Medical Officers
Of the Malta Garrison
Michael Fenton
Manifold
1822 – 1897

163 Staff Surgeon Michael Fenton Manifold

LKQCPI (1859) MRCS (Eng 1843) FRCS (Eng 1859)

27 Mar 1823 [Ballymoney Co Wicklow] – 6 Jan 1897 [Putney]

Michael F Manifold
Deputy Surgeon General Michael Fenton Manifold (RAMC/273)

Staff Surgeon Michael Fenton Manifold qualified in 1843 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1859. He was gazetted Assistant Surgeon 77th Foot in 1846.

Staff Surgeon Michael Fenton Manifold was one of the first to promote the employment of women nurses in the army to tend the sick. In 1847, he engaged them for the first time in the army during the severe epidemic of small-pox that raged among the garrison in Ireland. Subsequently, he served during the Crimean war in charge of the officers' hospital at Scutari. Here he enjoyed the friendship of Miss Florence Nightingale, who found in him a warm supporter at a time when her path in instituting nursing reforms was beset with many difficulties; while his unvarying kindness and unwearying attention and courtesy made all the sick and wounded his friends. After the campaign he was promoted for his services, and was appointed to the 34th Regiment.1

Staff Surgeon Michael Fenton Manifold served with the 34th Regiment in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny of 1857–59. On 28 March 1859, he was present at the defeat of the rebels under Bala Rao near Bootwul on the frontier with Nepal, for which he received a medal.

Staff Surgeon Manifold published A Case of hydrophobia AMD Report vol iv (1862). He died in January 1897, aged 74 years 10 months.

Service Record

23 May 1846 Commissioned Assistant Surgeon 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, vice Assistant Surgeon Joseph Samuel Prendergast, who was promoted to the Staff.

Oct 1848 Appointed Staff Assistant Surgeon.

2 Nov 1848 – 28 June 1851 Served in the West Indies.

30 July 1850 Married Mary Barrow Clarke in Barbados by the Rev Jackson.

5 July 1851 Birth of Mary Clarke baptised at St Thomas Church, Dublin.

1852 Served in Dublin and Kilkenny.

31 July 1852 Birth of Emily Burke baptised at St Mary's Church, Kilkenny.

18 Mar 1853 Appointed Assistant Surgeon 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment vice Assistant Surgeon Edward William Bawtree who retired upon half-pay.

22 Oct 1853 Birth of Louisa Elizabeth baptised at Dover Christ Church, Kent.

8 Oct 1854 Promoted Staff Surgeon of the 2nd Class from 67th Foot.

1855 Served in Chatham.

Malta 18 Apr 1855 Arrived on the transport Ceylon.

Malta 19 Dec 1855 Left for England with the wounded and convalescents from the different corps, as well as 116 men, 234 women and 303 children.

1856 In Mullingar Co. Westmeath.

1858 In Templemore Co. Tipperary and the East Indies.

31 Dec 1858 Surgeon 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot. Served with the regiment in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny.

1862 Birth of Richard Fenton Manifold.

22 May 1866 Promoted Surgeon Major 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot on completion of twenty years full pay service in accordance with the Royal Warrant of 3 February 1866.

7 Apr 1870 Promoted Staff Surgeon Major.

1870–1872 Served in Birmingham.

1873 In Birmingham and Dublin.

1874 In Bengal.

1875–1876 In Rangoon.

28 Feb 1876 Promoted Deputy-Surgeon General.

1876 In Bombay.

1877–1881 In Mhow India.

21 May 1881 Promoted Surgeon General on the retirement of Surgeon-General David Reid Mckinnon.

1881–1882 At the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley Southampton.

In August 1881, Queen Victoria, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, and attended by Lady Abercromby, the Hon. Horatia Stopford, Lieutenant-General the Right Hon. Sir Henry Ponsonby KCB and Major-General Du Plat (Equerry in Waiting), visited the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. Her Majesty embarked at Trinity Pier on board her Majesty's yacht Alberta, Captain Thomson, and on arrival at the hospital was received by Colonel Sir Chas. Pearson KCMG and Deputy Surgeon-General M. F. Manifold, who conducted Her Majesty through several wards which were occupied by wounded and sick men from Afghanistan and the Transvaal.2

27 Mar 1882 Retired on half-pay.

Bibliography