British Virgin Islands and the colonial medical service

The British Virgin Islands receives a visit from the Baton relay today (02.04.2014).

Despite having over sixty islands to its name, we have as yet only managed to trace one historical link with the British Virgin Islands: Mansergh Frederick Haines Griffith.

Griffith studied Medicine at the University from 1935-37 as part of an LCRP qualification. He took classes in Pathology and Radiology and graduated from Edinburgh in 1939. With him underlining his first and last names on his matriculation slip, it must have caused confusion for the administrators who have filed it under the matriculation slips for ‘M’ instead of ‘G’.

Matriculation Slip 1935-36 (R8/5/56/8)

Born at Plymouth, Monserrat, Griffith returned to the West Indies after graduation under employment of the Colonial Medical Service. He was appointed medical officer at the San Fernando Hospital, Trinidad, before embarking on several other postings, including in the British Virgin Islands.