Gilbert Barling Sir Harry Gilbert Barling , 1st Baronet CB CBE FRCS ( 30 April 1855 – 27 April 1940 ) was an English physician . Barling was born at Newnham on Severn , Gloucestershire and educated at a boarding school at Weston , near Bath . He went to Birmingham at the age of 20 , to take his matriculation exam at Queen ’ s College , before going on to study at St Bartholomew ' s Hospital in London and culminating in his admittance to the Royal College of Surgeons in 1879 , becoming a Fellow in 1881 . It was at this time he was appointed resident pathologist at the General Hospital which would start an association lasting for 60 years . He became President of the hospital in 1925 . From 1913 to 1933 he held the office of Vice Chancellor ( renamed Pro - Chancellor in 1927 ) of the University of Birmingham , during which time and under his guidance the research departments in mental diseases and cancer were founded . He was Vice President and Chairman of the Council of The Birmingham Civic Society for 22 years from its creation in 1918 until his death in 1940 . He was also for many years the Chairman of the Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund . His association with the university had begun in 1885 when he was appointed Demonstrator of Anatomy at Queen ’ s College and he was for many years on the teaching staff of the Medical School , becoming Professor of Pathology in 1885 . In 1893 he was appointed co - professor of Surgery at Mason ' s College ( the forerunner of the University ) and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine . At the outbreak of the First World War he was 59 and placed his services at the disposal of the Royal Army Medical Corps , acting as consulting surgeon in the Southern Command , subsequently being posted at the rank of Colonel to the Western Front from October 1916 to August 1917 . His service to King and Countrymen earned him the Companion of the Bath ( military ) in 1917 and in 1919 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire . In August 1919 King George V conferred upon him a Baronetcy and the College of Arms granted his Coat of Arms some three months later . In 1923 he had been involved in the setting up of the Birmingham Branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign ( now Cancer Research UK ) and became its first Chairman . He was a hard worker and talented administrator and in 1936 , in recognition of his hospital , university and other public service , he was presented with The Birmingham Civic Society ’ s Gold Medal ( a rare accolade given to those who have made a high contribution to life in Birmingham ) . Sir Gilbert chaired his last meeting of the Civic Society ’ s Executive Council on 19 March 1940 and he died from heart failure at his home ( whilst in his garden ) at 6 Manor Road , Edgbaston on Saturday 27 April 1940 , just three days before his 85th birthday . At the next meeting of the Society ’ s Executive Council , Mr Oliver Moreland temporarily assumed the Chair and it was agreed to send a letter of sympathy to Miss Edith Barling , one of his two daughters , who also sat on the Executive Council . The funeral took place at St Augustine ' s Church , Edgbaston on Wednesday 1 May 1940 . His house was demolished in 2003 , to make way for a block of apartments , called " Spire Court " . The Birmingham Civic Society plans to erect a Blue Plaque to commemorate him in 2018 , to coincide with the centenary of the organisation . The papers of Gilbert Barling and also a collection of material relating to Barling , compiled by his daughter , Edith are housed at the University of Birmingham Special Collections .