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'''Dr. Robert Emlyn Havard''' ([[1901]][[1985]]) was a fellow [[Inklings|Inkling]] with [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. He was [[C.S. Lewis]]' physician.
{{author infobox
During the Second World War, he joined the Royal Navy as a surgeon. His love for his uniform, in combination with a sloppy red beard, was reason for some joyful mockery by Tolkien, who gave him the nicknames ''Red Admiral'', ''Useless Quack'' and ''Honest Humphrey''.
| image=
| name=Robert Havard
| born=[[15 March]] [[1901]]
| died=[[1985]]
| education=[[University of Oxford#Keble College|Keble College]]<br>[[University of Oxford#Queen's College|Queen's College]]
| occupation=Physician
| location=[[Oxford]]
| website=
|}}
<center>{{quote|Dr U.Q. Humphrey<br>Made poultices of comfrey<br>If you didn't pay his bills<br>He gave you doses of squills|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="I177">[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[The Inklings]]'', p. 177</ref>}}</center>


'''Dr. Robert Emlyn "Honest Humphrey" Havard''' was an [[University of Oxford|Oxford]]-schooled physician. He was one of the [[Inklings]], as well as a neighbour of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] in his later life.
==History==
Havard was the son of an Anglican clergyman, and read Chemistry at [[University of Oxford#Keble College|Keble College]],<ref name="I257">[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[The Inklings]]'', p. 257</ref> followed by Medicine at [[University of Oxford#Queen's College|Queen's College]] after a conversion to Catholicism ruled him out of attending the former.<ref name="CaG">{{CG|RG}}, pp. 360-361</ref> After his studies, he worked in [[Leeds]], where he married. He returned to Oxford in [[1934]].<ref name="I257">[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[The Inklings]]'', p. 257</ref> He took over a medical practice with surgeries in Headington and St. Giles;<ref name="I257"/> the latter was situated near the [[Eagle and Child]].<ref name="Duriez">[[Colin Duriez]], ''[[Tolkien and C.S. Lewis]]'', pp. 82-3</ref>
One of his patients was [[C.S. Lewis]]. It was Lewis who introduced Havard to the Inklings after a boat trip, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. [[Warren Lewis]] had bought a small boat, the ''Bosphorus'', and the Lewis brothers planned a trip along the Thames with [[Hugo Dyson]]. The international political tension had Warren - a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps - transferred to Le Havre, and because the others did not want to cancel the trip, C.S. Lewis decided to bring his good friend Dr. Havard along as navigator. They had a pleasant time, as the trip went past the towns Godstow, Newbridge, Radcot, Lechlade and Inglesham - and naturally, the Inns. It was slightly overshadowed by the [[wikipedia:Invasion of Poland|invasion of Poland]], but after another dinner with Lewis and Dyson, Havard was introduced to the Inklings.<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[The Inklings]]'', pp. 67-9</ref> So, Havard also became the Tolkien family's doctor, having been asked by the Professor shortly after his introduction to the Inklings.<ref name="JRRTE">[[David Bratman]], "Humphrey Havard (1901-85)", in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' (edited by [[Michael D.C. Drout]]), pp. 265-6</ref> He became an appreciated family friend - as he was with the Lewis family, and often attended Thursday pub visits. He often drove the Inklings to country pubs.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Humphrey Carpenter]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (eds.), ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 42]] (dated [[12 January|January 12]], [[1941]])</ref>
In [[1943]], Havard was called up for service in the Royal Navy, were he served as a medical officer. On his rare leaves, he came back to Oxford, now sporting a full red beard. This earned him the nickname '''The Red Admiral''', to go along with his already existing nicknames '''Useless Quack''' and '''Honest Humphrey''',<ref name="I177"/> the latter courtesy of Hugo Dyson when he could not remember the doctor's name.<ref name="Duriez"/> Tolkien managed to get Havard stationed at Oxford permanently, and he was put to work on a malaria research project.<ref name="I177"/> Back in Oxford, Havard was among the first to read the outlines of what would become ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'',<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Humphrey Carpenter]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (eds.), ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 109]] (dated [[31 July|July 31]], [[1947]])</ref> and still a respected (though not very productive) member of the Inklings.
Tolkien became a close neighbour of Havard when he moved to [[76 Sandfield Road]]: Havard, now a widower with five children,<ref name="I257"/> lived at number 28.<ref>[[Clyde S. Kilby]], ''[[Tolkien and The Silmarillion]]'', p. 9</ref> They regularly attended church together, and with the Inklings fallen apart, Havard was the last of Tolkien's male companies.<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', p. 241</ref>
In [[1968]], Havard retired from the medical profession. He moved to the [[wikipedia:Isle of Wight|Isle of Wight]] and lost most contact with Tolkien, though he did visit him at [[Woodridings]] at least twice.<ref name="CaG"/> He died in 1985.<ref name="JRRTE"/>
==In Tolkien's works==
In ''[[The Notion Club Papers]]'', Robert Havard is identified with [[Rupert Dolbear]], a researchchemist "known to the Club as Ruthless Rufus".<ref>{{SD|2b}}, pp. 150, 159</ref>
==Bibliography==
* [[1990]]: ''[[Mythlore 64]]''
** "[http://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol17/iss2/7/ Professor J.R.R. Tolkien: A Personal Memoir]"
==See also==
*[http://mythgamer.mymiddleearth.com/2012/03/25/meeting-colin-havard-an-inklings-son/ Meeting Colin Havard: An Inkling’s Son]
*[http://medicalhypotheses.blogspot.de/2009/04/robert-humphrey-havard-medical-inkling.html Robert 'Humphrey' Havard - Medical 'Inkling']
*[http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.de/2010/11/how-similar-are-dolbear-humphrey-havard.html How similar are Dolbear & 'Humphrey' Havard? John Havard's opinion]
{{references}}
{{inklings}}
{{inklings}}
[[Category:Inklings|Havard, Robert]]
[[Category:Inklings|Havard, Robert]]
[[Category:Authors|Havard, Robert]]
[[Category:British people|Havard, Robert]]
[[Category:People by name|Havard, Robert]]

Revision as of 20:06, 8 August 2020

Robert Havard
Biographical information
Born15 March 1901
Died1985
EducationKeble College
Queen's College
OccupationPhysician
LocationOxford
"Dr U.Q. Humphrey
Made poultices of comfrey
If you didn't pay his bills
He gave you doses of squills
"
J.R.R. Tolkien[1]

Dr. Robert Emlyn "Honest Humphrey" Havard was an Oxford-schooled physician. He was one of the Inklings, as well as a neighbour of J.R.R. Tolkien in his later life.

History

Havard was the son of an Anglican clergyman, and read Chemistry at Keble College,[2] followed by Medicine at Queen's College after a conversion to Catholicism ruled him out of attending the former.[3] After his studies, he worked in Leeds, where he married. He returned to Oxford in 1934.[2] He took over a medical practice with surgeries in Headington and St. Giles;[2] the latter was situated near the Eagle and Child.[4]

One of his patients was C.S. Lewis. It was Lewis who introduced Havard to the Inklings after a boat trip, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Warren Lewis had bought a small boat, the Bosphorus, and the Lewis brothers planned a trip along the Thames with Hugo Dyson. The international political tension had Warren - a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps - transferred to Le Havre, and because the others did not want to cancel the trip, C.S. Lewis decided to bring his good friend Dr. Havard along as navigator. They had a pleasant time, as the trip went past the towns Godstow, Newbridge, Radcot, Lechlade and Inglesham - and naturally, the Inns. It was slightly overshadowed by the invasion of Poland, but after another dinner with Lewis and Dyson, Havard was introduced to the Inklings.[5] So, Havard also became the Tolkien family's doctor, having been asked by the Professor shortly after his introduction to the Inklings.[6] He became an appreciated family friend - as he was with the Lewis family, and often attended Thursday pub visits. He often drove the Inklings to country pubs.[7]

In 1943, Havard was called up for service in the Royal Navy, were he served as a medical officer. On his rare leaves, he came back to Oxford, now sporting a full red beard. This earned him the nickname The Red Admiral, to go along with his already existing nicknames Useless Quack and Honest Humphrey,[1] the latter courtesy of Hugo Dyson when he could not remember the doctor's name.[4] Tolkien managed to get Havard stationed at Oxford permanently, and he was put to work on a malaria research project.[1] Back in Oxford, Havard was among the first to read the outlines of what would become The Lord of the Rings,[8] and still a respected (though not very productive) member of the Inklings.

Tolkien became a close neighbour of Havard when he moved to 76 Sandfield Road: Havard, now a widower with five children,[2] lived at number 28.[9] They regularly attended church together, and with the Inklings fallen apart, Havard was the last of Tolkien's male companies.[10]

In 1968, Havard retired from the medical profession. He moved to the Isle of Wight and lost most contact with Tolkien, though he did visit him at Woodridings at least twice.[3] He died in 1985.[6]

In Tolkien's works

In The Notion Club Papers, Robert Havard is identified with Rupert Dolbear, a researchchemist "known to the Club as Ruthless Rufus".[11]

Bibliography

See also

References

The Inklings
J.R.R. Tolkien · Owen Barfield · J.A.W. Bennett · Lord David Cecil · Nevill Coghill · James Dundas-Grant · Hugo Dyson · Adam Fox · Colin Hardie · Robert Havard · C.S. Lewis · Warren Lewis · Gervase Mathew · R.B. McCallum · C.E. Stevens · Christopher Tolkien · John Wain · Charles Williams · Charles Leslie Wrenn