Charles McMoran Wilson, 1st Baron Moran, MC (10 November 1882 – 12 April 1977) is most famous for being Sir Winston Churchill's personal physician. Born in Skipton, Yorkshire, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the First World War. He won the Military Cross in 1916.
Moran's book, The Struggle for Survival is about Churchill during and after the war. It describes his failing health in detail. The book was published fifteen months after Churchill's death and caused a great deal of controversy as a result of what was seen as a breach of patient-physician confidentiality.[1]
He was the Dean of St Mary's Hospital Medical School between 1920 and 1945, where he oversaw the rebuilding of the premises. He was a prominent scientist in his day, and was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians in April 1941 and was re-elected each year until 1950, when he resigned in favour of Russell Brain.[1]
He was knighted in 1942 and created Baron Moran in the New Year honours of 1943 and made his maiden speech in the House of Lords, the same year, on the Beveridge Report.[1] He was also involved in many other debates on the National Health Service.[1]
Lord Moran had two sons, John (the present Baron) and Geoffrey. He was survived by his wife Dorothy (née Dufton), who died in 1983.
During his time as Sir Winston Churchill's private doctor he met several prominent figures, such as Anthony Eden, Field-Marshal Montgomery (later the 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein) and Lord Mountbatten of Burma. Churchill's Private Secretary, Sir John (Jock) Colville, wrote: "Lord Moran was never present when history was made but he was invited to luncheon afterwards."
Works[]
- The Anatomy of Courage (1945), Constable, ISBN 0-09-451390-2
- Winston Churchill: The Struggle for Survival (1966) Constable, ISBN 0-7867-1706-8
- Churchill at War 1940 to 1945: the memoirs of Churchill's doctor, with an introduction by Lord Moran's son, John, the present Lord Moran. This diary paints an intimate portrait of Churchill by Sir Charles Wilson, his personal physician (Lord Moran), who spent the war years with the Prime Minister. In his diary, Moran recorded insights into Churchill's character, and moments when he let his guard down. Carroll & Graf, 2002. Reissue ISBN 0-7867-1041-1
References[]
- Churchill's Doctor : A Biography of Lord Moran, by Richard Lovell (London: Royal Society of Medicine, 1992)
External links[]
- Wellcome Library blurb on Lord Moran
- Portraits of Charles McMoran Wilson, 1st Baron Moran at the National Portrait Gallery, London
The original article can be found at Charles Wilson, 1st Baron Moran and the edit history here.