Background
Samuel Wathen was born in 1719 or 1720, most likely in Stroud, Gloucestershire, to Jonathan Wathen, a wealthy clothier of Stroud, and his wife Sarah Watkins.
Samuel Wathen was born in 1719 or 1720, most likely in Stroud, Gloucestershire, to Jonathan Wathen, a wealthy clothier of Stroud, and his wife Sarah Watkins.
Samuel graduated a doctor of Medicine on 28 September 1752, and he was subsequently admitted to the Royal College of Physicians on 30 September 1756, going on to became one of London"s best-known physicians.
C 1720–1787) was an English physician who practiced in London during the Georgian era. He was the personal physician for Review John Wesley and Queen Charlotte of England.
He ultimately became Wesley"s personal physician, and there are several mentions of Samuel Wathen in Wesley"s journal.
He was also the older brother of Jonathan Wathen (c1728-1808), a well-known London surgeon. In addition to being a surgeon and John Wesley"s personal physician, he was also one of the physicians of the City of London Lying-in Hospital on City Road where he was a man-midwife extraordinary.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Sydenham Malthus (c1678-1757), a barrister, but she is best known as the aunt of the economist Review Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834), who was one of the first to write on the dangers of mankind overpopulating the earth.
Samuel and Elizabeth were also the grandparents of the poet Marianne Baillie.
He died on 26 July 1787 at Wrington. There is a painting of Samuel Wathen with his family by the artist George Knapton in the collections of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Wathen was admitted to the King"s College in Aberdeen, Scotland on the recommendation of Doctor Nicholas Munckley (c1721-1770), a physician at Guy"s Hospital in London and a member of the Royal Society.