The busy doctor who looked after town's health

Charles Berkeley Gervis was born in Hampstead in 1875 and educated at St Paul's School and at University College, London and in Vienna. He received his medical training in Brussels and was a member of the British Medical Association.

After a short posting to an asylum in Hertfordshire, Dr Gervis came to Seaford where he shared the practice with Dr Morgan. The two men obviously got on well together and it was a long and successful partnership. Dr Gervis was responsible for vaccinations in Seaford and was also the preferred doctor for the Post Office and the Seaford branch of the Oddfellows.

Dr Gervis married Grace Stirling in 1899 and they lived at Hurdis House in Broad Street where their four children were born (although one died in infancy). The family lived in the upper rooms of the house as the surgery for both him and Dr Morgan were on the ground floor.

From Hurdis House he would also attend to his patients both in Seaford and in outlying villages which he would visit in his Ford car, registration AP563. For local visits he would either use a pushbike or a motorcycle with a detachable side-car although for visits to the Coastguard Cottages at Cuckmere Haven he would have to walk.

When someone was ill at the cottages a coastguard would have to walk into Seaford to rouse the good doctor. During inclement weather he would don an oilskin and a sou'wester and accompany the coastguard back, but after his visit he would have to walk home alone.

On one occasion he found himself dangerously close to the cliff edge so he arranged for lumps of chalk to be placed every few yards along the cliff-top path. These were in place until they were removed by the military during the Second World War.

Dr Gervis was a well known figure in Seaford; he was the Honourable Secretary for the Union Club where he also played snooker with a cue given to him by Mr Burroughes. He was also a member of the local Masonic Lodge. Between 1914 and 1929 he was a member of Seaford Urban District Council and was elected chairman for three terms. During his tenure he arranged for the Salts to be laid out as a recreation ground and also made the decision for the town council to purchase Seaford Head.

Gervis was also a local magistrate, having to attend Lewes for sittings. A busy man indeed '“ but so was his wife who acted as his secretary at the surgery and also arranged an annual 'pound day' for the local hospital, the Royal Sussex at Brighton.

Local businesses would be asked to contribute either a pound note or a pound's weight of goods such as jam or vegetables or other commodities. These would then be donated to the hospital. She would also be expected to attend local events when her husband was unavailable and, of course, host dinner parties.

In April 1916 Dr Gervis was called up for military service. He initially served at the Royal Herbert Hospital, on Shooters Hill in Woolwich but was sent to France for the great push of 1st July on the Somme. As this was the bloodiest day of British military history he must have seen appalling sights, and had to deal with some horrific wounds.

He returned to Seaford in 1917 but was called up again in July 1918 when he served for a year at the naval base in Simonstown South Africa.

When Dr Morgan retired from the practice in 1927, Dr Gervis purchased the garden of Hurdis House on which he built a family home which he named Shepway.

Two other doctors, Dr Elliot and Dr Mills, then joined the practice and Dr Gervis was able to relax more. He played tennis at the Blatchington Courts and was also a member of the golf club. He also regularly went fishing from a rowing boat in the bay and won several angling contests.

In June 1930 the busy Dr Gervis had a heart attack while playing golf. He died a few weeks later.

We have Dr Gervis to thank for keeping the people of Seaford healthy for many years, not only by his medical skills but by also by arranging that the Salts and Seaford Head could be used for the benefit of townsfolk for years to come.

KEVIN GORDON