Click here for a history of 23, High Street, 'Alderson House'
Gerald Graham Alderson BA, MB, FRCS.
Born 1884 – Died 1961 (77)
Gerald Graham Alderson was born in Jesmond, Newcastle on Tyne in 1884, the son of John, a lumber merchant, and Jane Isabella Alderson.
He attended Durham School and later won a place at Caius College Cambridge where he took a first class honours in the Natural Sciences Tripos of 1906 and was appointed a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP).
He was appointed a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (M R C S) in 1909 and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (M B B Ch.) in 1910, being appointed a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in July 1912.
During this period he worked at University College Hospital, London, where he was obstetric registrar, St Thomas Hospital, London and at hospitals in Berlin and Vienna.
At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he immediately volunteered to join the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as an officer cadet. He was gazetted as a Lieutenant on probation in September 1914 and posted to France. He was made full Lieutenant in July 1915 and by the beginning of 1918 had achieved the rank of acting Major. He was demobbed in 1919 having been awarded the Victory Medal and 1916 Star.
During this time he married Marguerite Norah Pasteur (b. 1893) the wedding taking place at St Andrews Marylebone, London on June 4 1917. They had three children:
The first child - Raymond Pasteur Alderson, b 1918 London, died in Libya in 1942 whilst serving with an Ambulance Unit of the Free French Army
The second son - John Jeffrey Alderson b 1921 Warwickshire d. 1933 Warwickshire (age 12)
Their third son, Jeffrey Gerald Alderson was born on 9 Feb. 1934 in York and was christened at Stoneleigh in July of that year. He is shown as a ‘Land Agent’ on the probate report of his father in 1961.
The family moved to Warwickshire in 1920, firstly to Leamington when Gerald became a surgeon at Warneford Hospital, later moving to Dudley House, Kenilworth before settling at The Cottage in the village of Offchurch where they were active members of the Parish Church.
For many years he was a member of the surgical staff of the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital whilst he also built up a thriving practice in South Warwickshire with a private nursing home at Priors House, Leamington.
During the Second World War he was appointed Group Officer in the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Medical Service for Coventry providing advice and guidance for those involved in emergency first aid and casualty management. From 1947 to 1951 he was gynaecological and obstetric surgeon to the South Warwickshire Hospitals group.
His Masonic career began 1920 when he was initiated into Shakespeare Lodge, No 285, remaining a subscribing member until his death. He was appointed Junior Deacon in 1923, Senior Deacon in 1924 and installed as Master in 1927.
He was appointed Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1942 – a post held until 1955 - being appointed Past Grand Deacon of The United Grand Lodge of England in 1947.
His other notable public office was as Hon. Sec. of the North Warwickshire Hunt and he died whilst riding with the hunt at Austy Wood near Henley in Arden on 28th October 1961 aged 77.
He left a substantial estate for the benefit of his family an amount from which was bequeathed to assist in the purchase of number 23 High Street, Warwick, now known as Alderson House in his honour.
Frank Collier.
Archivist – Greville Lodge 4773 . September 2011
frankcollier@grevillelodge.org.uk
Grateful thanks are extended to the Museums and Archives Section, The Royal College of Surgeons of England and Bro. David Baynham, Museum Assistant, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Royal Warwickshire) Museum, in compiling this short biography.