Alfred Downing Fripp (surgeon)

Sir Alfred Downing Fripp KCVO (12 September 1865 – 25 February 1930) was Surgeon to Edward VII and George V.

Born in Blandford, Dorset, Fripp was the son of Alfred Downing Fripp and Eliza Bannister Roe. His father's first wife, Anne Dalton Allies, was a cousin of John Neale Dalton, tutor to Prince Albert Victor ('Eddy') and Prince George - and godfather to Fripp. Anne died in 1850 after giving birth to Fripp's half-sister, Annie. Fripp had another sister, Jeanie (Edith Jane), and a brother, Rex (Reginald). Annie married Edward Penny, who became physician to Marlborough College. Rex, a pupil of the school, died aged eighteen - in 1895; their parents died in the same bronchial epidemic. Jeanie had gained a 'Senior Optime' in Mathematics at Girton in 1886 and soon after married William Hale-White, son of Mark Rutherford. Hale-White, a physician, and Fripp, a surgeon, were to work at Guy's Hospital together for over thirty years.

In 1883, on a visit to Cambridge to visit his sister, Fripp called on his godfather at Trinity, where the Canon was acting as 'chaperone' to the student Prince, to whom he introduced his godson. A year later Fripp spent a few days at Cambridge in Prince Eddy's company. Six years passed in medical studies, sporting activities and theatre-going, when he accepted a two-week job as a locum tenens for an M. D. - and old Guy's man - in York. As Prince Eddy was stationed in the area and had to be attended to, they met up again. The Prince insisted that he accompany him to Deeside where Fripp became an accepted, if unofficial, doctor-in-residence to the Prince and other members of the Royal Family. Fripp was sent with Eddy on a Royal Tour to South Wales - with only the Prince's equerry, George Holford, in attendance. At the age of twenty-four, and still with exams to pass, he had the seal of Royal approval. When his "hope of hopes", Prince Albert Victor, died in the 'flu' epidemic of 1892, he thought his Royal days were over; but four years later Edward, Prince of Wales, made him his Surgeon-in-Ordinary. With Holford's help and his own persistence, he persuaded Edward to preside over the Guy's Hospital Fund, ensuring the financial security of the Hospital - before he had been given a post there. However, after this Cooper Perry and Cosmo Bonsor persuaded the Board to create an Assistant Surgeon post for him. This, and his private practice in his brother-in-law's house in Harley Street, established him as a doctor, teacher and surgeon. A year later, just before his marriage, he set up as a consultant in his own home, 19 Portland Place. For the next thirty years aristocrats, plutocrats and famous stage personalities were frequent visitors - most as patients and friends.

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