William Baronsdale, M.D., was born in Gloucestershire, and educated at St. John’s College, Cambridge, of which house he was one of the senior Fellows. He proceeded A.B. 1554-5; A.M. 1558; M.D. 1568; was four years bursar of his college, and twice held Linacre’s lectureship. He was a Fellow of the College of Physicians, but of the date of his admission I can furnish no particulars. He was Censor in 1581, 1582, 1583, 1584, 1585; Elect, 5th February, 1587; Consiliarius, 1588, 1601, 1602; and President for eleven consecutive years, namely, from 1589 to September, 1600, when he was succeeded by Dr. Gilbert. He was the first Treasurer of the College, and was appointed to this newly created office 14th November, 1583, and continued to hold it until September, 1586. He was re-appointed in 1604, 1605, 1607.
Dr. Baronsdale [in conjunction with Dr Smythe he was sent by Elizabeth to the aid of Mary Queen of Scots at Sheffield in 1582. They arrived in May “? themselves very honestly and orderly and putting their patient through a course of physic.” p.504 of Leader’s Mary Queen of Scots in Captivity 8oo Sheffield 1880. They suggested the desirability of a visit to Buxton to which Elizabeth ?. The poor Queen set out for Buxton 13 June and after a stay of 3 or 4 weeks returned to Sheffield in the early part of July.
Dr. Baronsdale died 13 June 1608 aged 77 & on a memorial which was probably in old St Paul’s Cathedral was to be read as follows: ? ] was dead 17th June, 1608, when he was succeeded as Elect by Dr. Moundeford.
William Munk
[BARONSDALE (William) See also 2249/2, 8, 9]