Medical Officer that Greeted Steerage Passengers- Crew Member?

[Charles]

I heard from sources that there was a medical officer that greeted the steerage passengers. If this officer was in any how affiliated with the crew, what is his name?

 

[Dave Gittins]

The official was authorised by the US consul in Southampton. He was not one of the crew. He issued passengers with Inspection Cards, showing they were clear to go. They only have the US consulate's stamp on them. A Dr P J Atkey may have been in charge of inspections. He inspected the crew and the third class quarters and certified that the third class passengers were fit to sail. I would think more than one doctor would have been involved, give the number of third class passengers. Right now, I'm not able to find documents in what I jokingly call my files.

 

[Dave Gittins]

Here's a transcript showing Dr Atkey's work. It's not clear who inspected individual passengers.

Titanic Inquiry Project - British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry - Appendix - Reports by Board of Trade Officers.

 

[Andrew Williams]

Dr. Percy James Atkey is his name Dave. He was British by birth and originally born in Chichester in1867 and died in Surrey in 1957.

On the 1911 Census he was living t 16 Archers Road Southampton -- a very fashionable part of Southampton which still manages to hold a small number of the large Victorian villas with all the fine stained glass windows.

 

[Dave Gittins]

I thought that was the man, but some of the sites I've been finding are paywalled. It seems he was once a ship's surgeon.

 

[Andrew Williams]

Correct, he was a Ship's Surgeon. The 1901 Census confirms he's a well established surgeon with a housekeeper settling nicely in Southampton. How he came about to White Star's prominence isn't quite known yet. I suspect he had strong ties with Southampton's own elite in society, especially to reach a property space down Archers Road which officially means- he made his name and gained a space on the Southampton social ladder. Somewhere amongst the vast wades of files I possess, I have a small cutting I found in one of the Southampton papers. Towards the end of the twenties the whole family moved to Surrey where he died as I confirm the year in my last. The last of his spinster daughters died in 1989.

 

[Dave Gittins]

I found a bit about Dr Atkey. His wife was Barbara Oswald Atkey.

His qualifications were Member of the Royal College of Surgeons and Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians. These were the minimum qualifications of a doctor at the time. He later added a Diploma of Public Health. As of 1896 he was a ship's surgeon with the P & O line. Late in his career he became an Appointed Factory Doctor. He was responsible for checking on the health of workers in a factory, especially the young beginners, who had to be fit for work. He died on 8 August 1957.

He played tennis in minor competitions.

 

[Dave Gittins]

The Diploma in Public Health was gained in 1897.

 

[Andrew Williams]

Interesting feedback Dave and many thanks.

I do know there were a number of "Factory Doctors" listed in Southampton - most seem to be few and far between. However, I've had a number of speculations over this case where a Dr James ( have wondered if this was a typo/entry error on behalf of Southampton Committee - meaning Dr Percy (James) Atkey) and Maude Newman basically clashed over something minor which led to this Doctor writing directly to the Mayor (Henry Bowyer) expressing his disapproval over Maude's behavour. This action did led to a full investigation and the inquiry concluded that Maude Newman was exonerated from any wrong-doing.

Standing steadfast for my corner, I've spent loads of man-hours trying to locate this so-called "Dr. James" but he isn't found listed anywhere inside the pages of the Southampton Directories, neither have I been successful finding him on the census records for the Southampton area. In the case of the death of Percy's spouse - Barbara Oswald Atkey, (8th August 1957) that is also correct.