William Beatty

Sir William Beatty was born in April 1773 in Londonderry, Ireland, the son of James Beatty. He was likely apprenticed to his uncle George Smythe, a naval surgeon in Buncrana, although early records are uncertain. On 5 May 1791 he was examined by the Company of Surgeons in London and entered the Royal Navy. He served as surgeon aboard HMS Victory at Trafalgar and published 'The authentic narrative of the death of Lord Nelson'. He obtained his MD from King's College, University of Aberdeen, on 28 February 1806 and was appointed Physician of the Channel Fleet on 25 September 1806. He was admitted a Licentiate of the College on 2 August 1814 and elected a Fellow on 2 November 1814. He was awarded an ad eundem MD from the University of St Andrews on 14 October 1817 and admitted a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London on 22 December 1818. He was appointed physician to Greenwich Hospital and to George IV in September 1822, and to the future William IV in 1827. He was knighted in 1831, retired in 1839 and died of acute bronchitis in London on 25 March 1842.