Henry Vandyke Carter (22nd May 1831 to 4th May 1897)

I’m not a medical person but even I know about the famous Gray’s Anatomy book. The excellence of its illustrations were highly praised by doctors, surgeons, students and teachers when it was published in1858. It's still in print today. On arriving in Scarborough I went to seek out the grave of eminent anatomist and surgeon who drew the meticulous illustrations. It was Henry Vandyke Carter. Most people he saw were probably on their back and his headstone was too. What a shame it hasn’t been propped up by the council.

Henry grew up in a large house (near this grave) under very religious parents. He was a bright kid who passed exams. He was studying medicine but for economic reasons moved onto study surgery. He moved to London and at 17 years old was taking medical courses at St George's Hospital. With a brain the size of a Mini Cooper he flew through the exams but struggled to find work. Wondering what to do next the 22-year-old became a student in anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons. Here he was approached by his professor of anatomy Henry Gray with a proposal - did he want to help illustrate a book of students? Yes. and for the next year or two he drew the illustrations for the now world-famous Gray's Anatomy. Henry thought Gray was a bit of a snob and was upset by how little money he was paid but they were both dedicated to medicine and rubbed along. Aged 24 Henry was so poor he prevailed upon Gray to get a set wage and was put on £10 per month. The first version of Gray's Anatomy was published in 1858 when Henry was just 27 years old.

He passed more exams, moved to Bombay and married a slightly dodgy woman called Harriet Bushell. Her real name was Amelia Adams and she’d previously been married (cancelled because of her adultery.) They had a daughter however the marriage was annulled and Henry’s embarrassment at having an illegitimate daughter was known across Bombay. Things were different then the experience nearly destroyed him. Still 27 he became Professor of Anatomy at Grant Medical College and this post took up the rest of his career. Gray’s Anatomy was selling well and the money tolled in. He won various awards for his medical research but almost nothing surpassed the success of that famous book.

After thirty years in India he returned to England to retire. He was appointed "Honorary Deputy Surgeon-General and Honorary Surgeon to the Queen" (not sure if he met her.) Aged 59 he married again and had two children. Sadly he died too young of tuberculosis on in May 1897 aged 65.

Here I am at his grave which he shares with his second wife. There’s a road and pavement running parallel to it and hundreds of people must walk by the grave every day not knowing someone famous is buried there. Even today Gray’s Anatomy is considered "the doctors' bible". I was going to lift the headstone up and prop it against a tree but it wouldn’t budge. I could tell by the dirt around it that toppled over a long time ago. All I could do was salute heartily and leave.

Henry's home in Scarborough...