William Hey (1772-1844), MRCS, surgeon, mayor of Leeds

William Hey was born in Leeds on 19 Feb 1772, the son of the surgeon William Hey (1736-1819) and Alice Hey (née Banks, c1737-1820). Hey followed in his father’s footsteps as a surgeon and became his apprentice in 1787. He then continued his training at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London (1792-1794) before becoming a member of the Company of Surgeons. After training he returned to Leeds where he joined his father’s practice and later succeeded from him as principal surgeon at the Leeds General Infirmary, between 1812 and 1830.

Hey was one of the original 300 fellows elected to the Royal College of Surgeons in 1843. He was a member of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society and Mayor of Leeds twice. His most prominent work, A Treatise on Puerperal Fever, was published in 1815.

Hey married Isabel Hudson in 1796 and they had 5 children: William, Mary, John, Richard and Samuel. William, John and Richard all went into the medical profession, with William (1796-1875) becoming particularly prominent.

Hey died in March 1844 and was buried in the family crypt at St Paul’s Church in Leeds.