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Dr Robert was concerned with the foundation of the Benevolent Medical Society for the United
Counties of Essex and Hertford. The first meeting took place in 1786. "Dr Dimsdale the senior
physician present was unanimously requested to take the chair." There were two doctors among
the 29 persons present at the meeting, the rest being surgeons. A fund was set up for the relief
and benefit of widows and orphans of physicians, surgeons and apothecaries in Essex and Herts.
These persons were "exposed to numerous sources of infection and suffer(ed) premature death
frequently thereby and the fair prospects of a family suddenly blasted and a painful reverse
presented to persons well brought up, but thus cut off from future resources." Dr Robert chaired
four subsequent meetings and also District Courts at Hatfield, Kelvedon, Hockerill and Brentwood.
Baron Dimsdale was treasurer. The 1787 accounts show a loss item of �1/1/5d on forty-three
light guineas. Dr Robert and his wife both died in 1814. Thomas the collector wrote, "Died at Bishop Stortford, Herts Mrs Dimsdale in the 74th year of her age, wife of Dr Robert Dimsdale of that place on Sunday 18 September 1814 and was buried the Saturday following 24 September in the churchyard. Died at Stansted in Essex , from two to three miles from Bishops Stortford Herts, Dr Robert Dimsdale above mentioned on the 29th day of December 1814 at 8 o'clock at night, aged about 82 - born about 1733. He had a few weeks before sold his house and furniture at Bishops Stortford and retired from practise to Stansted in Essex. His son William and only child accompanied him. He lies buried near his wife in Stortford churchyard. WPD (William Pitts Dimsdale, Dr Robert's nephew) from London attended his funeral." |