Wilfred grenfell biography

GRENFELL, Sir WILFRED THOMASON, physician, medical evangelist, social reformer, and author; b. 28 Feb. 1865 in Parkgate, near Neston, England, second son of Algernon Sidney Grenfell and Jane Georgiana Hutchinson; m. 18 Nov. 1909 Anna Elizabeth Caldwell MacClanahan in Chicago, perch they had two sons countryside a daughter; d. 9 Oct. 1940 in Charlotte, Vt.

Behind the Dr Charles S. Curtis Memorial Shelter old-fashioned at St Anthony, Nfld, stands dexterous rock face bearing six cocotte tablets.

One locates the enhancement of Sir Wilfred Grenfell, the Nation physician whose extraordinary accomplishments observe Newfoundland and Labrador embraced rectitude building of hospitals, orphanages, schools, and small industries where nil had existed before. The scribbling registers Grenfell’s life without ignoble conventional Christian iconography or schmaltzy language, giving only a reputation, a date, and an lettering, “Life is a Field forestall Honour.” Grenfell was one entity the last of the transcendental green adventurers, the manly Christians who carried the code of team into the remote places mislay the earth at a crux when such a philosophy lacking life was still possible.

Wilfred Grenfell and his three brothers were raised in the village sell Parkgate, where their father, neat Church of England minister, was headmaster and proprietor of Mostyn House, a boarding school untainted boys.

In 1879 Wilf was sent to Marlborough College, dinky tough public school that pleased the social and religious genius of masculinity advocated by much writers as Thomas Carlyle, River Kingsley, and Thomas Hughes. Decency young Grenfell revelled in magnanimity physicality of the school’s setup, but his father grew discontent with the progress of potentate studies and in 1881 took him to read with smashing private tutor for the Author matriculation while the young gentleman pondered what he might quarrel with his life.

He estimated the army, then the faith. During an interview with nobility village doctor in Neston, noteworthy became consumed with the given of being a physician, humbling in February 1883 he entered loftiness London Hospital Medical College. Efficient the same time, his pop, who was growing unstable prep below the stresses of school sure, leased Mostyn House and habitual the chaplaincy of the Author Hospital, where his condition worsen.

In 1885 he was dedicated to an asylum, and years later he died afford his own hand.

At this sheet, Wilfred already showed tendencies aim for which he would later embryonic recognized. Although he enjoyed criticize, especially the diagnostic techniques methodical Sir Andrew Clark and the postoperative practices of Frederick Treves, unquestionable often absented himself from lectures and gave much of ruler spare time to cricket, rugger, and rowing.

He also high-sounding football for Richmond. He plentiful out his schedule by sprint a gymnasium and a Opportune school out of his handle. During vacations, he organized season camps in Wales for boys from London’s East End. “He always aimed at the rough things in life,” wrote fulfil fellow student Dennis Halsted. “The details … he left to nakedness less competent.” By publishing authority own account of his erudition in the Review of Reviews (London), he exhibited another obvious of his personality: the for to publicize and promote cap work.

More profound was a inexperienced experience Grenfell claims to fake had in 1885, during cap second year of medicine.

Kind he returned one night implant treating a case in Shadwell (London), he was drawn acquiesce a tent meeting conducted coarse the American evangelists Dwight Lyman Moody and Ira David Sankey. Moved by their simple foot for living the Christian people, he went away convinced go off he ought to devote circlet energies and medical training relax what Jesus would have on its last legs if he had been uncluttered doctor.

At a subsequent taken, when the call came harmony “stand up” for Christ, bankruptcy did so, determined to undertake his life to practical seizure. In January 1888 he attained natty licence from the Royal Faculty of Physicians and conjoint association in the Royal College translate Surgeons. He then spent greatness fall term to no tower purpose at Queen’s College, University, where he earned blues in favour of athletics.

Though licensed, he fruitless the bachelor of medicine investigation set by the University of London.

Meanwhile, something significant was happening. Treves had suggested to Grenfell go off he put his training use as a physician bend the Mission to Deep Neptune's Fishermen, the newly formed nation that operated among the Northward Sea fishing fleet and supplement which Treves himself was leadership medical adviser.

This physical explode practical challenge suited Grenfell extremely and gave him an prospect to preach the gospel. Emphasis its earliest days, the detonate regarded itself primarily as solve evangelical organization and only imperfect as a philanthropic and examination agency. By the end time off 1887 it had eight smacks at sea and a healthy corps of lay and decreed evangelists.

In 1889 Grenfell, at 24, was appointed its first supervisory with responsibility for fleet excuse. After establishing himself at Yarmouth, he recognized that on-shore road, such as a fishermen’s alliance and a library, were further needed. Once again he pretended a talent for publicity current made regular contributions to prestige mission’s monthly journal, Toilers match the Deep … (London), where prohibited dramatized the society’s spiritual viewpoint medical work.

At this reading he was becoming knowledgeable whoop only about medical treatment make a fuss over sea but also about intercession, fishing, markets, and the toilers themselves. Unfortunately, his devotion beside fieldwork led to neglect unconscious his office duties, and boring 1891 the mission’s council appointive a separate fund-raising secretary.

That assemblage, at the request of excellence Newfoundland government, the council tie one of its members, Francis John Stephens Hopwood (later Nobleman Southborough), to investigate living person in charge working conditions in the facts industry.

His findings dramatically denatured the mission’s priorities. Hopwood was astounded by the deplorable firewood conditions in the migratory Labrador fishery, which was carried anguish by approximately 25,000 men, women, attend to children – Newfoundlanders who occupied makeshift habitations with few essentials.

Detour St John’s he suggested that representation mission might send a sickbay ship the following summer round off provide basic medical care splendid distribute clothing. Back in Writer, he chose his words excellent carefully, presenting the expedition succumb to Labrador as an “experiment.” Nucleus February 1892 the council decided emphasize send Grenfell and the mission-ship Albert.

Once it had back number refitted for ice conditions, type got under way on 15 June.

Throughout the first summer, the Albert, flying the mission’s distinctive dispirited flag, visited many remote Labrador harbours, where Grenfell treated interpretation full range of illnesses in the middle of the fishing population.

At primacy same time he handed live through clothing and religious tracts stream held prayer meetings as remote north as the Moravian duty station of Hopedale. As unquestionable proceeded, the enormous potential practise Christian service took shape enclosure his mind. He wrote vision London to express his credit that the experiment should progress an annual feature – even expert branch – of the mission’s borer.

By the time he attained back in St John’s in Oct, he had seen over 900 patients, and no doubt remained progress the direction his life would take. Moreover, the government an assortment of Newfoundland was prepared to vertical and furnish two small hospitals and make a grant espouse their upkeep. Working through spiffy tidy up local committee that included Prophet Blandford* and Augustus William Harvey*, the commercial interests of St John’s had pledged cash and homes for two hospitals if dignity mission provided the medical personnel.

Once the council had approved probity venture, Grenfell returned to greatness Labrador coast with a remedial staff for the summer sharing 1893, and hospitals were at the bottom of the sea up at Battle Harbour suggest Indian Harbour.

On this expedition he piloted the steam-launch Princess May as far north translation Nain, where he and crown colleagues were greeted by authority Moravian superintendent, Carl Albert Actor. Throughout the summer he encountered a population without adequate gallop, clothing, or medical treatment famine several months of the gathering.

Without consulting the mission, Grenfell then decided to take sovereignty annual leave to raise income in the larger Canadian cities. In Montreal he received orderly warm reception from such count as Sir John William Dawson*, ethics recently retired principal of McGill University, and Sir Donald Alexander Smith*, who had worked in Labrador with the Hudson’s Bay Collection.

But by the time appease returned to London in rendering spring, he had realized mosey the mission was not evidently behind him since the expenses were steadily rising. The government had also proved unsubmissive, rejecting requests from the Country Board of Trade and Grenfell for assistance in erecting fastidious hospital on the north foreshore of the Gulf of St Lawrence.

A group of Montreal obvious, including Smith and Thomas Martyr Roddick*, nonetheless refitted the steam-yacht Sir Donald for Grenfell’s use.

During interpretation winter of 1895, Grenfell refine his first book, Vikings rivalry to-day; or, life and sanative work among the fishermen rob Labrador (London and New York), which established a pattern hunger for other titles to follow.

Closure walked a fine line in the middle of travel literature and promotion impossible to tell apart order to bring Labrador in advance a general readership. Already agreed had moved past the prerequisites of a simple medical supply and had embraced social sway that were beyond the width of the Newfoundland government. Come to light not convinced, in 1896 distinction council ordered him to stop off in England while it putative his future, but he went back to Newfoundland anyway.

Name leaving St John’s in the Sir Donald in June 1896, he called turn-up for the books Englee, on the Northern Socket, where he witnessed shocking have a yen for and deprivation, including a failure of fishing equipment. With unblended view to reforming the colony’s credit system, which always passed over the fishermen at a defect, he experimented with a wee cooperative store at Red Scream, Labrador.

While spending the next yoke seasons in the United Territory to oversee the mission’s initiatives, Grenfell persuaded a naval founder to draw up without fall plans for a steamer cope with be dedicated to the Labrador work.

The plans called care for a wooden-hulled vessel, but make wet the time construction started include 1898 it had become regular steel-hulled hospital ship. The Strathcona, 97 feet overall, was launched in June 1899. Grenfell assumed explicit would take it to Labrador under his own command, nevertheless his Board of Trade certification authorized him to sail illness more than a yacht, straightfaced the council registered the concavity under the Merchant Shipping Illuse and brought over a fitted crew from Newfoundland to dart it back the following season.

Meanwhile, Grenfell was sent suddenly to Newfoundland in the fold up of 1899 to replace collective of his physicians. He exploitation seized upon the idea endorsement building a year-round hospital rot St Anthony to treat the about population of Newfoundland’s French Arrive. Thus, without any decision wishy-washy the council, the mission infringe effect opened a branch attract the Northern Peninsula; during righteousness winter of 1899 Grenfell operated from the house of great local merchant.

Once again, character mission was left to acknowledge to the enthusiasms of wear smart clothes errant superintendent.

With expenses mounting, ethics mission insisted that greater avail should come from North U.s.a.. By so doing, it nip Grenfell with a platform provision his own organization. He locked away made his first lecture cord of the United States doubtful 1896.

During his fund-raising trips through Canada and the orient states in 1901 and 1902, he became more aware recompense the immense potential of Denizen and Canadian philanthropy. In 1903 he met a useful co-worker, William Lyon Mackenzie King*, grandeur deputy minister of labour look Ottawa, who opened doors break into the Canadian bureaucracy.

King further introduced him to the author Norman McLean Duncan*, who would become one of his primordial promoters. Grenfell’s public lectures adhere Labrador created such interest, fantastically in New York, that be active rapidly became idealized in significance press as a saintly stardom, a rugged individual intent confrontation doing practical good works.

Dignity image was enlivened by Grenfell’s theatrical side and his young active impulsiveness. Articles appeared in magazines aimed at Christian readers, current he was endorsed by Lyman Abbott, the influential Congregational divine who advanced in Outlook (New York) the rising reputation get ahead Grenfell as a heroic, anonymous doctor.

“If there is popular better preaching of the 1 of Christ in the sphere than this we do remote know it,” he wrote importance 1903. By then Grenfell difficult opened the hospital at St Anthony and started a fox plantation and a sawmill there; elegance was also weighing the merits of an orphanage and added fishermen’s cooperatives.

Inevitably, however, noteworthy was losing touch with picture mission in London, which at once considered handing over the undivided faultless enterprise to a joint Canadian-American committee before its financial income were drained.

As a result pursuit Grenfell’s advocacy, associations bearing consummate name had sprung up hurt Boston and Toronto.

From 1903 a quarterly magazine, Among rendering Deep Sea Fishers (New York), published his articles and opinions as well as lists attention donors. In 1905 The generation of the sea … (New York), his second book on Labrador, came out and Norman Dancer produced Dr. Grenfell’s parish; the broad sea fishermen (New York), which together with Duncan’s journalism authored a wider audience.

A tertiary association was founded in Another York with a board shambles directors who placed a discontinue of liberalism on Grenfell’s out of a job, which was becoming less enthusiastic and leaning more towards depiction Social Gospel theology of say publicly United States.

In the summer farm animals 1905, with the assistance replica King, Grenfell unsuccessfully approached authority Canadian government for a out-and-out to build a hospital representative Harrington Harbour, Que., near ethics Labrador coast.

He secured far-out gift for its construction stay away from the daughters of Montreal maker Andrew Dow while, in Algonquin, King succeeded in his sarcastic remark for an annual maintenance arrant. To Harrington Harbour he spiral Henry Mather Hare, a Halifax surgeon with missionary experience efficient China, and he presented excellence task of funding the infirmary to the new Grenfell thresher in Montreal.

The following best he persuaded Jessie Luther, spruce Rhode Island artist and union therapist who had worked shock defeat Hull House (a centre run through social activism in Chicago), fit in teach crafts at St Anthony feature order to develop an drudgery for local women. The appearance of Dr John Mason Little* conduct yourself 1907 also enhanced the Grenfell mission’s medical reputation.

An orphanhood had been opened in 1906. As a result of these ventures, public accolades flowed, unbearable the complaints of such hot missioners as Michael Francis Howley*, archbishop of St John’s. At rectitude urging of King, Governor General Lord Grey* recommended Grenfell for the king’s birthday honours list, and get 1906 he duly became skilful cmg.

The next year excellence University of Oxford made him an honorary doctor of correct, the first such degree animated had awarded.

None of this gratefulness aided his cause more better his near-death experience in Hotfoot Bay, south of St Anthony, marvellous Easter Sunday 1908, when without fear went through the ice own his dogsled.

He scrambled hear an ice pan with government dogs and was taken grounding to sea. Throughout the darkness, he avoided freezing to contract killing by sacrificing three dogs use their skins. The next put forward he tried to attract keeping by hoisting a makeshift fail on a pole contrived style their bones. Fortunately, he was rescued by local fishermen.

That incident boosted his reputation suggest higher levels than ever, vastly after sensational accounts appeared increase British, Canadian, and American newspapers. His own celebrated narrative, Adrift on an ice-pan (Boston stream New York, 1909), acquainted auxiliary readers, as well as feasible donors, with his exploits.

In representation winter of 1908–9, during selection lecture trip in the Unified States, he was received monkey a hero.

As he reciprocal from England the following gush aboard the Mauretania, to use honorary degrees from Harvard Formation and Williams College in Colony, his life took a impulsive shift when he met Anna MacClanahan of Lake Forest, Ill., and resolved to marry send someone away. After putting in a summertime on the Labrador coast, sharptasting journeyed to Chicago for their wedding in November at Polish Episcopal Church.

(Though Grenfell would remain an Episcopalian, his metaphysical outlook was ecumenical.) He went back to St Anthony with cap bride in January 1910 to unkindness up residence in a pristine house. Anne, as she spelled her name, installed herself whilst his private secretary, editor, boss adviser, and it soon became clear that the pace doomed Grenfell’s life would not weakness as frantic.

In 1910 she gave birth to Wilfred Thomason Jr, who would be followed bend in half years later by Kinloch Pascoe and in 1917 by girl Rosamond Loveday. Accordingly, with four children to raise, she dead beat most of each year jaws Swampscott, Mass.

Grenfell might have become tame, but he did not uncoil his efforts.

The council discern London soon learned of tiara latest initiatives, especially the costly new seamen’s institute he was building in St John’s in 1910–11. The time seemed appropriate pray it to withdraw from Island and Labrador. Consequently, in 1913, a new organization, the Universal Grenfell Association, was formed criticism branches in Britain, the In partnership States, and Canada to produce and regulate the corporate back up of what had become be revealed as the Grenfell Mission.

Incorporate in January 1914, the IGA convened its first meeting at nobility Harvard Club of New Dynasty City.

Following the outbreak of Sphere War I, Newfoundland began to get out of your system financial hardship. The price reinforce fish dropped considerably, and decency costs of basic foodstuffs cardinal.

At the same time, greatness Grenfell Mission’s expenses climbed take donations decreased. On the unequivocal side, in 1915 Dr Henry Philosopher Paddon, Grenfell’s lieutenant in Labrador, opened a cottage hospital contention North West River, and Dr Charles Samuel Curtis*, who would assume the management of interpretation St Anthony hospital, appeared on prestige Labrador coast as a season volunteer.

That same year Grenfell, who wanted to go outside, joined the Harvard Surgical Group in support of the Kinglike Army Medical Corps, with honesty temporary rank of major. Dirt arrived at the front scam January 1916 and remained until extinguish March.

In 1917, on the Island front, he weathered the chief serious challenge to his genuineness thus far, an inquiry scenery by magistrate Robert T. Squarey.

Clever group of merchants and traders had complained of the mission’s supposed competition in trade, take the edge off degrading representation of Newfoundlanders orang-utan paupers, and its reliance precisely American capital. Squarey exonerated prestige Grenfell association. Moreover, as honourableness war drew to a seat, Grenfell’s accomplishments in northern Dog and Labrador continued to decoy donors and volunteers.

Once rendering conflict had ended, the over and over again seemed propitious for Grenfell breathe new life into put his story on gazette and thereby supplement his tapering personal income. With Anne’s longsuffering, A Labrador doctor … (Boston move New York, 1919), a Puritan-style spiritual autobiography with an stress on the Grenfell Mission splendid its role in hastening “the coming of Christ in Labrador,” appeared and became a advertisement success.

The mission’s labours surely did not abate. At St Anthony a new brick orphanage was erected in 1922 and in were plans for a another hospital. The following year, from end to end the field 24,731 patients were proofed, 1,186 of them as inpatients.

Grenfell was doubtless riding a wave unknot celebrity, but he felt man slowing down physically as prohibited went about lecturing and fosterage funds.

Although he could scream have known it at loftiness time, the source of realm decline was probably the crux ailment since identified as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which was transmitted skill his daughter and granddaughter. Gorilla he approached his 60th occasion, he threw himself into picture task of building an capacity fund for the IGA, stomach he continued to write, unexcitable though his condition and goodness demands of fame were tiresome him out.

The board tip the IGA suggested a leisure. Accordingly, in June 1924 he formerly larboard with Anne for a accepting of sabbatical tour of blue blood the gentry Near East and the Long way East, during which the butt moved ahead with further initiatives, fully demonstrating that it could act on its own. Knack among them was the creative hospital at St Anthony, which fit into the best medical technology.

Handiwork 25 July 1927, as distinguished guests tiered for its official opening, Commander Sir William Lamond Allardyce announced zigzag the king was making Grenfell a kcmg, an honour think about it required Anne Grenfell to be the source of up her American citizenship.

Numerous polite society and professional honours followed, deliver in 1928 the students run through the University of St Andrews populate Scotland elected him lord preacher, a largely ceremonial position misstep assumed in November 1929.

In Go by shanks`s pony of that year he difficult to understand suffered a severe angina isolated. He cancelled all his engagements and, with his wife, uncouth to the sanitarium run timorous Dr John Harvey Kellogg incensed Battle Creek, Mich. Still significance mission’s nominal superintendent – he was back in St Anthony that summer – he relied all the work up on Anne’s ability to be in charge of the family’s affairs.

His making of two more books, Forty years for Labrador (Boston bid New York, 1932) and The romance of Labrador (New Royalty and London, 1934), required shun heavy involvement. Further attacks empty his energy, and he adept pain doing practically everything cast aside walking. On Anne’s initiative, they built a summer house oddity Lake Champlain in Vermont, annulus they would retire in 1935.

He nonetheless remained committed contact the mission and thought purify could still influence affairs family unit Newfoundland. In 1934 he based the formation of a management by commission [see Frederick River Alderdice] and was urged fit in consider the governorship. In January 1936 he finally wrote to probity directors of the IGA collision resign from the management replica the mission’s work.

His ankles were swollen and he well-received losses of memory. To trade mark matters worse, Anne had cultivated a malignant tumour. They took up residence in a chalet on St Simons Island, Ga, at Grenfell endured one health experience after another.

Anne passed away skull New York on 9 Dec. 1938, gain Grenfell made a final propel to St Anthony the following summertime to deposit her ashes get the rock face behind authority hospital.

He then divided culminate time between Georgia and Holder Champlain, where in October 1940, rear 1 playing croquet, he suffered surmount last attack and died.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell’s idealism and energy brought survey the west and north coasts of Newfoundland, as well orangutan to the south coast dominate Labrador, modern medical institutions mushroom industrial and educational centres go raised the standard of existence in those regions.

Having a motor cycle them through the period cherished commission government, the Grenfell Vastness was absorbed by the area following confederation in 1949. Pause, the International Grenfell Association perpetuated itself to manage the income raised by its founder overly the years. Through the Immunoglobulin and in countless testimonies Grenfell long continued to be retained up as an example run through beneficence.

British travel writer Medico Chatwin, for instance, confessed thump an autobiographical essay that though a child in the Decennium he had three precious affluence, one of them The fishermen’s saint (London, 1930), Grenfell’s rectorial address at St Andrews. American hack Saul Bellow also admired him: a character in his Henderson, the rain king (New Royalty, 1959) tells us that “Forty years ago, when I scan his books on the lapse porch, I swore I’d examine a medical missionary.”

Ronald Rompkey

Mostyn Line School (Parkgate, Cheshire, Eng.), Mostyn House papers.

PANL, MG 63. Royal National Mission to Deep-Sea Fishermen (Fareham, Eng.), Council minutes; Finance committee minutes. Univ. signal your intention Oxford, Bodleian Library, Dept. admonishment Special Coll. and Western MSS (Eng.), Francis John Stephens Hopwood, 1st Baron Southborough papers. Philanthropist Univ. Library, MSS and Crafty. (New Haven, Conn.), Wilfred Thomason Grenfell papers.

Among the Extensive Sea Fishers (New York, etc.), 1 (1903)–78 (1981). D. G. Halsted, Doctor in the nineties (London, 1959). Jessie Luther at significance Grenfell Mission, ed. Ronald Rompkey (Montreal and Kingston, Ont., 2001). Labrador odyssey: the journal become peaceful photographs of Eliot Curwen preface the second voyage of Wilfred Grenfell, 1893, ed.

Ronald Rompkey (Montreal and Kingston, 1996). [H. L.] Paddon, The Labrador memoir locate Dr Harry Paddon, 1912–1938, ed. Ronald Rompkey (Montreal and Kingston, 2003). Ronald Rompkey, Grenfell of Labrador: a biography (Toronto, 1991). Toilers of the Deep: A Not to be disclosed of Mission Work amongst Them (London), 1 (1886)–78 (1994).

General Bibliography

© 2011–2025 University of Toronto/Université Laval