Mexborough and Swinton Times December 11, 1909

Death of Dr. F.G. Twigg

Loss To Denaby Main.

Clever Surgeon Succumbs To Pneumonia.

Denaby Main has this week mourned the loss of a useful member of society in Dr. Frederick Graham Twigg, who at the early age of 44, succumbed on Sunday morning to a severe attack of pneumonia, death taking place at his residence, Annerley House, Annerley Street, Denaby Main. A slight attack of influenza which was not sufficiently regarded at the time by the deceased gentleman, led to a succession of chills, and at the commencement of last week Dr. Twigg became alarmingly worse.

From Friday he slowly sank, and despite the unremitting attentions of Dr. F. J. Burman (Wath), Dr. L. Ram (Swinton), Dr. Arthur Hall (Sheffield), and Dr. Sutcliffe, death supervened on. Sunday morning, as stated.

Dr. Twigg will be very much missed in the populous district of which Denaby Main is the centre. Apart from his social qualities—and he had an attractive social side – his surgical skill had won for him a wide reputation, and many hundreds of people have to thank him for the alleviation of physical suffering. He was an expert at diagnosis. In this direction his talent was particularly well marked.

Born At Kilnhurst.

Dr. Twigg was the only son of late Mr. Samuel Twigg, the owner of the old Kilnhurst potteries, and was born at Kiluhurst in 1865. He was educated at Brampton College, and at the Doncaster Grammar School. He took up the study of medicine, and pursued it at the London Hospital, where, it may be mentioned he acted as dresser in operations performed by Dr. Frederick Treves, now the King’s Surgeon, Sir Frederick Treves.

He was also preceptor under the Hospital’s Professor of Anatomy, and altogether gained five years’ valuable and sound experience.

He returned to Yorkshire about 20 years ago, and assisted in a large practice at Barnsley. He married, in 1890, the younger’ daughter of the late Mr. James Frudd, manager of the, Wakefield and Union Bank in Barnsley, the event taking place at St. Mary’s, Barnsley. There are four children of the marriage.

Early Associations.

Dr. Twigg had taken out his, degree as Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1889, and shortly after his marriage he came to Mexborough to assist the late Dr. Sykes, who was then a very busy man in Mexboro’. In association’ which Dr. Sykes, Dr. Twigg worked strenuously for the establishment of the Montagu Cottage Hospital, and after the death of Dr. Sykes, he was’ for some years practically the only surgeon connected with that Hospital.

When Dr. Twigg was installed in the practice of Dr. Sykes, ‘Dr. J. J. Huey came to assist him. Eleven years ago Dr. Twigg left Mexboro’ for Denaby, and was succeeded by Dr. Tilley. In addition to his private practice at Denaby Main, Dr. Twigg was appointed surgeon to the Colliery Company, a responsible post affecting the physical wellbeing of a large community.

His Work for Ambulance.

In 1905 he took his degree as Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, the highest surgical degree in existence. In the same year he was made an honorary life member of the St. John Ambulance Association, in recognition of the valuable services rendered by him as lecturer to the Denaby Main Corps. In association with one or two other enthusiasts, Dr. Twigg has been responsible for the extraordinary success of the ambulance movement at Denaby, and was appointed Chief Surgeon to the combined corps, including Denaby, Cadeby, Mexboro’ and Wath on Dearne, having the oversight of about 500 first-aid men. In this connection it should be mentioned that his devotion to his professional duties, and particularly to ambulance work, was the cause of Dr. Twigg’s death, for in attending lectures and patients, he caught the chills which induced pneumonia. The Denaby Nursing Sisters, a useful institution, had a share of his attention, though Dr. J. J.. Huey is the lecturer.

The promotion of ambulance work has been one of the main objects of his life, but hardy second in his thoughts has been the Fullerton Hospital at Denaby Main. He it was who represented to the Denaby Colliery Co. the necessity for dealing swiftly and conveniently with the maimed and the injured and the result was the erection of ton Hospital, a splendid gift for Denaby.

Although a valued member of the staff at Mexboro’, Dr. Twigg has done his best surgical work at Fullerton Hospital, where a wide scope has been offered to this clever practitioner.

“He saved others” in that Hospital; himself he could not save.