William John Bishop | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1903 |
| Died | 27 July 1961 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Medical librarian |
| Known for | A Seventeenth Century Doctor and his Patients: John Symcotts, 1592?–1662 (1951) |
William John Bishop FLA (1903 – 27 July 1961) was a British librarian, the first editor of the journal Medical History, and a prolific writer. With his friend Frederick Noël Lawrence Poynter, he wrote about John Symcotts, a medical attendant of Oliver Cromwell in A Seventeenth Century Doctor and his Patients: John Symcotts, 1592?–1662.
After completing his early education from Sir Walter St John's Grammar School for Boys, he became a librarian assistant at the London Library and then assistant librarian to Arnold Chaplin at the Royal College of Physicians. He subsequently read papers to the History of Medicine Section and later joined the library of the Royal Society of Medicine.
In 1946 the Wellcome Historical Medical Library appointed him as their librarian. Five years after publishing the book on Symcotts, he became the first editor of the journal Medical History. He wrote several other books and in retirement continued to contribute as librarian of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
He was elected to both the fellowship of the Library Association and honorary membership of the Royal Society of Medicine.