Samuel Hey (1815-1888), FRCS, surgeon, Lecturer

Samuel Hey was born in Ockbrook, Derbyshire in 1815. He was the son of Reverend Samuel Hey (1781-1852), vicar of Ockbrook, and Mary Hey (née Gray). His grandfather was the surgeon William Hey (1736-1819).

He began his medical training at the Leeds General Infirmary, where he was an apprentice to his uncle William Hey II (1772-1844). He was one of the first students of the Leeds School of Medicine in 1831, and he then went on to further training in London at St George’s Hospital and the North London Hospital (this became University College Hospital). Once he returned to Leeds he joined the Hey family practice on Albion Street.

His links with the Leeds School of Medicine continued, as he became a lecturer there between 1841-1870, then also president and treasurer. He was surgeon at the Leeds General Infirmary from 1850-1872 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1855.

Hey married twice: to Martha Jane Jowet in 1842, and after her death to Sarah Jane Pratt (1836-1874) with whom he had four children. He died in 1888 in Leeds.