Blue plaque for ‘pioneering’ naval surgeon proposed in Chichester

The proposed plaque would honour Sir William Burnett (1779 – 1861), a naval surgeon and physician-general of the Royal Navy, who lived at the house.

A planning application seeking permission for the plaque has been submitted to Chichester District Council.

Mr Burnett had an active career as a Royal Navy surgeon in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars – including service at the battle of St Vincent, the Nile and Trafalgar.

From 1822 to 1855, he was professional head of the Royal Naval Medical Department, where he provided ‘effective leadership at a time of great change’.

At work, he had a reputation of being a ‘hardworking, unimaginative and somewhat harsh man’, though his correspondence shows a ‘very humane centre’, according to the planning documents.

East Pallant house, which was formerly a large manor house with orchards and open land around it, is now used by Chichester District Council.

It is proposed that the plaque is mounted on the original frontage of the house.

To see the application in full, search reference 20/00698/LBC on Chichester District Council’s website.