John Porter (historian) explained

John Porter
Nationality:	English
Occupation:	Author, historian, surgeon
Notable Works:	History of the Fylde of Lancashire

John Porter M.R.C.S., L.S.A. was an English surgeon, author and historian. He published several histories of Lancashire, notably History of the Fylde of Lancashire.

Life and career

In 1869, Porter passed the examination in the Science and Practice of Medicine and received a certificate to practice.^[1]

His 1876 publication, History of the Fylde of Lancashire,^{[2] [3]} was dedicated to Benjamin Whitworth, Esquire, M.P., "in admiration of his enterprise, generosity, and philanthropy". Porter wrote the book while living in Fleetwood.^[4] It received a less-than-favourable review in The Academy: "We were happy in the delusion that local histories of this type had become a thing of the past. The volume is too big for the subject, and the subject is too much for the author."^[5]

Towards the end of his life, Porter was listed as being a physicians' visiting assistant at Manchester Royal Infirmary and house surgeon to the Chorlton Dispensary in Manchester.^[6]

Selected bibliography

• History of the Fylde of Lancashire (W. Porter and Sons, 1876)

Notes and References

1. Book: The Lancet London: A Journal of British and Foreign Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, Physiology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Public Health and News, Volume 2 . Elsevier . 1869.
2. Book: Earwaker, John Parsons . Local Gleanings Relating to Lancashire and Cheshire . Cornish, Day . 1876.
3. Book: Allibone, Samuel Austin . Critical Dictionary of English Literature, and British and American Authors, Living and Deceased, from the Earliest Accounts to the Middle of the Nineteenth Century . Childs & Peterson . 1896 . 124.
4. Book: Porter, John . History of the Fylde of Lancashire . W. Porter . 1876.
5. Book: The Academy, Volume 11 . 5 May 1877 . 387.
6. Book: Porter's guide to Blackpool, Fleetwood, Lytham, etc., with a directory of Blackpool . W. Porter . 1871 . 93.