Athelstan Jasper Blaxland FRCS (14 September 1880 – 7 December 1963) was an English physician. He began his career as a general practitioner in Norwich and later become a consultant general surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.
Early life and education Blaxland was born on 14 September 1880, the only son of William Athelstan Blaxland, solicitor to London County Council, and Frances Elizabeth Shears,The Record of Old Westminsters, "Blaxland, Athelstan Jasper" (1928). a great-granddaughter of the coppersmith James Shears. He was educated at Westminster School from 1893 to 1898 then studied at University College Hospital, where he was awarded Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BS) degrees in 1904 and a Master of Surgery (MS) degree in 1908.The Medical Directory, "Blaxland, Athelstan Jasper" (1923).[Ronald Robinson et al., Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1952−1964 (1970), p. 40.
He became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP) and Member of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCP) in 1904 and a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1908.
Career After graduation, Blaxland's house appointments were at University College Hospital under Dr. Sidney Martin, Great Ormond Street Hospital under Dr. Archibald Garrod, the Royal National Hospital and, for 18 months, at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He then joined Dr. Donald Day, who was married to his aunt Henrietta Sarah Blaxland,Royal College of Surgeons of England, Plarr's Lives of the Fellows, "Day, Donald Douglas (1858−1937)". Retrieved 19 May 2026. in general practice in Norwich."A. J. Blaxland M.S., F.R.C.S.", British Medical Journal (Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1964), 1, 123[Eastern Daily Press, "Former Senior Surgeon Dies in Norwich", 9 December 1963.
In 1909 Blaxland became an assistant surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, but continued to work as a general practitioner. In 1911 he moved to a Georgian property at 29, Surrey Street in Norwich, where he ran his general practice.Joe Mason, The Story of a House (1), accessed 27 April 2019
Following the outbreak of the First World War, Blaxland was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps as a temporary Captain in March 1915,Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Vol. 24 (1915), p. 82: "Athelstan Jasper Blaxland, F.R.C.S., to be Captain (temporary), dated March 26, 1915." serving mostly in France as a casualty clearing station surgeon, treating battle casualties. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 1918. After returning to Norwich in 1919, he gave up general practice, building up a practice as a consulting surgeon.
In 1925 he was appointed as a full surgeon to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where in 1927 Dr. Geoffrey Gillam became his house surgeon."Geoffrey Gerrard Gillam" (sic) in William Munk, ed., The Roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London: Continued to 1975 (The Royal College, 1982), pp. 196–198 He was honorary secretary of the Norfolk branch of the British Medical Association from 1922 to 1928 and served as its president in 1930−1931; he was also vice-president of the Medical Defence Union.Stephen Yale et al., Gastrointestinal Eponymic Signs: Bedside Approach to the Physical Examination (2024), pp. 333−334. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
He described a method, known as the Blaxland sign or Blaxland ruler test, for distinguishing between ovarian cyst and ascites by using a ruler to test for pulsation.Donald Guthrie and Russell Straub, "Large ovarian cysts: differential diagnosis: presentation of a diagnostic sign", The Bulletin of the Guthrie Clinic, vol. 20, No.2 (October 1950). Retrieved 21 May 2026.Sriram Bhat, SRB's Clinical Methods in Surgery (2015), p. 559. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
Blaxland was preparing to retire when the Second World War began. He continued his work at the hospital until 1946, keeping the casualty department prepared for emergencies during difficult wartime conditions. Upon retirement, his portrait was painted by Faith K. Sage and is now in the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital collection.Athelstan Jasper Blaxland (1880–1963), Consultant Surgeon (1909–1946) at artuk.org, accessed 28 April 2019.
Personal life
In 1912, at Henstead in Suffolk, Blaxland married Anna Marion, daughter of William Andrews of Chediston."BLAXLAND Athlestan J & Andrews Anna M" in Marriages in England and Wales, Henstead, vol. 4b (1912), p. 515 They had four sons: Mark; John Christopher;East Anglian Film Archive, General Interest No.3, 1932−1938, Norwich (Norfolk). Retrieved 20 May 2026. William Gregory, a military historian; and Stephen, who followed his father into the medical profession.Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, Armorial Families: A Directory of Genlemen of Coat-armour (1929), "Blaxland", p. 172.
In 1928 the Blaxlands moved to a property called St Catherine's Close on All Saints Green in Norwich.A new chapter in the history of St Catherine's Close on All Saints Green, Norwich, from EDP Norfolk magazine, June 2005, bawdeswell.net, accessed 4 October 2021 They later moved to 33, The Close (in the cathedral precincts), where in retirement Blaxland took up a new interest − painting. He also played tennis and golf and enjoyed shooting.
Blaxland died on 7 December 1963, a few months after his wife; his funeral was held at Norwich Cathedral.Royal College of Surgeons of England, Plarr's Lives of the Fellows, "Blaxland, Athelstan Jasper (1880−1963)". Retrieved 19 May 2026. An obituary called him "unorthodox... altogether a whimsical but lovable character."
His cousin Dr. Mary Thackwell (née Day) was one of the first women doctors at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, "Key women in our history". Retrieved 20 May 2026.
Publications Blaxland was the author or co-author of:
"A case of congenital hypertrophic stenosis of the pylorus: treatment by gastric lavage with complete recovery" (The Lancet, 1905) "Remarks on acute pancreatitis: with notes of seven cases" (British Medical Journal, 1913)
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