William Franklin

Sir William Franklin (1763–1833) was an English surgeon and Fellow of the Royal Society.

He was born in the Holborn district of London in 1763. He studied Medicine and Materia Medica at Aberdeen University. He first worked as assistant apothecary to Robert McLellan in the Foundling Hospital in London. He obtained a post as Surgeon's Assistant in the British Army in October 1787 initially serving the 43rd Regiment of Foot. He became a surgeon in the 15th Regiment of Foot in May 1790. In 1795 he travelled with the Regiment to the West Indies where he served both as Surgeon and Apothecary to the Garrison.

In 1804 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. He was created Principal Inspector General of Hospitals on 12 July 1810, the highest position in British Medicine, this partially being precipitated by the removal of the previous senior officers due to failures in the Walcheren Expedition.

He retired in July 1833 and died on 29 October 1833 at the home of his son-in-law Rev Bennett in London and is buried in Rochester Cathedral.

Family

On 25 May 1815 he married Joanna (aka Gianina) Modesta Paula Trigance of Porto Salvo, Valletta, Malta (1776 - 1830) at St Pancras Chapel in Camden Town in London. Their eight children included: Mary Concetta Franklin, Jane Concetta Franklin, Eliza Concetta Franklin, William Richard Franklin, Henry "Francis" Franklin, Robert Moss Franklin, Frances Concetta Franklin and Major General Charles Trigance Franklin CB (1823-1895).

His daughter Mary Concetta Franklin married William James Early Bennett.