Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 47.djvu/154

 latest offices were those of honorary consulting physician and chairman of the board of management. The interests of St. Mary's Hospital were always his special care. A new building for the hospital, opened in 1856, was erected mainly through the exertions of Radford and his wife. He gave to the institution, in 1853, his valuable library, rich in obstetrical works, and his museum of surgical objects, afterwards making many important additions to both collections. Some years before his death he invested the sum of 3,670l. in the hands of trustees, 2,670l. of which was to be devoted to the benefit of the poor in connection with the hospital, and the remaining 1000l. to maintain the library. A catalogue of the Radford Library, compiled by C. J. Cullingworth, was published in 1877.

Radford was one of the founders of the Manchester school of medicine in 1825, and was a lecturer on midwifery at the Pine Street school of medicine in the same town. This was the first complete medical school in the provinces. He became a member of the Apothecaries' Society in 1817. At the same date he was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and was elected a fellow in 1852. He graduated M.D. at Heidelberg in 1839, and later in the same year was elected a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

He delivered the first address on obstetrics before the Provincial, now British, Medical Association at its meeting in 1854, and was the author of many papers and communications on midwifery, and of ‘Observations on the Cæsarean Section and on other Obstetric Operations,’ 1865; 2nd ed. 1880, besides several pamphlets. Radford was a notable link in the chain of able and well-known Manchester gynæcologists, starting with [q. v.] and including [q. v.], [q. v.], and others. He was one of the first in this country to advise abdominal section, and gave much assistance in counsel and support to Charles Clay in his early operations for the removal of diseased ovaries.

Radford died at his residence at Higher Broughton, Manchester, on 29 May 1881, aged 87, and was buried in the neighbouring church of St. Paul, Kersal. He married, in 1821, Elizabeth Newton, daughter of John Newton, incumbent of Didsbury, near Manchester. She died in 1874. Their only child died young.



RADLEY, WILLIAM (d. 1250), bishop of Winchester. [See ] 

RADNOR,. [See first earl, 1606–1685;, third earl of the second creation, 1779–1869.] 

RADSTOCK,. [See first baron.] 

RADULPH. [See, and .]

RAE. [See also .]

RAE, ALEXANDER (1782–1820), actor, was born in London in May 1782. After the death of his father in 1787 he was educated under the Rev. W. Lloyd, and in his sixteenth year entered the office of a Mr. Campbell, an army and East India agent in the Adelphi. He is said to have been offered by his employer an appointment in India, which he declined. In 1806 he set out for Bath with an introduction from (1732–1811) [q. v.] to Dimond, the manager of the Bath Theatre. Oxberry says that he made his first appearance at Huntingdon. Upon his appearance at Bath as Hamlet on 28 Jan. 1806, it was announced as his ‘first appearance upon any stage.’ Hamlet, which remained his favourite part, was played twice in Bath, and once in Bristol; Rae also appeared in Bath on 4 Feb. as Octavian in the ‘Mountaineers,’ and Wilding in the ‘Liar,’ and on 18 Feb. as Charles Surface. His good figure and pleasing style, rather than any conspicuous display of talent, recommended him to Coleman, who engaged him for the Haymarket, where he appeared on 9 June 1806 as Octavian.

During the season, besides repeating Hamlet, he played Gondibert in the ‘Battle of Hexham,’ Count Almaviva, Captain Beldare in ‘Love laughs at Locksmiths,’ Frederick in the ‘Poor Gentleman,’ Sir Edward Mortimer in the ‘Iron Chest,’ Harry Harebrain in ‘The Will for the Deed,’ Lovewell in the ‘Clandestine Marriage;’ and he was, on 9 July, the original Edward in Dibdin's ‘Five Miles off is the Finger Post,’ a part that is said to have lowered him in public estimation. He was credited at this time with the possession of a genteel person, an expressive countenance, and a bad voice; he was said to have caught something from Kemble and more from Elliston, and to have the vice of expressing strong passion by hysterical ‘guzzles’ in the throat. At the close of the season he went to Liverpool, where he stayed four years, declining invitations from the Lyceum and from America. In Liverpool, where he succeeded Young, he played the lead both in tragedy and comedy, except for