David Stafford-Clark
Encyclopedia
David Stafford-Clark was an English psychiatrist
and author. He was educated at Felsted
and University of London
.
Stafford-Clark did war service in charge of Waterbeach hospital, Cambridgeshire
at the home of RAF Bomber Command
. He was mentioned in dispatches twice as a result of taking part in raids. He worked hard to change the prevalent public opinion that airmen were naturally suave, fearless men; he portrayed them as war-battered men pushed beyond the limits of human exhaustion.
In 1954 he was appointed director and head of psychological medicine at the York Clinic, with a consultancy at the Bethlem Royal
and Maudsley Hospital
until ill-health forced his retirement in 1974.
He demonstrated his capability as a forensic psychiatrist when he testified for the defence in the much-publicised murder trial of Gunther Podola, who sought to evade his trial on the grounds of amnesia, and later in the case of the banned novel Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence.
He gave a number of lectures such as the Robert Waley Cohen series, on 'Psychology of Prejudice; Christians & Jews' in 1960 and St. Andrews University's twelve Gifford lectures in 1976.
His bestselling book Psychiatry Today (1951) was followed by numerous other titles including Psychology for Students (1964) which had seven reprints; these two named volumes are widely regarded as standard texts for all University psychology courses. He also wrote What Freud really said (1965), another best-seller that introduced generations of readers to Sigmund Freud
with clarity and wit.
His son Max Stafford-Clark
is a prominent theatre director.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
and author. He was educated at Felsted
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
and University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Stafford-Clark did war service in charge of Waterbeach hospital, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
at the home of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. He was mentioned in dispatches twice as a result of taking part in raids. He worked hard to change the prevalent public opinion that airmen were naturally suave, fearless men; he portrayed them as war-battered men pushed beyond the limits of human exhaustion.
In 1954 he was appointed director and head of psychological medicine at the York Clinic, with a consultancy at the Bethlem Royal
Bethlem Royal Hospital
The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses....
and Maudsley Hospital
Maudsley Hospital
The Maudsley Hospital is a British psychiatric hospital in South London. The Maudsley is the largest mental health training institution in the country...
until ill-health forced his retirement in 1974.
He demonstrated his capability as a forensic psychiatrist when he testified for the defence in the much-publicised murder trial of Gunther Podola, who sought to evade his trial on the grounds of amnesia, and later in the case of the banned novel Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence.
He gave a number of lectures such as the Robert Waley Cohen series, on 'Psychology of Prejudice; Christians & Jews' in 1960 and St. Andrews University's twelve Gifford lectures in 1976.
His bestselling book Psychiatry Today (1951) was followed by numerous other titles including Psychology for Students (1964) which had seven reprints; these two named volumes are widely regarded as standard texts for all University psychology courses. He also wrote What Freud really said (1965), another best-seller that introduced generations of readers to Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
with clarity and wit.
His son Max Stafford-Clark
Max Stafford-Clark
Maxwell Robert Guthrie Stewart Stafford-Clark is an English Theatre Director.-Life and career:He went to school at Felsted and Riverdale Country School in New York City. He has worked as a theatre director since he left Trinity College, Dublin.His directing career began as associate director of...
is a prominent theatre director.