Fraser Brockington

Short abstract

Public health doctor whose work paved the way for free school milk

Fraser Brockington was both a historian and a practitioner of social and preventive medicine, whose early research led to the increased promotion of free school meals and the provision of free school milk. He was the author of two important studies—A Short History of Public Health (1956) and Public Health in the 19th Century (1965)—both of which examined the improvements that had been made to society by those such as the Victorian public health pioneers Edwin Chadwick and John Simon. But Brockington did not merely wish to record their successes; he was anxious to make further advances in the field.

Childhood malnutrition was a source of great interest, and he spent much time in the 1930s comparing children's actual diets with that recommended by the BMA. His work led to the Free School Milk Act of 1946, under which a third of a pint of milk was provided to all school children.

The Provision of School Meals Act had been passed in 1906, permitting local authorities to make warm meals available, if necessary free of charge, but by 1939 fewer than half of local authorities were providing the service. Brockington campaigned vigorously to have the uptake increased to the point where, after the second world war, it became unusual for a school not to provide meals.

After qualifying he served as ship's doctor on board the SS Ningchow, transporting pilgrims from Jeddah to Singapore. It was while at sea that he had his first real experiences of malnutrition.

In 1929 Brockington joined the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Brighton. He spent the next 20 years or so in various public health positions in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Sussex, Devon, and the West Riding of Yorkshire.

As professor of social and preventive medicine at Manchester University from 1951 to 1964, he established a postgraduate diploma in public health and set up a university based nursing course—the latter in the face of opposition from the then General Nursing Council.

In later years he pursued the art of book binding at home on the Isle of Man.

He leaves a wife, Joyce, and four children.

Colin Fraser Brockington, professor of social and preventive medicine Manchester University 1951-64 (b Worcester 1903; q Cambridge/London 1927), d 25 November 2004.