A tooth extraction is remembered in a regular column by ‘S.H.E.’, entitled ‘As I Remember Stamford’ which was published in the 1930s. Here she looks back to her childhood in the late 19th century.
“EXPERIENCES AT THE DENTIST’S.
The first tooth I had out was extracted by Mr. Cotnam Field, the chemist, of Scotgate. He was a stout, fatherly man, and I remember the delicate touch of his plump, white hands. I was only eight years old and he assured me he would not hurt me very much, and he didn’t! He patted me and said I was very brave. Of course, he had never seen a tooth with such fangs in his life! I took the tooth home, wrapped in tissue paper, as a memento.
I think there was only one resident dentist at that time – the late Mr. A. S. Jones. He lived next to the Town-bridge, opposite the Conservative Club. We used to climb on the bridge to peep down at his aviary of pretty little birds. I believe they were all drowned in the July flood of 1880. How sorry we children were! For quite a long time we looked, at intervals, to see if he had a new collection.
There was a visiting dentist from Peterborough, named Eskell. He had his surgery in St. Martin’s at one time and afterwards in St. Mary’s-street. He had a very bright brass plate, and less than ten years ago, when I was spending a few days in Oxford, I suddenly stopped short for there was a brass plate – “Eskell, surgeon-dentist.” It must have been the same plate, as bright as ever, although the lettering was more worn. It was like meeting an old friend among strangers.”
The Stamford Mercury, 8th April, 1938.