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Henry Plumptre, M.D., was born in Nottinghamshire and educated at Queen’s college, Cambridge, of which house he was admitted a pensioner 19th January, 1697-8. He graduated A.B. 1701-2, and on the 15th February, 1702-3 was admitted a fellow of his college, an office he vacated by not taking orders 4th July, 1707. He proceeded A.M. 1705 and M.D per literas Regias in 1706. He was admitted a Candidate of the College of Physicians 22nd December, 1707, and a Fellow 23rd December, 1708. He delivered the Gulstonian lectures in 1711; the Harveian oration in 1722; and on the 19th March, 1732-3, was appointed to succeed Dr. Walter Harris as Lumleian lecturer. Dr. Plumptre was Censor in 1717, 1722, 1723, 1736; Registrar from 1718 to 1722 inclusive; Treasurer 13th July, 1725, in place of Dr. Levett, deceased; and Consiliarius 1735, 1738, 1739. On the 5th August, 1720, he “presented to the college a writing standish of plate of 80 ounces.” He was named an Elect 5th May, 1727; and occupied the Presidential chair for six consecutive years, viz., from 1740 to 1745 inclusive. During the whole of the period that Dr. Plumptre was president the fifth Pharmacopœia Londinensis was in course of revision and re-construction. To its improvement he devoted his best exertions and energy, and to him it would seem was mainly due the simplification in the formulæ that distinguished the work from all its predecessors. The Pharmacopœia was published in the summer of 1746. Dr. Plumptre died 26th November, 1746 (1). The portrait of this physician, possessed by the College, was presented by himself 1st October, 1744. The doctor was physician to St. Thomas’s hospital, an office he resigned in 1736. Dr. Plumptre was the author of a pamphlet entitled “A Serious Conference between Scaramouch and Harlequin,” having reference to the controversy raging between Dr. Woodward and Dr. Friend (2).

William Munk

[Henry Plumptre M.D. would seem to have been the 2^nd son of Henry Plumptre Esq of Nottingham (this Henry Plumptre of Notthingham was the eldest son of Huntingdon Plumptre MD of Notthingham) by his second wife Joyce (?) the dr. of Henry (?) Esq of Blenton (?) and widow of John McLewarde (?) Esq of (?)]
[Dr Plumptre in 1708 was living in Oxenden St. In 1709 in Beaufort Buildings Strand. In 1716 in Lawrence Lane. In 1723 in Bow Lane. About 1742 whilst President of the College he removed to Warwick Court and remained there to his death.]

(Volume II, page 24)