William Marsden (1796–1867), a Yorkshireman, founded two major London hospitals. We know little of his family background, about which his only biography gives a highly inaccurate account. It suggests his family were landowners and gentlemen farmers. Although their origins were more humble, some at least of his Yorkshire relatives prospered — through gardening, banking, manufacturing and even medicine. This paper presents information on four generations of Yorkshire Marsdens.
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