The Vises of Holbeach and Spalding

 An interesting medical family from Lincolshire.

There have been Vises in Lincolnshire since 1587 or earlier (baptism Alce Devias daughter of Hughe in Januray 1587). The earliest records from the Holbeach-Spalding area date to around 1700 (marriage of William Vice and Mary Hugh, 1703 in Pinchbeck). This line of the Vise family gave rise to a large family of surgeons, who spread eventually from Lincolnshire to Australia..

The earlist known progenitor of the Holbeach Vises is Ambrose Vise (or Vice). At his death in 1746 his age was noted as 56 years, making his birth around 1688. Ambrose married firstly Ann (date not known) and secondly Margaret Brown on 2 March 1725 at Bourne. Their son Francis was born the following year, also in Bourne. At least two children were born to Ann: Ambrose (1719-1719) and Ann (1723-1724). Ann was buried on 1 January 1725 and Ambrose in July 1746. Margaret's burial has not been found; she may be the Margaret Vise who married John Richardson in 1749. Ambrose' profession is not known.

The first known link with the practice of medicine is the marriage of Ambrose' grandson William Vise. William married Anna Maria Blithe on 1 May 1788 in Spalding. Anna Maria was the daughter of local surgeon Edward Blithe. It is possible that William was apprenticed to Dr Blithe, as he would appear to be the Dr Vice (or Vise) who was active in the 1790s.

William and Anna Maria had at least eleven children: Edward Blithe Vise (1789-1873); William Vise (1791-1791); Francis (1792-1870); Anna Maria Vise (1794-1794); Arabella Vise (c1795-1877); Thomas (1798-1798); Charles Vise (1802-1867); Thomas Vise (1806-unk); Frances Vise (1808-unk); Sarah Vise (1810-1811); and William Labrow Vise (1814-unk). Anna Maria died in 1825 and William in 1833, both in Spalding. It is possible that William was the first in this line of medical men, though this still requires corroboration.

In the next generation Edward Blithe Vise founded the Holbeach branch of the family and established his practice there. His younger brother Charles established a medical practice in Spalding.

Edward married Sarah Palmer on 22 May 1817 at Whaplode, Lincolnshire and by 1818 they had settled in Holbeach where their first child was born. Edward and Sarah had 11 children: Edward Vise (1818-1871); Sarah Vise (1819-1901); Margaret Vise (1820-1864); Jacob Davey Vise (1822-1823); Francis (1824-1825); Anne Maria Vise (1826-1883); Jacob Davey Vise (1827-1870); Frances Palmer Vise (1828-unk); Ambrose Blithe Vise (1831-1899); Francis Vise (1835-1836); and Francis Vise (1838-1890). After Sarah's death in 1857, Edward married Elizabeth Phipp nee Sharman. Elizabeth also precesased Edward in 1866, and he married thirdly Emma Cartwright, daughter of John Cartwright and Sarah Burrows Rogers - the sister of Edward's son-in-law George Cartwright. Emma also appears to have predeceased him, but only by a few days. Edward died on 17 May 1873.

Edward established a medical practice in Holbeach. He was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Licenciate of Apothecaries. His sons Edward and Ambrose both became surgeons.

Charles apprenticed in Yorkshire where he married Mary Foster on 18 October 1833 in Selby. Charles and Mary had five children: Mary Ellen (1836-1851); Eliza (1837-1850); Anne Maria (1838-unk); Charles Edward (1841-1891) and William Foster (1843-1878). Charles practised in Spalding until his death on 6 January 1867. His son William then practised in Spalding.

Edward junior married Frances Hannah Beakley in April 1849 at Peterborough, Northamptonshire but returned to Holbeach where he probably took over his father's medical practice around 1850. Edward and Frances had four children: Henry Edward Vise (1850-1855); William Joseph Vise (1851-1906); Fanny Jane (1853-1855) and Christopher Vise (1857-1922). Frances died soon after in 1858 and Edward remarried on 26 February 1862 to Christiana Harrisson. Edward and Christiana had a further son: Frederick Charles Damer Vise (1866-1910). In this next generation Christopher became a surgeon.

Ambrose also established his medical practice in Holbeach - it is not known if this was a joint practice, but three surgeons in one family all in one samll town must have surely given them a monopoly. Ambrose married Louisa Harrisson (sister of Christiana) on 13 July 1858 at Holbeach and they had five children: Flora Louisa Vise (1859-1927); Herbert Ambrose Vise (1860-1861); Emily Mary Vise (1862-1862); Ambrose Edward Vise (1864-1957) and Arthur Blithe Vise (1867-1939). Following Louisa's death in 1867, Ambrose married Jennetta Woodward of Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Ambrose and Jennetta had a further six children: John Neville Blithe Vise (1870-1941); Mary Jennetta Vise (1874-1874); Reginald Toye Vise (1875-1961); Thomas Aubrey Vise (1876-1948); Bernard Septimus Vise (1877-1960); and Galdys Blithe Vise (1881-1953). Of Ambrose's many children Arthur and John became surgeons.

Arthur married Blanche Marie Davies in 1900. They had one known daughter. Arthur died in Falmouth in 1939.

John married Clara Celine Mossop in 1901. They lived for a short time in London before migrating to Victoria. They settled in the small town of Lockington. They had two sons: John Richard Blithe (1904-1964) and Clyde Henry Swinson (1906-1983). Both became farmers. John died in 1941 in Rochester, Victoria.

This is no less than 10 surgeons in the family. No further family members have been identified as doctors, however there is a nurse in the family, possibly the daughter of Clyde.







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