C. T. C. de Crespigny

Sir Constantine Trent Champion de Crespigny (pron. də kre'pəni) (5 March 1882 – 27 October 1952), generally referred to as C. T. C. de Crespigny or (later) Sir Trent de Crespigny, was a medical doctor, pathologist, academic and hospital administrator in Adelaide, South Australia. "Champion de Crespigny", which is mostly applied to male members of the family, has often been treated as though it were a surname.

History

De Crespigny was born on 5 March 1882 in Queenscliff, Victoria (at that time spelled Queenscliffe), second son of Annie Frances de Crespigny, née Chauncy, (died 1883), and Philip Champion de Crespigny ( – 11 March 1927), general manager of the Bank of Victoria (became Commercial Banking Company of Sydney).[1] He was educated at Brighton Grammar School, then enrolled as a medical student at Trinity College, University of Melbourne. After graduating with honours in 1903, he was appointed resident medical officer at Melbourne Hospital, and later at the Women's Hospital. In 1907 he began private practice in Western Victoria, then in Fitzroy, Victoria, and also served as honorary physician to St Vincent's Hospital.

In 1908 he was appointed medical superintendent of the Adelaide Hospital, and four years later returned to private practice with rooms on North Terrace, at the time Adelaide's equivalent to Harley Street, London or Macquarie Street, Sydney. He became a hospital "honorary," and also lectured in pathology at the University of Adelaide. He continued, in addition, as director of the hospital's pathology and bacteriology laboratory.

Military service

Capt. de Crespigny joined the Australian Citizens Forces, 31st AMC (Light Horse Field Ambulance), and was promoted Lt.-Col. in January 1913,[2] Captain (provisional) in January 1914,[3] and Major in January 1915.[4] He joined the 1st AIF and as Lt-Col. De Crespigny left South Australia on 20 May 1915 aboard RMS Mooltan,[5] bound for Alexandria, Egypt, where he would serve as registrar and secretary of the 3rd Australian General Hospital. He left Egypt for Gallipoli in August 1915, then on 28 September to the army hospital at Mudros, on Lemnos, where he served as second in command. From there to Alexandria on 27 January 1916 and Heliopolis 20 February, Marseilles in April, then put in charge of the 1st A.G.H. at Rouen, where he was mentioned in despatches while under command of Gen. Sir Charles Monro. He spent much of the period 6 November 1916 to 3 March 1917 in hospital suffering cholecystitis. He returned to command at Rouen as Temporary Colonel and was mentioned in despatches 9 June 1917 by Sir Douglas Haig and was recommended for a DSO. He was again hospitalised, from 2 to 12 August 1917, and on 18 September promoted to Colonel. He was transferred to London headquarters on 13 October and returned to Australia on 1 November, where he was "struck off strength".[6] He re-enlisted on 25 June 1918[7] and left aboard SS Gaika on 6 August 1918, disembarked on 13 October at London, where he served as consulting physician[1] at AIF headquarters. He left for Australia aboard Cyaulya? (handwriting on document is not clear) 16 March 1919, and with Lt.-Col. Dr. Cudmore and Col. Dr. Michael "Mick" Downey (c. 1878–1933) transshipped to Dunluce Castle at Alexandria on 7 April, arrived in Adelaide 13 May 1919[8] and his appointment was terminated 28 May 1919. While in England he was admitted as a member of the Royal College of Physicians.[1]

Return to civilian life

De Crespigny returned to his previous life as a university lecturer, physician and hospital administrator: In 1923 he succeeded Harry Swift as Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Adelaide. In 1927 he was appointed to the Hospital advisory board on the resignation of Dr. Bronte Smeaton.[9] In December 1928 he succeeded Dr. William Ray as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Adelaide.[10] He was largely responsible for creation of the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS), for which the foundation stone was laid in August 1937[11] and opened May 1939. He was the board's first chairman.[12] The memorial plaque to Sir Joseph Verco in the Frome Road building was instituted at de Crespigny's instigation.[13] He was appointed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital Advisory Committee in 1940. He was vice-president of the South Australian Council of Speech Science and Speech Therapy from its foundation in August 1947. He was president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians 1942–43, succeeded by Dr. Harold Ritchie of NSW. In 1945 he was sent to the US to investigate retraining of American battlefield doctors to civilian practices.[14]

De Crespigny had a home at 12 Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide and from 1934[15] or earlier a (summer ?) residence "St Barberie", now at 9 Blackburn Drive, Crafers, but before subdivision on a much larger property. The house was built for Samuel Tomkinson, who named it "Mangona".[16] close to Summit Road. It narrowly escaped total destruction in the 1943 bushfire.[17]

He died of hypertensive cardio-vascular disease[1] at his Adelaide Hills home (reported as Stirling but almost certainly "St Barberie") aged 70 after having spent some time in hospital. He had for a long time suffered from heart trouble, which had been accepted by the T.& P.I. board as related to his war service.

Publications

  • While in America in 1945 he wrote several articles for the Adelaide Advertiser on medical subjects.[18]
  • He also contributed notable articles to medical and scientific publications.[19]

Recognition

Mary, Lady de Crespigny

Mary was made a qualified exponent the Dalcroze method of music education in recognition of her "long and faithful work" with Heather Gell, and on the recommendation of Anne Addison, principal of the Kindergarten Training College in Adelaide. She was a Licentiate of Music, Australia; a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, London; and a member of the Australian Music Examinations Board She lectured in music education at the Kindergarten College, was a supervisor of music in the Kindergarten Union kindergartens. She ran eurhythmics classes at several private secondary schools and at Adelaide High School.[21]

Family

This list is not exhaustive, but is intended to include all Australian people named de Crespigny likely to be found in Wikipedia and general reading.

Philip Robert Champion de Crespigny (4 October 1817 – 13 September 1889), police magistrate and goldfields warden, married Charlotte Frances Dana (21 March 1820 – 11 November 1904) sometime around 1845.

  • Ada Isadora Charlotte Champion de Crespigny (1848 – 29 November 1927)
  • Philip Champion de Crespigny (4 January 1850 at St Malo, Brittany, France – 11 March 1927) married Annie Frances Chauncy (c. 1857 – 21 February 1883) on 25 September 1877. He married again, to Sophia Montgomery Grattan Beggs (1870–1936) on 2 November 1891
  • Philip Champion de Crespigny (18 June 1879 – 14 July 1918) married Barbara "Birdie" Wilhelmina Walstab (c. 1874 – 9 March 1949) on 24 September 1900. He was killed in action; his remains were buried in Jerusalem.
  • (Annie) Frances de Crespigny (1903– ) married Alan Leslie Terry ( – ) on 22 April 1950 (both of St Kilda, Victoria)
  • Lorna Blanche de Crespigny (1904– ) married Walter B. "Wally" Tunbridge ( – )
  • Dr Raoul de Crespigny Tunbridge OAM[22] (15 May 1927 – ) married Brenda Claire Jackson ( – ) on 19 February 1955. He was registrar, Prince Henry Hospital, she was a nurse there.
  • Barbara de Crespigny Tunbridge ( – ) married William Richard Grice ( – ) on 21 October 1954
  • Philip George Champion de Crespigny (23 February 1906 – ) married Jane Elizabeth
  • Major John Chauncy "Jack" Champion de Crespigny (25 August 1908 – 7 February 1995) was a Japanese POW in Thailand, acted as ADC to "Weary" Dunlop. He married in 1932, divorced 1939. He married Margaret Nicol Serisier ( –1998) on 7 June 1947. Margaret was the widow of Col. Esmond Bernard Serisier (1905–1945)
  • Sir Constantine Trent Champion De Crespigny (5 March 1882 – 27 October 1952) married Beatrice Hughes (23 April 1884 – 11 November 1943) on 11 September 1906 at Beaufort, Victoria. She was a noted worker for MBHA and other charities. They had two sons and two daughters. He married again, to Mary Birks Jolley (c. 1937 "thirty years his junior" – 1994), a "music through movement" teacher of "Rendlesham", Wentworth, NSW on 13 December 1945, quietly at the Lady Chapel, St Peter's Cathedral. They had one daughter.
  • Col. (Richard) Geoffrey "Geoff" Champion de Crespigny M.B.. B.S (Melb.), O.B.E. (16 June 1907 – 12 February 1966) married Kathleen Cavenagh Mainwarring Cudmore (27 June 1908 – 11 June 2013) on 10 June 1933. A widow, she married again, to George William Symes (1896–1980) on 30 March 1967. Kathleen was a daughter of Sir Arthur Cudmore.
  • Nancy de Crespigny (27 November 1910 – 6 December 2003) married Hallam Leonard Movius (28 November 1907 – 30 May 1987) in London on 25 September 1936. Both were archaeologists; Hallam served with US military in WWII; by 1953 was a professor at Harvard University.
  • Geoffrey Movius (21 January 1940 – ) an American poet
  • Alice Vierville Movius (July 1947 – )
  • Margaret "Peggy" de Crespigny (1 January 1919 – ) served with Signals Unit during WWII, married Cornelis in't Veld c. 1943, lived Voorburg, Netherlnds
  • Beatrix Margriet in't Veld (Dec 1946 or early Jan 1947 – )
  • Adrian Norman Champion de Crespigny (1 January 1919 – ) a twin, he suffered brain injury from birth.
  • Charlotte Francis de Crespigny (3 September 1948 – ). She and her mother moved to a Jeffcott Street house in 1953. She is a Professor in the field of drug and alcohol nursing at the University of Adelaide.
  • Dr. Francis George Travers "Frank" Champion de Crespigny (23 September 1892 – 19 December 1968) of Ararat married Beatrice? Beatrix? Noel Court on 29 May 1917
  • Dr. Francis Philip Champion de Crespigny (28 May 1918 – 20 September 1910) married Jean Buckwell ( –1993) on 18 June 1943. He was resident at Alfred Hospital to April 1943; she was nurse there. He was elected mayor of Ararat 1956, co-founder Ararat Medical Centre.[23]
  • Dr. James Vivian Champion de Crespigny ( – ) married Joan Winifred Hastie (13 October 1923 – 24 July 2013)[24] on 13 October 1945
  • Rosemary de Crespigny ( – ) married Timothy Gordon Baylis ( – ) on 18 April 1953
  • third son Humphrey Moule Champion de Crespigny (29 July 1922 [1920 on enlistment form] – ) married Victorian horsewoman Mary Bartram ( – ) in January 1947
  • Peter de Crespigny (31 May 1926 – ) married Judith Ward on 26 January 1952 at Toorak, Victoria
  • Richard Champion de Crespigny (c. 1958 – ) married to Coral.[25] He is remembered as the pilot who safely landed Qantas Flight 32 after a mid-air engine explosion
  • Air Vice Marshal Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny, C.B., D.F.C., M.C., Croix de Guerre (8 April 1897 – 20 June 1969) married Sylvia Ethel Usher ( – ) in Fovant, Wiltshire, on 7 October 1926.
  • Robert Vivian (1927 – 1929)
  • Hugh Philip (1928 – 2004)
  • Anthony Richard (1930 – 2008)
  • Julian Augustus Claude (1934 – 1974)
  • Royalieu Dana "Roy" Champion de Crespigny (11 November 1905 – 10 February 1985) married Nancy "Nan" Temple Smith (c. 1914 – 24 August 2005) on 9 November 1937
  • Group Captain Claude Montgomery Champion de Crespigny, C.B.E. (1908– ) Claude and his brother Hugh had distinguished careers in the Royal Air Force.
  • Helen Rosalie "Rose" de Crespigny ( – April 1937) married Francis Beggs (1850–1921), sheep breeder and owner of St. Marnock's Estate, Beaufort, Victoria around 1876. After his death she lived with her mother.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Earle Hackett (1979). "Australian Dictionary of Biography: de Crespigny, Sir Constantine Trent Champion (1882–1952)". National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Military Items: Officers' Examinations". Daily Herald. 3, (876). South Australia. 11 January 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Military Notes". The Register (Adelaide). LXXIX, (20, 968). South Australia. 24 January 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Concerning People". The Register (Adelaide). LXXX, (21, 275). South Australia. 18 January 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Australian Imperial Force: Nominal roll". Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Retrieved 17 August 2018. Dr. A. M. Cudmore was also a member of that contingent.
  6. ↑ "DE CRESPIGNY, Constantine Trent Champion aka CHAMPION DE CRESPIGNY, Constantine Trent [1915–17]". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "DE CRESPIGNY, Constantine Trent Champion aka CHAMPION DE CRESPIGNY, Constantine Trent [1918–19]". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Concerning People". The Register (Adelaide). LXXXIV, (22, 624). South Australia. 14 May 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Personal". The Register (Adelaide). XCII, (26, 780). South Australia. 16 June 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "Before the Public". The News (Adelaide). XI, (1, 680). South Australia. 1 December 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "Surprise Bill in Assembly". The News (Adelaide). XXIX, (4, 479). South Australia. 30 November 1937. p. 7. Retrieved 20 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ ""Duty to Fight for Freedom"". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 14 December 1939. p. 23. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "Memorial Plaque To Late Sir Joseph Verco". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 18 June 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ↑ "Death Of Sir Trent de Crespigny". The Advertiser (Adelaide). 95, (29, 343). South Australia. 28 October 1952. p. 2. Retrieved 10 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "Social Notes". The News (Adelaide). XXII, (3, 308). South Australia. 24 February 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ↑ Danvers architects. "Stirling District Heritage Survey" (PDF). Stirling (now Adelaide Hills) Council. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "Fierce Fire in Hills". The Advertiser (Adelaide). LXXXV, (26312). South Australia. 3 February 1943. p. 5. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ↑ "Fitting Doctors For Civilian Practice". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 24 August 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ "Careers of the New Knights". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 1 January 1941. p. 8. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ First official mention of his being awarded VD was in The Army List of March 1928.
  21. ↑ "Dalcroze Eurhythmics Festival At Elder". The Advertiser (Adelaide). 94, (29, 023). South Australia. 18 October 1951. p. 11. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ↑ "Australia Day Honours". The Canberra Times. 64, (20, 012). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 January 1990. p. 5. Retrieved 13 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ↑ "A medical all-rounder on the rounds of Ararat". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  24. ↑ "Joan Champion de Crespigny". The Age. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "Friends in High Places". The Northern Argus. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
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