Dr Charles Caldeeott
Obituary. ——-We record with deep regret the death of Dr Charles Caldeeott, who was, for twenty-seven years, the Medical Superintendent of the Royal Earlswood Institu tion for Mental Defectives. Dr Caldeeott had suffered from heart disease for some years, but he never spared himself and rarely took a holiday. Early this year he had some pneumonia and heart failure, but after being away for some months he returned to Earlswood in June. He found, however, that he could not any longer stand the strain of the work and he sent in his resignation. His friends hoped that with freedom from worry he might live for many years, but he gradually became worse and passed away on Sunday, 14th October last, at the age of 62, a few days after his retirement took effect.
Dr Caldeeott was educated at Cranleigh School and at Guy s Hospital. He was for three years Medical Officer to the institution for defectives at Colchester, then at the Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, and later at private homes for mental cases in Jersey and at Bracknell, but his real life work began when he went to Earlswood.
He was essentially a man of strong personality with a genius for oiganisation and detail, and an immense capacity for hard work. He possessed great charm of manner, and he was loved through the whole Institution. He was, beyond everything, a man of sound common sense and uncommon honesty of purpose, absolutely straight in all his dealings, a man to be relied on whenever and however you might call on him. Earslwood was not only his life’s work, it was his hobby to which he gave up everything. His care was always for the patients, and his spirit showed itself throughout the Institution. It was no doubt for this reason that Earlswood has held for so many years such a high position in the minds of all who had relatives there. It was no easy job, and during the earlier years he had to reorganise the whole working of the institution, whilst later on owing to subsidence in the foundations, nearly the whole of the Institution had to e rebuilt. The work was carried on while the Institution was running. It cause a great deal of work, still more worry and anxiety, and the expenditure o arge sums of money.
Dr Caldeeott was a recognised authority on mental defect, and legu ar y lectured on this subject to the Medical Schools of two of the London Hospitals. He held last year the honourable position of President of the Reigate Division o the British Medical Association. He was present at the Meeting w ic oun e the Central Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective, and had the pleasure of proposing Miss Fox as the Honorary Secretary of the new Association.
He was one of the original members of the Executive Council. or ten years Dr Caldeeott was President of the Conferences regularly held by the Officers of Charitable Institutions for mental defectives, of which the Earlswoo sy um, founded in 1846, was the pioneer. He was a keen cricketer, playing regularly for the Institution. He leaves a widow, three sons and one daughter.
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