Edward Nourse (?1663–1738)
Edward Nourse appears to be the Edward Nurse, son of Edward & Grace Nurse, who was baptised at St Augustine's Church in Watling Street, London on 31 May 1663.
Alumni Oxonienses records that Edward Nourse was admitted to practise in surgery on 17 December 1686 when he was aged 23.
On 27 August 1700 at Whitchurch near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Edward Nourse married Elizabeth Towersey of Oxford (1680–1740). At the time of the birth of his first child in 1701, Nourse was described as a chirurgeon of Holywell. They had the following children:
- Edward Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 27 June 1701)
- Elizabeth Nourse (baptised at Holywell Church, Oxford on 4 September 1702)
- Grace Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 27 March 1704)
- John Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 8 July 1705)
- Mary Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 12 February 1706/7)
- Martin Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 9 April 1708)
- Anne Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 20 July 1710)
- Catherine Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 6 August 1713)
- Charles Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 26 January 1715/16)
- Henrietta Nourse (baptised at St Giles’ Church, Oxford on 26 January 1718/19.
It appears that the Nourses moved to the parish of St Mary-the-Virgin, as when Edward Nourse died in 1738, he was buried at that church (27 August).
His will was proved in the Chancellor's Court in Oxford on 23 October 1738.
His widow Elizabeth Nourse was buried at St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 14 February 1739/40.
There is a tomb in the floor of St Mary-the-Virgin Church inscribed simply “EDWARD NOURSE / 1768” that does not fit with the dates either of Nourse or his son of the same name.
Nourse’s children
- Edward Nourse (1701–1761) was apprenticed to John Dobyns, one of the assistant surgeons to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, on 2 December 1717, and remained a surgeon at that hospital for the rest of his life. He was elected to a Royal Society Fellowship on 24 October 1728. He died on 14 May 1761 and was buried at St Giles’ Church, Oxford. See ODNB
- John Nourse (1705–1780) became a bookseller at 138 The Strand, London. He never married and he died in Kensington on 25 April 1780. He was buried at the Church of St Mary-the-Virgin in Oxford on 2 May 1780. Will of John Nourse, Bookseller of Saint Mary in the Strand , Middlesex 17 May 1780, PCC PROB 11/1065. See ODNB
- Charles Nourse (1715/16–1789) became a surgeon, and appears to have taken over his father’s Oxford practice.
- Elizabeth Nourse was buried at St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 26 July 1736
- Mary Nourse was buried at St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 3 August 1769
- Grace Nourse was buried at St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 19 April 1792. The Will of Grace (otherwise Grais otherwise Graes Nourse, Spinster of Oxford) dated 30 April 1792 was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC PROB 11/1217).