William Clowes Pritchard
Source: Proceedings, British Homoeopathic Congress 1905

William Clowes Pritchard M.R.C.S. L.R.C.P. B.A. (9 June 1867 – 6 July 1928) was a British orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy. He was Surgeon to the Buchanann Hospital, St. Leonard’s on Sea, and Ophthalmic Surgeon to the Hastings and St. Leonard’s Homoeopathic Dispensary. In 1898, he was elected a Member of the British Homeopathic Society and in February 1907 was made a Fellow of the Society.

William Clowes Pritchard was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, the third of fourteen children to Primitive Methodist Minister Edward Cook Pritchard (1833 – 1918) and his Australian wife, Mary Ann Sophia Goodsell (1848 – 1896).

Clowes Pritchard received his B.A. in 1888 from the University of Sydney. He then emigrated to England to study medicine in London.

By 1899, Clowes Pritchard was an Assistant Resident Medical Officer at the London Homoeopathic Hospital.

In 1904, Clowes Pritchard  married Cheshire-born Ethel Barker (1876 – 1965). They had seven children, including: Geoffrey W. Pritchard (1905 – 1995), Douglas Clowes Pritchard (1906 – 1986), Ethel Wynsome Pritchard (1908 – 1993), Barbara Pritchard (1909 – 2006).

In 1900-1901, Clowes Pritchard was living and practicing at Wellington Square, Hastings.

William Clowes Pritchard was one of the local secretaries, along with Percy Capper, for the September 1905 British Homoeopathic Congress, held at St. Leonards and Hastings.

Clowes Pritchard attended the Eighth Quinquennial Homeopathic International Conference in 1911. He presented a paper to the General Surgery Section on Dermoid Cysts.

In addition to his medical work, Clowes Pritchard also exhibited his prize carnations, one named after his wife, at the Royal Horticultural Society, Olympia, in July 1911.

In 1922-23, Clowes Pritchard was President of the British Homoeopathic Society.

In December 1923, the foundation stone was laid for a new women’s wing at the Buchanan Hospital, where he had served as surgeon for many years. This was named the Clowes Pritchard Wing in his honour.

During his career, William Clowes Pritchard submitted a number of cases and articles to various homeopathic publications.

At the time of his death, William Clowes Pritchard and his wife were living at Beechwood, Baldslow Road, Hastings. He died at his other property, Beales Barn Farm, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, Sussex, after a long and painful illness, on 6 July 1928, aged 61. William Clowes Pritchard was buried in Hastings Cemetery.

Of Interest:

Josiah Pritchard M.R.C.S. L.S.A. (1828 – 1911) [no evident relation] was an homeopathic physician who worked in Bristol and was a Medical Officer at the Clifton Homeopathic Dispensary.