Memorial to Sir Hugh Cairns, St Hugh's College, Oxford

Correspondence and papers concerning the memorial plaque commemorating the work of Hugh Cairns and his staff, and the patients of the Military Hospital for Head Injuries during the Second World War, including tracing and memories of former staff and patients, the unveiling ceremony and reception (to which former patients were also invited), the plaque fund, accounts and donations, biographical information on Hugh Cairns and the development of neurosurgery during the Second World War, media publicity for the Plaque Fund. Includes Daniel's correspondence with Judge Babington. Also contains 'The Cairns Tradition', text of an address for the Sir Hugh Cairns Memorial Lecture 1988 and some reference to the establishment of a Russell-Cairns Head Injury Research Unit at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.

1987-1990

1 file

Hugh Cairns was an Australian-born neurosurgeon. In late 1939 when he was Consultant Neurosurgeon to the Army he established his headquarters at St Hugh's College, Oxford, which became the Military Hospital for Head Injuries for the duration of the war. By the end of the war over 13,000 patients from the military services had been treated at the hosptial. As well as treating patients, staff were trained for the Mobile Neurosurgical Units that operated on the field of battle. Work carried out there had an important effect on the future of neurological practice. St Hugh's was returned to the University in 1945 but no visible reminder of its former role remained. A plaque was unveiled to commemorate Cairns and the Hospital on 6th Jun 1988 by Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, Chancellor of the University of Oxford. The idea for the plaque was initiated by Judge Anthony Babington, an ex-patient, Mrs R Hutton, widow of an ex-patient, and Professor Peter Daniel who had worked for Sir Hugh Carins.