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Dr. Herbert P. Byers was born
near Sheffield, England, on September 17,
1860. He received his school education at King's Lynn and Manchester,
and then commenced at Leeds his long association with medical practice.
In 1882 he came to Manitoba, and for some years was active in the
survey of western Canada.
In 1886, he married Ann E. Pruden of Selkirk.
Resuming his medical studies, he graduated at the Manitoba Medical
School with Gordon Bell in the class of 1890. He then went out to the
new settlement of Melita, at that time a small collection of tents on
the hill to the west of the present town. Here, save for six years at
Selkirk, from 1895-1902, was the scene of his life's work. For many
years he was a keen cricketer, excelling in his ability behind the
stumps; indeed to him may truly be given the highest praise desired by
an Englishman, that of having played cricket all the days of his life.
Though after his return to Melita he took little part in the affairs of
the province outside his own area this was due to his devotion to his
task, to bring his very best to the case, comfort and
health of his people and to keep himself abreast of modem advances.
True to his type, he seldom used the knife, but left the surgical
treatment of his patients to those of his colleagues who were more
recently trained and more accustomed to the
art, but generations bless him for his skill in diagnosis, his wise
choice of treatment, and of his ever- gentle and diligent care. No
journey was too difficult for him, and pecuniary reward was his last
thought. In his association with those who succeeded each other in
sharing with him the medical service in Melita and southwestern
Manitoba he was, in all but
name, the very pattern of an elder partner.
For many years he held the appointments of Health Officer to Melita and
the Municipality of Arthur, of Coroner, and of Medical Officer to the
Canadian Pacific Railway. He was a member of the Anglican Church and
Sons of England.
Adapted from Our First Century, page 452
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