CRAWCOUR -SURGEON DENTISTS -ENGLAND

[phillip]

As stated in a previous message the history of the Crawcour dentists is well documented in the family history that myself and my distant cousin have recorded over several years. They are all our relatives.This account includes copies of original newspaper articles as well as other data including wills; family trees; apothecary book; GRO records of births/marriages and deaths.
Amongst the earliest accounts of Samuel Crawcour b 1748- d 1816 ( from Kracow Poland) are newspaper advertisements in 1777-79 in which he offers dental treatment. He was in London at 49 Strand in 1779 but travelling around England including Gloucester and in 1801 Norwich.
His son Barnett Crawcour established himself as surgeon dentist in Norwich in 1809 and further details of Barnett's involvement in the Norwich Jewish community are described in the Susser Archives amongst other sources.
The Crawcour dental family were not French but Anglo Jews.
The family included the following children of Samuel and Rebecca:
Andrew/Barnett/Isaac/Moses/Catherine/Ann/Henry/David. All the children were born in England. We hold detailed records on all the lines.
Phillip

[phillip]

For those researchers who have published a range of articles relating to the use of mercury in amalgam fillings both in Europe and America during the 1800s I am enclosing a range of data taken from records I hold on my Crawcour lines. In particular, the American research focuses on the role that Edward and Moses Crawcour ( incorrectly called 'brothers') and their role during the early 1830s on the Amalgam Wars and the ongoing debate regarding the use of amalgam for filling teeth. It is not my intention to enter into this debate but to add some 'flesh to the bones' of my two Crawcour relatives.
As an aside it is interesting to note that the son of Abraham Crawcour ( Abraham brother's included Moses and my 4x great grandfather David) was Dr Isaac Lionel Crawcour b 14 June 1825 who studied at Guy's hospital and became Professor of Chemistry in New Orleans and served as a surgeon in the Confederate army. In addition, Napthali Asher Hart ( son of Aaron Hart and Ann Rebecca Crawcour ) was also a Doctor of Medicine. This suggests that my Crawcour and Hart lines were not semi- illiterates as some research has suggested.

Anne Hargreaves in her article 'Dentistry in the British Isles' ('Dental Practice in Europe at the end of the 18th Century, ed Christine Hallam ( Amsterdam 2003) describes the small number of dentists practising in England during the 1790s of whom 8 were itinerant and Samuel Crawcour 1748-1816 father of Moses and David was one of them. It is not surprising given the itinerant nature of these dentists that their adverisements were crucual for their business and 'florid' in many cases. This is certainly true of the Crawcours but also others.

The Crawcour's did not invent dental amalgam and it is likely to have been Taveu or Bell but Edward and Moses certainly introduced Taveau's amalgam to America and promoted it's vigorous use thereby earning considerable sums. The use of the term Messrs. Crawcour is likely to have led to the misunderstanding that they came from France rather than England and they certainly played on this European aspect.

Edward Moses married Margaret Buchanan daughter of George Buchanan in the Parish Church of St Stephens Edinburgh. Edward died 23 October 1865 2 Buckingham Terrace Kensington Town County of Middlesex- cause of death- gout and exhaustion. He was 53 years old. His wife had died earlier.
Moses Crawcour died 2 February 1868 at 379 Strand County of Middlesex age 80 - formerly surgeon dentist- cause of death disease of the heart- age 80.

Edward's parents were Semira Crawcour nee Cohen de Lara and Isaac Crawcour. Isaac died 10 August 1837 8 Commercial Road St George in the East County of Middlesex -surgeon dentist- cause of death- gout. His wife Semira died 2 November 1851 8 Kings Place St Marys County of Middlesex age 75- cause of death natural decay.

I will fill in more details of Moses and Edward for those researchers who are interested in the family.
Phillip

[phillip]

Google Books has a range of articles on Messrs Crawcour dentists. Two in particular are of particular interest in tracking down the movements of Edward and Moses Crawcour who went to New York.
The New Hampshire Patriot and State Gazette 1835 carried an article from NY called ' A Chase after Dentist' in which an account is given of the 'hunt' for 2 or 3 persons named Crawcour who came to NY from England. The police had a warrant for their arrest based on complaints for poor dentistry. The Crawcour's were claimed to have earned $60000 in 12 weeks. The police were unable to detain them because they had already sailed on the 'Napolean' for England.
On 12 August 1834 in the New York Commercial Adveriser Messrs Crawcour and Sons advertised their use of ' Royal Mineral Succedaneum'.
This suggests that they were only in NY for a relatively short time and not earlier than 1835.

Another later account by Dr A C Castle 1852 describes how six NY dentists 'clubbed' together to pay for one of them to receive a filling from the Crawcours in 1835. The club members then had the filling removed and tested by a chemist who identified that quicksilver had been used. In his article Castle defended his own use of mercury and spoke about his father introducing the amalgam in 1827 in America.

One can speculate on the motives of the six NY dentists in accusing the Crawcour's of quackery not least because of the sum of money they allegedly earned as well as concerns about the effects of mercury. What we currently lack is an independent description of what precisely was contained in 'Royal Mineral Succedaneum' although some accounts say it was silver from French coins and metal filings including mercury.

In the People's Medical Journal and Family Physician - Exeter County Court Jan 5 1850 No1 Vol 1
There is the account of Edward Crawcour being tried for poor quality dentistry following the complaint of a client. Interestingly Edward used the name Cartwright and was accused of doing so deliberately to pretend he was a well known dentist of that name. Edward's step son George Ward had also used an assumed name.
In his defence ( he was found guilty) Edward claimed that he was trained in dentistry by his father John ( Isaac Crawcour).

Edward also appears in a High Court case trying to gain access to the bequests left to his children by his uncle Moses.

These accounts do not portray Edward in a positive light and suggest a person who was struggling with earning income.

Phillip

[phillip]

The history of Edward Crawcour appears to be an interesting one because in 1842 he was seeking access to funds as one of several creditors including Charles Crawcour residing in Glasgow as trustees under a marriage contract Edward had taken out with his wife. The judgement moved against the creditors for access to funds. In 1856 Edward also sought access to the bequests allocated to his two children John Isaac Crawcour and Semina Helen Crawcour. Again the court ruled against full access to the children's bequest.
Edward in 1856 is listed as residing as a dentist at 6 York Street Baker Street.
Edward had married Margaret Buchanan on 8 October 1833 Edinburgh. His wife's memorial at St Cuthberts Parish Churchyard Edinburgh reads:
Sacred in memory of Mrs Margaret Buchannan who departed this life 14 Sept 1840 aged 42 years, wife of Edward Crawcour Esq'

Phillip

[phillip]

For distant Crawcour relatives and dental researchers looking at the historical context of dentistry see 'Crawcour Stories' by Patrick Coppel Published in Australian Jewish Historical Society Journal Vol XV111 2007 Part 4. Pat and I are descended from David Crawcour son of Samuel and the the article sets out a range of descriptions of the lines based on documentary evidence. In addition, the AJHSJ include a range of other articles on the Australian Crawcour lines as well as related families such as the Hart/Jacobs.
Phillip

[phillip]

During further research into my Crawcour lines I have discovered the following records and research.
Phillip
The issue of who did or did not invent dental amalgam and the Crawcour dental family is further revealed in the Google Book searches. In his publication 'The Jews of Norfolk and Suffolk before 1840 Malcolm Brown refers to Barnett Crawcour son of Samuel Crawcour as being the originator of Mineral Succedaneum circa 1830.
However, in trade adverisements the dental family Mallan in the Manchester Chronicle Dec 29 1838 using the title Mons. Mallan and Son stated that they.." particularly invites the members of the Faculty to witness the operation of filling decayed teeth with their mineral succedaneum, of which they are the sole inventors and possessors."
Their earlier advertisements of 1831 also referred to their use of the amalgam.
Interestingly A O Taveau who is also identified as the discoverer of 'silver paste' for amalgam is cited in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences Vol 2 1841. Taveau in his article on 'Plugging Teeth' published originally in the 'La Lancette Francaise' stated.. " I have availed myself for thelast four to five years with undoubted advantage of a paste, which I have named 'silver paste' and the composition which I immediately communicated to several members of our profession. It is the same as that which an English dentist has very recently brought to Paris as a new thing and which he has designated very mal a propos by the name of mineral succedaneum which is to say the least of it, nonsensical, since it indicates neither its nature nor its uses. This paste is prepared with pure silver and mercury..'
Taveau does not name the English dentist but if his article was published in 1841 and cited in the American Journal this places a date of 1836 and Barnett Crawcour died in 1834.

[phillip]

Phillip- more data on the Mallan and Crawcour Jewish dentists
As a follow up to the previous posting on Jewish dentists and the 'discovery' of mineral succedaneum' the records on Google Books indicate that in 1834 M Le Docteur Regnart was the inventor of mineral succedaneum - London Medical and Surgical Journal Vol 4 P274 1834 at least that was what a former assistant claimed. A 'Historical and Chronoligical Sketch of the Most important works on the dental Art from Hippocrates to circa 1843 Published in the American Journal of Dental Science Vol 7 1857 cited a wide list of early records on dental practice including the work of Taveau 'Notice of a Cement for the purpose of arresting and curing carries of the teeth' Paris 1837 and in 1840 Regnart- Dental carries and a refutation by Serrurier on M Regart's pamphlet- who claimed that Regnart had used the earlier work of D'Arcet and rendered the material more fusible.
The Jewish dentist Mallan ( probably derived from Milleman or Van der Moelen from Holland) was a surgeon dentist at 32 Great Russell Street and later Picaddilly, Manchester and Liverpool during the 1830s. In the 1841 New Paris Guide P 551 Mallan and Son are one of a very small number of Paris dentists and in practice at 8 Rue Castiglione.
Mallan and Son ( later Sons) used the term 'Mineral Succedaneum' in trade advertisements from 1831 and claimed that they had discovered it.
In the Susser Archive Cameron Hawke- Smith has cited a range of research on Jewish dentists including the Crawcour family, Mallan and others and accuses Mallan of being 'fraudulent patentees of a cheap filling material..'

In the early 1830s Moses and Edward Crawcour ( uncle and nephew) adopted the term 'Royal Mineral Succedaneum' and took it to New York. It is clear that in the cut throat business of dentistry ethical practice was not universal even though there were numbers of dentists who were seeking to develop dentistry as a recognised and informed part of medical practice.


Given that the Mallan and Crawcour families were in direct competition with each other - in 1835 Mallan were at 46 Bold St Liverpool and Crawcour at 23 Bold Street Liverpool and earlier on also in Norwich

[Mutley]

I have a London dentist. Born 1786 and died 1833. He was of a Swiss family and the surname was Maillardet.
I have found your posts quite interesting.

[phillip]

The 1841 PO London Directory shows:
Valck Mallan and Son surgeon dentist 32 Great Russell St Bloomsbury and John Mallan surgeon dentist 9 Half Moon Street Piccadilly.
The British Jewry Archives 2009 have several lister responses to the topic Jewish Dentists including those relating to both Mallan and Crawcour descendants.
Phillip

[K8albert]

I realise that this thread is quite old but I've only just found it. My husband's family (ALBERT) were dentists in London and were related through marriage to the Mallans and Davis family. Meyer Albert's Jewish name was Ephraim Lyon Myers and I believe that his father was Myer Ephraim Myers, also we believe that his brother was Soloman Myers who married into the Mallan family, though I haven't proved it yet. Myer Albert had 5 sons who became dentists namely, Edward Mayer, John Gabriel, James Valek, Adolphus Ephraim, and Henry Louis all born between 1842 and 1861. One daughter Louisa married George Prescott Mallan and the sister of Meyer Albert's wife married James Michael Mallan. I have been very interested reading all the articles about the Mallan's and the Crawcours and wonder whether you have any information about the Alberts. Meyer Albert's wife was Rebecca Catherine Davis who's brother David Davis became a dentist. Their parents were John Gabriel and Catherine Davis. I believe that all the Alberts and Davis' were born in London. I would be very grateful for any information you may have.
Many thanks, Kate Albert

[phillip]

I have no personal knowledge of your families beyond what I can see in the various records and sources but Doreen Berger ' The Jewish Victorian. Genealogical Information from the Jewish Newspapers 1861-70' Pub 2004 ( see her later volume 1871-1880 - unfortunately I do not have a copy) has data on some of the relationships including:
Edward Mayer Albert marriage Tues 30 Oct 1866 6 Lowndes Terrace Knightsbridge eldest son of Mr M Albert Ludgate Hill to Fanny eldest daughter of Mr D Davis Gordon Square- this entry rescords the birth of a daughter 24.2 1869 at Lowndes Terrace and the death of Edward age 27 after a 'long and painful illness'. The entries also refer to Amelia Albert ( Amelia Mallan) sister of Fanny who was married to George Mallan. Entries also include James Watell or James Valek Albert 41 Ludgate Street passing a certificate in 1864.
The death of Rebecca Albert 30.9.1867 47 Oxford Road Kilburn wife of E P Albert; marriage of Amelia Albert to George Mallan Monmouth Street Westbourne Grove 14.6.1865. There is reference to Mrs D Davis 59 Gordon Square and the birth of children from 1862-1868 with links to Joseph Simmons- her father was Elias Ellis and sister Fanny Davis.
You may know this data already but if not you may wish to cross reference with records from Cemetery and Synagogue Scribes as well as the London Trade Directories on JewishGen. There are also going to be newspaper sources on the dentists through trade advertisements. I hope this helps.
Phillip

[phillip]

I see also in the Berger 1861-70 vol reference to the death of Elias Ellis 21.2. 1866 at his residence Carlton Cottage North Melbourne Victoria in his 71 st year - father of Mrs D Davis.
Phillip

[K8albert]

I have no personal knowledge of your families beyond what I can see in the various records and sources but Doreen Berger ' The Jewish Victorian. Genealogical Information from the Jewish Newspapers 1861-70' Pub 2004 ( see her later volume 1871-1880 - unfortunately I do not have a copy) has data on some of the relationships including:
Edward Mayer Albert marriage Tues 30 Oct 1866 6 Lowndes Terrace Knightsbridge eldest son of Mr M Albert Ludgate Hill to Fanny eldest daughter of Mr D Davis Gordon Square- this entry rescords the birth of a daughter 24.2 1869 at Lowndes Terrace and the death of Edward age 27 after a 'long and painful illness'. The entries also refer to Amelia Albert ( Amelia Mallan) sister of Fanny who was married to George Mallan. Entries also include James Watell or James Valek Albert 41 Ludgate Street passing a certificate in 1864.
The death of Rebecca Albert 30.9.1867 47 Oxford Road Kilburn wife of E P Albert; marriage of Amelia Albert to George Mallan Monmouth Street Westbourne Grove 14.6.1865. There is reference to Mrs D Davis 59 Gordon Square and the birth of children from 1862-1868 with links to Joseph Simmons- her father was Elias Ellis and sister Fanny Davis.
You may know this data already but if not you may wish to cross reference with records from Cemetery and Synagogue Scribes as well as the London Trade Directories on JewishGen. There are also going to be newspaper sources on the dentists through trade advertisements. I hope this helps.
Phillip

Thank you Phillip, yes I do have all that information. I was hoping to get further back in time.

[phillip]

Would you like to put more detail into your search such as dob or census details. I can see the Mallan trade advertisements from the 1820s including the dissolving of partnership between Valet, Edward and John in 1837- 9 Half Moon Piccadilly, 10 Ludgate Hill and 32 Great Russell St Bloomsbury plus bankruptcies of J M Mallan 1854 and Edward in 1845 together with JM Mallan trading as M James and Co 1852. There is also the fight between John Mallan dentist 52 St George's Place Knightsbridge and Somerset St Portman Square and his cousin Alfred Davis 6 Lowndes Terrace Knightsbridge and Edgware Road- Morning Post Nov 1878. I see also on Cemetery Scribes that Edward M Albert' s wife Fanny was married twice.
How far back have you gone in your searches and what did you discover?
Phillip

[K8albert]

I have been researching the Albert family for at least 15 years and have the family bible giving all the dob's and marriage dates. We also have the hebrew family bible which is how we know that Meyer Albert was born as Ephraim Lyon Myers b 1812 London. Edward Mayer Albert died very young 1870 aged 27 and his wife Fanny Davis who's parents were David Davis and Eleanor Elias, re-married to David Lowe. She had a daughter Amy who was married to Meyer Albert's brother Alfred Samuel who was my husband's grandfather. I have recently discovered the lengthy connection with the Mallan family. I knew that Louisa Amelia, Meyer's eldest child married George Prescott Mallan but did not know of the connection through Meyer's wife Rebecca Catherine Davis with her sister marrying James Mallan. Whilst going through cemetery records recently I found a grave for Myer Ephraim Myers who died in 1841 a month before the census for that year. Having applied for his death certifcate I found that it had the same address as Meyer's father, 42 Mansell Street who was named as Michael Myers on Meyer and Rebecca's marriage certificate. I have searched for Michael Myers without luck and knowing Meyer's way of anglicising everything I thought it was likely not his given name. I then found Solomon Myers, again attached to the Mallans and feel certain that he was Meyer's brother. They were all dentists. I don't have proof for these last people - yet! I had become stuck not being able to get any further back only sideways. We have lengthy trees for the Davis Family (Fanny's family) but have not been able to get further back than 1841. I am hoping to get to London next month to the Jewish Gen Library where I may get some more dates. I am very interested in the dental side of things and wonder whether Meyer changed his name for that reason. Was he trying to get away from the scandel or was he involved with it? We do not know where the family originated from. I do appreciate your interest and time.
Kate

[phillip]

I do have Myers in my own paternal line namely Jacob Myers who is my 5x great grandfather but I have no knowledge of his line beyond his daughter Phoebe who is my 4x great grandmother. Unfortunately, I am unaware of her siblings ( if any). I did note that in 1841 Charles Isaacs was at 42 Mansell St and left a will ( see National Archives). Are you aware if the Mallan or your own family tree exists at the Society of Genealogists in London under the Anglo Jewish Collections. Have you also looked at the British Jewry Archive site for any information on your lines? Would it make sense to put a new posting on your lines so that it 'stands out' and is not linked to the Crawcour postings?
Phillip

[phillip]

I can see on the PO London Directory 1841 Albert ( Meyer) and Co Dentists 6 Haymarket and 46 Moorgate Street as well as the Mallan:
James M Mallan surgeon dentist 10 Ludgate Hill; Valck Mallan and Son surgeon dentists 32 Gt Russell St Bloomsbury; John Mallan surgeon dentist 9 Half Moon St Piccadilly.
You might want to look at later and earlier London Trade Directories. It looks as if up to 1841 this is still Meyer Albert using a mix of first name and adopted name.
Phillip

[phillip]

See Pigot's London Directory 1839
Albert Meyer 76 King William St City-Dentist; Albert and Co 6 Haymarket - Dentists
1843 Directory Albert Meyer dentist 62 Fleet St
1856-Albert Meyer 45 Ludgate Hill -Dentist

The 1839 record indicates the mix of names and the later records show the moving around of addresses- you had the Crawcour/Mallan/ Meyer/Albert and others as surgeon dentists all seeking business in London and around UK.
You have got some pre 1841 addresses to look up
Phillip

[phillip]

The Morning Post Feb 22 1837 Messrs May and Albert surgeon dentists 26 Upper King St Bloomsbury; Mr Albert Surgeon dentist 6 Haymarket April 1838; Mr Albert surgeon dentist 62 Fleet St 1842 Nb There are a lot of adverisements for Albert surgeon dentist and cover areas of the UK including Manchester. Nb There is also Mr E P Albert surgeon dentist of Charlotte St Fitzroy Square marriage to Rebecca Levy daughter of Jonas Levy of 63 Gt Prescott St Goodmansfields 1851.
I have seen a website giving brief on Meyer Albert including his Hebrew name in marriage Ephraim Aryeh Leib Meir with changed his name to Meyer Albert circa 1840- Freeman of the City of London by redemption 1863 b 28 April 1812.
Phillip

[K8albert]

Thank you for all that information. I spent yesterday searching as many directories as I could find on-line. I was not able to find Albert before 1839. As he is supposed to be born in London, I assumed that he must be elsewhere but I didn't know how to start searching. 6 Haymarket is on his marriage certificate but the 1841 census for there is almost unreadable. Having struggled with I don't believe he is shown on it. I don't know of an E P Albert so I'm wondering if he was a brother who changed his name as well. Certainly May and Albert is new so I'll look into that. The Albert tree you have found is almost certainly from my husband's cousin who has also been researching with me. I now realise that I need to get to London to do much more searching. I shall wait to see what I get before I put a separate Albert thread here. I shall try to get to the LMA and SOG next week. Gosh I wish there had been an 1831 census!!
Kate

[phillip]

Happy to help- I suspect you will find that Albert/Meyer/Mayer used name changes. Have just seen on National Archives UK under the Sun Fire Records: Edward Mallan 26 Upper King St Bloomsbury -dentist 1836. You will note the name Messrs May and Albert surgeon dentists at the same address in Feb 1837 ( see earlier posting). I suspect that they were using various names for trade purposes plus bankruptcy. You might to contact the Australian researcher on British Jewry Archives ( see 2009 postings ) who had significant data on the Mallan lines- they may have data unknown to you which develops further relationships.
Phillip

[phillip]

The Court of Exchequer Tues Dec 12 1843 tried the case of Mallan v May. May was was son of a sister of M.Mallan and residing in Edinburgh but entered into an apprenticeship to train as a dentist with the Mallan at 32 Gt Russell St in 1835 for 4 years. On completing the 4 years May had agreed not to use his name in conjunction with that of the Mallan's nor practice in those towns which they also practiced. May broke the agreement and in the absence of the Mallan ( one had gone to America and one to Hamburgh- they had gone bankrupt at the end of 1840 beginning of 1841 and had been manufacturer's of cigars as as side trade)- May had used 32 Gt Russell St as his practice using his name in conjunction with the Mallan name. He did stop the practice. The court awarded the plaintiff's 1 farthing in damages!
Looks like a family falling out and also suggests that between 1837 -1841 May stopped being in partnership with Albert.
Phillip

[Schleini47]

That's a knowledgeable discussion. Came to know about oral hygiene and measures to prevent such hazardous problems. My cousin took her braces treatment from Torrance dentist (http://newsmilesdentistry.com/) and got perfectly shaped teeth in just six months. I think five to six sittings were included in the package and tolls udes for cleaning were pain free too.