Cheshire Memories: Wilfred Grenfell

By Sarah Griffiths on Dec 30, 09 12:24 PM in 1800-1899

Wilfred Grenfell became famous as a doctor and missionary on the Labrador coast and founded the International Grenfell Association, which is still in existence today.

He was born at Mostyn House in Parkgate in 1865 while his father was headmaster at the school. Throughout his childhood he made the most of exploring the Dee Estuary with his siblings. His formal education took place at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, University of Oxford, University of London and the London Hospital. While at medical college he satisfied his love of the outdoors by taking groups of children from the East End on camping trips.

Once qualified as a doctor, he spent a season working on a hospital ship for the North Sea fishing fleets. In 1892 his thirst for adventure led him to the wild Labrador and Newfoundland coast where he treated Inuit and European settlers with the most basic of medical facilities. He was based in Battle Harbour in Labrador and used ships to meet the needs of the wider population. Over the subsequent 40 years, Grenfell was primarily responsible for founding a number of hospitals, nursing stations, hospital ships and schools in the area.

In 1914 the mission was formalised through the establishment of the International Grenfell Association, which aimed to provide health, education, religious, rehabilitation and social services for the region. Wilfred Grenfell was knighted for his work in Canada and died in 1940. By the late twentieth century many of the functions of the Association had been taken over by government and it became a private foundation awarding grants for the benefit of Labrador and Newfoundland.

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