[William Andrew Godfrey Bell MRCS LRCP (1903–87)]

Born at Bath, Somerset, Dr Bell, after qualifying in 1928, initially practised medicine at Weymouth and Portland in Dorset.  He married Blanche Evelyn Brown at Weymouth in 1929.

His arrival in Finedon was marked by the Home Office Factory Department announcement of 1 June 1938 in the London Gazette of his appointment by the Chief Inspector of Factories as Certifying Surgeon for the Finedon District, a position relinquished by his predecessor, Dr F.K. Beaumont.

Kelly’s Directory recorded in 1940 that Dr Bell was a physician & surgeon at 21 Wellingborough Road, Finedon.  His address in the GMC Medical Register was throughout given as Northfields, Finedon.  Practice partner of Dr A.P. Kingsley, Osborne House, Burton Latimer, and later also of Dr Padget . Dr Bell eventually retired to Dorset, where he died at Weymouth. 

That Dr Bell was an Officer (Brother) of the Order of St John was recorded in the London Gazette of 3 Jan 1969.

Dr Michael Spencer recalls that, after replacing Dr Kingsley in 1972, he worked with Dr Bell for a year or so. Dr Bell was a popular GP and family man, who took a keen interest in the local church in Finedon, where a service of remembrance was held after his death. Believed to have had military connections, Dr Bell is understood to have been a doctor in the prison service before taking up post at Finedon. In Finedon, itself, he and his family lived in a large house on the Wellingborough road, now being used as a care home. Dr Bell’s medical practice extended to surrounding villages, including Little Harrowden and Great Harrowden. He was well into his 70s when he retired.


Barrie MacKay 2014