Name:
Idris Melyndwr Griffith 
Location served:
Cedar Springs  
Years in Practice:
1920 to 1976
Area of Specialization:
Psychiatry  

Biography:

Dr. Idris Melyndwr Griffith was born in London, England on the 25th of November, 1898.  Dr. Griffith graduated from high school in London (England) before studying at the University of London and Guys Hospital.  Here he obtained his M.R.C.S. and his L.R.C.P. in 1924.

Dr. Griffith was married to Gwen Davies.  Mrs. Griffith was born in London, England on the 30th of August, 1891 the eldest of 3 children born to Dr. Morgan Davies and the former Margaret Julian.   Her father was a physician and her siblings were; Geraint and Gwylon.  In 1911 the Davies family resided at 5 Goring Street East in the Botolph Community of London, England.

Dr. and Mrs. Griffith had 2 children; a son Geraint Griffith was born on the 21st of June, 1928 and a daughter Margaret Griffith was born on the 13th of March, 1932.  Both children were born in London, England.  Mrs. Griffith’s brother Geraint Davies, died in Belgium on the 14th of April, 1918 during WWI.

Mrs. Griffith died on the 3rd of September, 1935.

According to the 1940 and the 1942 U.K. & Ireland Medical Directory, Dr. Griffith’s residence was located at 2 Green Dragon Lane in London.  The telephone number was listed as Laburnum 3225.  His medical office was listed as Enfield War Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Griffith met his second wife Karen Lilly Ada Willadsen, when he was a doctor with the Medical Corp during World War II.  Mrs. Griffith was born on the 10th of August, 1914.  Mrs. Griffith was an actress working with the Oxford Theatrical Group.  Dr. and Mrs. Griffith were married in 1940.  They became parents to a daughter named Honor and a son named Michael.

Dr. Griffith practiced medicine in London, England before setting his sites on Jamaica.  On the 23rd of November, 1950 Dr. Grifftith, his wife Karen and their two children Honor and Michael departed Southhampton England, aboard the “Columbia” enroute to Jamaica.

Once in Canada he obtained his L.M.C.C. necessary to practice in Ontario.  In 1959, Dr. Griffith was known to be living at 268 Aberdeen Ave., in Hamilton.  Initially Dr. Griffith had a general medical practice but pursued studies in psychiatry.  Dr. Griffith settled in Chatham-Kent in 1965.  By 1967 he was the Director of Psychiatry at the Ontario Hospital School at Cedar Springs, Ontario.  Mrs. Griffith became a social worker with the Ontario Hospital School.  Dr. and Mrs. Griffith founded the Children’s Psychiatric Research Institute in London, Ontario.

Dr. Griffith enjoyed playing golf, walking and playing tennis.  Dr. and Mrs. Griffith shared a love of the theater.

Dr. Griffith died at the Public General Hospital in Chatham on the 13th of January, 1976.   He was buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.  His wife Karen was married to Lester Thomson Fisher in Fort Myers, Florida on the 1st of December, 1985.  Mr. Fisher died in 1997 and Karen Griffith-Fisher died on the 24th of December, 2011.  She was buried at the Maple Leaf Cemetery next to Dr. Griffith.

*Dr. Griffith’s son, Dr. Geraint Griffith also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.