paid him every attention in his power and had him conveyed home on a shutter. His wrist was broken and other injuries sustained of a serious nature. The assistant was providentially alighted upon his feet and was not hurt. We are glad to find that Mr. Muriel is going on favourably.”
John was not initially set for a career as a Chemist. However, following the death of his elder brother, Robert, he began to train as a Surgeon, and assisted his father in his Ely practice.
In 1823, John married Elizabeth Boyce Evans; daughter of Hugh Robert Evans (1764-1852), a solicitor in Ely. Hugh had been one of two men, the other being a local farmer Henry Martin, who were attacked during the Littleport and Ely riots, in 1816, while returning from a Turnpike Trust meeting in Downham. High unemployment and rising costs had resulted in unrest with much of the rioters’ anger being directed towards Henry Martin.
In subsequent years, the Evans family became the Muriel family solicitors, with Elizabeth’s brother, Hugh, and nephew, William Johnson Evans, continuing the family’s legal practice in Ely.
Elizabeth and John had nine children:
Eliza Evans Muriel (Ely,1824 - Ely,1906)
Etheldreda Harriet Muriel (Ely,1825 - Ely,1825)
Robert Muriel (Ely,1826 - Ely,1873), Surgeon Of Ely
Madeleine Muriel (Ely,1827 - Greenwich,1896), married Robert Beynon Williams
Harriet Georgina Muriel (Ely,1828 - Burwell,1912), married Rev John William Cockshott
John Thomas Muriel (Ely,1830 - Hadleigh,1877), Surgeon Of Hadleigh
Matilda Muriel (Ely,1831 - Ely,1912), married Richard Bird Nason
Hugh Evans Muriel (Ely,1832 - Ely,1915), Canon Of Glonfert
Charles Evans Muriel (Ely,1834 - Norwich,1907), Surgeon Of Norwich
On his father’s death, in 1828, John moved his family from the small premises in Market Place, to the family's large house and practice on High St. He was assisted in the practice by his younger brother, Brooke, who would eventually move to London. As the population of England continued to boom, so did the demand for medical experts; consequently, John found himself in a swiftly expanding trade; with the cholera outbreak of 1832, significantly testing his skills. Family life, however, was very happy until 1834, when John’s wife, Elizabeth, died of consumption, leaving the family very distressed. John’s eldest daughter, Eliza, recalls "I was 10-years-old at tthe time and can well remeber all the circumstances and the desolate feeling that came over me that evening". With eight children to bring up and a medical practice to run, John’s elder sister, Mary, moved into the property on High Street to help run the household. However, in 1835, further disaster nearly struck the family:
Bury & Norwich Post, 26th August 1835:
“About one o’clock on Sunday morning the inhabitants of Ely were awakened by an alarm of fire, which ascertained to be from the premises of Mr John Muriel surgeon and after a short period its progress was happily prevented. Had the fire remained undiscovered a quarter of an hour longer, the consequence would have been dreadful, in so much as one hundred pounds of gunpowder was deposited in a granary immediately adjoining the premises on fire. As usual all classes exerted themselves in a praiseworthy manner.”
In 1836, John married for a second time to Mary Langham, the best friend of his first wife. Mary was the niece of, and brought up by, Thomas Harvey JP of Northwold Manor and his wife Hannah Harvey (nee Kenton). Mary was the natural daughter of William Langham and Hannah’s sister Judith Kenton.
It is said that the Baronet Langham, of the time, had two sons to a second marriage; one of whom was William Langham, who spent his substance and had to turn into the world, and get along as best he could, becoming a gardener. He married Judith Kenton, but the marriage did not meet with the Kenton family approval and it was later agreed it would be in the best interests of the children to be adopted by their aunt, Hannah. Mary’s brother, John, would later assume the surname Carter, possibly because of its historical importance in Northwold. He went on to marry the wealthy heiress, Mary Anne Daniel- Tyssen of Foulden Hall, Norfolk. Mary’s sister, Catherine Langham, embraced the social scene, attending dinners with the likes of Lady Hamilton. Their cousins, the daughters of Captain Thomas Manby and Judith Kenton, would married into titled families; Mary Harcourt Manby first marrying a French Baron and then Sir Cavendish Stuart Rumbold; whilst Georgina Manvers Manby, married a French diplomat, Adolphe Barrot, whose elder brother would become the Prime Minister of France.
Mary Langham and John Muriel had five children:
Catherine Muriel (Ely,1836 - Ely,1914)
Mary Muriel (Ely,1837 - Ely,1928)
Harvey Muriel (Ely,1837 - Erpingham,1924), Reverend Of Edingthorpe
William Carter Muriel (Ely,1839 - Fulham,1916) ,Vicar of Fulham
George John Muriel (Ely,1841 - Whitehaven,1923), Surgeon Of Whitehaven
Eliza Evans Muriel writes of many happy times the family enjoyed with John and her step-mother, Mary: “Our dear mother made the home very bright and happy for us all, and it is very nice to look back upon our pleasant evenings in the dear old dining room when we were all working while an amusing book was read aloud to us, and on our marching up and down the old yard with small bags of shot on our heads to keep us erect and steady in our walk”. John also had many other interests. He was involved in Ely Horticultural Society and even took time to have a series of bronze busts of himself cast by the Italian sculptor, Pellegrino Mazzotti, who had a studio in Bull Lane in Ely. In 1850, John decided to purchase the Mansion House on Palace Green at a cost of £1050 for the buildings and £16.13 for the fixture and fittings, from a Haylock Watson, who was a Draper. The house became known as “Chantry House” because it stood on the site of the old Chantry.
In the 1850s, John sold many of the lands and properties in his possession such as parts of Middle Fen, Way Field, and a property in Cow Lane, known as the Red, White and Blue beer house. There were considerable costs in putting his children through professions and John openly gave his time and money to charitable causes. In 1858, he assisted with the building of a Boys and Girls school on Walpole Lane. Richard Freeman of Ely was the builder and SS Teulon a well known architect from Charing Cross, was appointed to design the school. By 1860, John had decided to lease out the High Street property, with its dwelling house, stables and brewhouse.
Mary Langham, died in 1861, and John would marry for a third time to, Susan Griffith, the daughter of the late and much respected Reverend Hugh Deer Griffiths of Newcastle in Northumberland. They were married in 1863 at Saltford, Near Bath. This was an unhappy marriage as John’s daughter Eliza recorded “though a fine ladylike woman, she was quite unfitted for our family and was moreover of such a violent temper that it completely destroyed the comfort and happiness of our home.. this was a terrible time of trial to us all.” John, however, continued in his charitable and medical work throughout the 1860s, donating the Good Samaritan window to Ely Cathedral, in 1864, and assisting at the union workhouse.
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal 14th July 1866:
“On Tuesday, the 10th inst, Mr J Muriel, of the Palace Green, gave a treat to the children and adult male and female inmates of the union workhouse. In the afternoon the children were assembled upon the lawn, in front of the residence of J Muriel Esq, and sat down to an excellent tea provided for them by their kind lady hostess, who took evident delight in observing the manifest pleasure with which the children regaled themselves while partaking of the courteous repast. After tea an adjournment was made to a field belonging to Mr Muriel, near the union, where the children indulged in sport without restraint until dusk. Neither were the aged forgotten, the bounty was extended them in a way they seemed to thoroughly appreciate, and in this way by distribution of buns and ale amongst them, in the same field in the which the young ones were enjoying themselves and old and young were thus made happy together”
John’s third wife, Susan, died in 1873 as would John’s eldest son, Robert. John had built a property at the rear of Chantry House, now known as “Cathedral House, for his son Robert and this was sold on Robert’s death.
John had hoped Robert would carry on the family Surgeon and Apothecary practice, long after John’s death. In 1877, further tragedy struck when another of John’s son, John Thomas Muriel, Surgeon of Hadleigh died. With John’s other sons now building lives for themselves away from Ely John continued in his practice until his passing in 1884. Only three of John’s children; Eliza, Catherine and Mary remained in Ely, following John’s death. The Chantry was sold at local auction, as the daughters did not feel they had the means or the will to stay in the property. They later moved into the family house on Market Place.
Harvey Langham Muriel recollects his grandfather :
“I believe grandfather never owned a wheeled vehicle, but to cover his extensive practice always had 15 horses in the stables at The Chantry House and 15 'resting' in the fen. They were changed over every few months. I can just remember going to see old Whitehead who had been in charge of the stables for very many years, and when I saw him he was a pensioner of the family. In grandfather's prime I believe his practice extended to March in one direction and nearly to Cambridge in the other and anyone who knows the fens even today will not wonder at his preference for horseback. In winter and wet weather many of the roads and Lanes would be impassable otherwise. I remember the Chantry House very well. Surrounded by a high wall it stood on one side of the triangular green with the Bishop's Palace on the opposite side and the Cathedral at the base. At the apex of the green was a cannon from Sebastopol which father helped to drag into position. He was a volunteer for some years and I believe became a sergeant. Looking through the iron gates the main door faced you and opened into a large hall with the Sedan Chair on the right and the kitchens. The Sedan Chair was in occasional use until 1891/2 when it went to Carlisle and is I believe still in the museum there. And on the left were the dining room and a smaller hall leading to the drawing-room and gardens and in this hall was kept the sword always used to carve the huge Christmas joint of beef for the family (13 sons and daughters) and the domestic staff. Each child had its own stool which it carried into the dining room for meals.No lolling back in chairs! I can well remember my grandfather sitting in the dining room in a carving chair before a peat fire with a silver-topped black ebony stick beside him, and a red bandana handkerchief spread on his knee- breeches - black with black stockings and silver-buckled shoes. (Find I am wrong here. The stick was gold-topped, and is now in the care of the Regius Professor of Physic, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge. Mary has copies of the correspondence in her archives! Mea culpa. ) He was an inveterate snufftaker. My father once told me he was a 'two-bottle' man and that they used to have the port in by the hog's-head and bottle it themselves. Father has said when helping to do this he often drank a pint before breakfast! I have always understood that grandfather was a surgeon of somewhat more than local fame and I believe his ebony stick is now in the care of the Royal College of Surgeons. I have a book "Chapters on Everyday Things" which he gave me, inscribed by him 'Harvey Langham Muriel, with his grandfather's best love, Ely, June 24th, 1883, J. M. 's Eighty-third Birthday. Doubtless we were spending the day there and maybe that was the last time I saw him.”
The Bury And Norwich Post And Suffolk Herald, 1884:
“There has passed away from the scene of active life in this city, one whose name was a synonym for gentlemanly kindness, professional probity and Christian simplicity. John Muriel- esq. JP, FRCS, DL of Chantry House, Palace Green whose useful life and venerable age eked out to his 85th year, was the last male representative in this city of a good old family, who have always borne the impress of benevolence and gentility since 1650, when it first came to Ely. The family Muriel itself, however, by direct male succession touches to the 13 century, one Adam de Myriel having been Archdeacon of Norfolk in 1270.
The late Dr Muriel was thrice married and leaves a worthy progeny of children and grandchildren to carry on his name and his honour to succeeding generations. He married first, Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Hugh R Evans of Ely; secondly Miss Mary Langham, niece of Mr Thomas Harvey, JP, DL of Northwold Manor House in the County of Norfolk; and thirdly Susan, daughter of the Reverend Griffith, Canon of Durham Cathedral. The venerable form, fine figure, the kindly smile and practical sympathy which attached to the late Dr Muriel, as an English gentleman, as well as a professional man, will never fade in the memory of those who knew him. It is notorious that the majority of the 'Fen People' for two generations were brought into the world under his professional care; and the kind old man would often point to this or that person, well advanced in life, and claim them as his professional offspring. A peculiar feature of his character was respect for others, and his sense of gallantry was charming. On one occasion an elderly poor woman made way for Dr Muriel by stepping from the pavement to the street. "No! no!" he abruptly exclaimed, and instantly insisted on their changing positions. For many years Dr Muriel was a trustee of Needham's charity and took a lively interest in the school. Almost to the last the deceased attended service at the Cathedral, and with characteristic glance around to catch the familiar faces, he would take his accustomed seat. But recently decaying age rapidly set in and the familiar form was practically lost to the city several weeks before it was interred on May 30th, with such universal respect and affection. All the places of business were partially closed and an affectionate allusion was made to the deceased by the Dean in his sermon on Whit-Sunday.”
Robert Muriel (1762 - 1828), Surgeon Of Ely
by Gareth Abbey
In 1777, at the age of 15, Robert Muriel was apprenticed to William Scrimshire, Surgeon of Wisbech, However, Robert would soon return to Ely to help run his father’s medical practice. Little is known of his early life, but on15th October 1787, Robert married Sarah Martin, whose family were well known in Ely, as farmers, merchants, and drapers.
Robert and Susan had the following children, all born in Ely :
Mary Muriel (Ely, 1789 - Ely,1875)
George William Muriel (Ely,1791 - India, 1836), Lieutenant Colonel, East India Company
Anne Muriel (Ely,1791 - Islington,1864), married `Charles Bidwell, Brewer of Thetford
Robert Muriel (Ely, 1792 - Ely, 1816), Surgeon of Ely
William Muriel (Ely,1794 - Ely,1876), Royal Navy Commander and Surgeon of Wickham Market
Sarah Muriel (Ely, 1795 - Ely,1871), married Robert Martin of Downham Market
Elizabeth Muriel (Ely,1796 - Bourton-on-the-Water,1880), married Samuel Beddome, Chemist of London and Sergeant At Arms / Common Cryer.
Susan Muriel (Ely, 1798 - London,1841), married Robert Bradfield Sanders, Solicitor Of Ely, later London
John Muriel (Ely,1799 - Ely,1884), Surgeon of Ely
Charles Muriel (Ely,1801 - Teddington,1851), Surgeon Of Teddington
Henry Brooke Muriel (Ely, 1801 - Brighton, 1874) ,Chemist, Covent Garden, later Brighton
Edward Muriel (Ely,1802 -Ely,1802)
Frances Muriel (Ely,1802 - Hastings,1819)
Robert’s wife, Sarah, died in 1802, at the age of 40, giving birth to twins Edward and Frances, only Frances would survive.
Gentleman’s Magazine,1802:
“At Ely, co. Cambridge, in childbed of twins, in her 41st year, universally beloved amidst a numerous circle of relations and friends, Mrs Robert Muriel, the wife of Mr. R. M. jun. Surgeon. She was married little more than fifteen years, in which time she had 14 children ; twelve of whom are left alive, with a disconsolate husband, to bewail their irreparable loss”
It is unusual to note, that many of Robert and Sarah’s children, including Robert’s subsequent children would live to a significant age. At this time there were many diseases that affected infant mortality rates, the leading cause being smallpox. In 1796, the English physician, Edward Jenner, discovered and demonstrated that using vaccination to infect people with a small amount of cowpox pus, made them immune to smallpox. Local press recorded Robert successfully using the smallpox vaccination successfully, and it may well be that his children may have been some of the first vaccinated.
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By the early 1800s the population of England had started to grow substantially and Robert found himself in rapidly expanding trade. With a growing business and family Robert purchased a premises in the High street, with stables and outbuildings, whilst retaining the family property at Market Place.
Robert married again, in 1805, to Mary Branwhite of Lavenham. Mary was the granddaughter of Rowland Branwhite and Sarah Brooke. Her father Brooke Branwhite, was the younger brother of the poet Peregrine Branwhite, and her cousin Nathan Cooper Branwhite (1775-1857) was a well known miniature portrait painter and watercolourist.
Robert and Mary had two children:-
Catherine Muriel (1802-1892) moved to Lavenham, Suffolk
Brooke Muriel (1808-1882) MRCS Surgeon, first of Ely then of Sydenham, Kent.
Mary died, in 1808, and was buried in Lavenham. There is a tablet inscription to her in St Peter and Paul’s Church which reads : -
“In memory of Mary Muriel daughter of above (Brooke Branwhite & Rebecca(previously Hammond) died 1808 Aged 39, also her sister Sophia, died 1808 aged 32”
Robert, married again,in 1814, to Elizabeth Sole Humphreys (b1772), the eldest daughter of Henry Humphreys of Trumpington. Together they had one child
Edward Morley Muriel ( 1819-1895) Rector of Ruckinge.
Robert had trained his eldest son Robert to take over the family medical practice but sadly Robert died in 1816, at the age of only 24. it was a great shock to Robert and with his two eldest sons, George and William, away with the British forces, it was left to one of Robert's younger sons, John Muriel, to follow his father in to the family practice. Robert's son Brooke Muriel would also assist with the Ely practice, before moving to London.
In 1824, Robert’s brother John, who lived at 14 Brunswick Place in London, was declared bankrupt; however, Robert, cleared his brother’s debts.
Robert died in 1828, at the age of 62.
Bury & Ipswich Post 30th July 1828:
On Saturday last, at Ely, deservedly and sincerely lamented, Robert Murlel Esq. in the 66th year of his age. Few men have departed this life so much regretted. His children will have long to deplore the loss of one of the best fathers, his acquaintance a sincere and faithful friend: he was that man who at all times zealously promoted whatever appeared conductive to the benefit of his neighbour or the happiness of those connected with him; all his domestic habits were those of a Christian gentleman, and his friends and acquaintance will justly have cause to regret such a good man.
A tablet in St Mary’s church, Ely reads :
“In memory of Mr. Robert Muriel an eminent surgeon of this City, highly respected and esteemed. During 13 months he endured a lingering and painful illness with the piety and resignation of a Christian and died on 26/7/1828 aet 66 surrounded by a numerous family to whom he had been a kind friend and tender parent Sarah his first wife died 2/12/1802 aet 40 and with him lies interred in the centre of this Chapel”
Robert’s widow, Elizabeth Sole Muriel, died in 1869, at the age of 94 years of age, living her final years in the Muriel house on Market Place, for sometime with her daughter in law, Mary Muriel .