The Surgeon of Crowthorne

About “The Surgeon of Crowthorne”

The Oxford English Dictionary took 50 years to create and relied on thousands of volunteers. Among them was W.C. Minor, an American civil war surgeon who became a millionaire but was later declared insane. He was imprisoned at Broadmoor Asylum for murder. Despite his confinement, Minor spent his life contributing to the OED. His dedication surprised everyone, and when James Murray, the dictionary's editor, wanted to congratulate him, Minor refused to come to Oxford. So Murray traveled to Crowthorne in Berkshire to meet him.