Page 99 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Life and Times of Herbert Markant Page

Herbert Markant Page was born in 1850 in Quebec Street, in East Dereham, a town in
Norfolk.

He commenced general practice in Redditch in 1873, and was the Redditch Medical Officer
of Health from 1873 to 1880. He wrote the 'Second annual report on the sanitary condition
of the urban sanitary authority of Redditch, for the year ending December 31st, 1875.
Despite Page's report there were more than 800 Ratepayers of Redditch & Headless Cross
who thought that a water works and a new sewage system were unnecessary and in 1877
signed a petition to that effect.

He did not see the completion of the new sewage and water systems while he was the
Medical Officer of Health. The sewerage scheme was not begun until 1881, and in 1882
the East Worcestershire Water Company works were opened and mains water brought in
through Headless Cross to Redditch. About 400 people signed the 'Dedication to H. M.
Page, January 1881' which was given to Herbert Page when he was no longer the Medical
Officer of Health. The British Medical Journal noted that Herbert Page had not resigned,
but when submitting himself for re-election had been passed over in favour of another
candidate.In 1891 the British Medical Journal noted that Dr. Page had been appointed
temporarily a Medical Inspector of the Local Government Board. It was thought that Dr.
Page would 'bring considerable experience of sanitary administration to bear upon his new
duties'. Some doctors, including Dr. Page, contributed to the discussions concerning the
suitability of sites for a Redditch hospital. Cottage hospitals, such as the Smallwood
Hospital, were usually staffed by GPs, who could admit their own patients and who
provided medical care on a rota system, supplemented by nursing staff. In 1895 Dr. Page
was one of the six GPs who were members of the medical staff, when Smallwood Hospital
opened in Redditch.

This 'Dedication (image courtesy Redditch Library) to H. M. Page, January 1881' was given to Herbert
Page when he was no longer the Medical Officer of Health:

© RLHS 2015 Page: 99