William Lister (physician) facts for kids

William Lister (born April 5, 1756 – died February 3, 1830) was an important British doctor. He became the Governor of St Thomas' Hospital, a famous hospital in London.

William Lister's Life Story

William Lister was born in a town called Ware, Hertfordshire on April 5, 1756. When he was older, he traveled north to Scotland to study medicine. He went to the University of Edinburgh and finished his studies in 1781.

After university, he started working in different hospitals in London. In 1788, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This was a special honor for his work in science and medicine.

In 1789, Dr. Lister became the head doctor at the London Smallpox Hospital. This hospital helped people who had smallpox, a serious disease at the time. Later, in 1795, he moved to St Thomas' Hospital in London. He worked there as a doctor until he retired in 1817. After he retired, he was made the Governor of the hospital. This was an important title, but it did not require him to do daily work.

William Lister died on February 3, 1830. He passed away at his home in Lincoln's Inn Fields in London.

Lister's Family Life

In February 1793, William Lister married Elizabeth Solly. Her father, Isaac Solly, was a rich merchant in London. Elizabeth's brother, also named Isaac Solly, was a trader who worked with countries around the Baltic Sea.

William and Elizabeth Lister had at least three daughters. One of their daughters, Sarah, lived from 1803 to 1810. Their son, Nathaniel Lister, also became a doctor. He followed in his father's footsteps and worked at St Thomas' Hospital too.

How William Lister is Remembered

There is a special statue of William Lister's head, called a bust, at St Thomas's Hospital in London. The famous artist William Behnes created this bust around 1820. This was when Lister was the Governor of the hospital. His son gave the bust to the hospital in 1869 so people would remember his father.