Celebrating the extraordinary life of Edward Tull-Warnock

Edward was born in 1886, in Folkestone. His father, Daniel Tull, was a carpenter, and came to Folkestone, Kent, in the mid-1800s arriving from Barbados, where his parents were born into slavery on the plantations. Daniel married a local farm worker’s daughter, Alice Palmer, and they had a number of children including Edward.

Edward experienced adversity at a young age when his mother, Alice, died of cancer when he was 9, and his father died two years later of a heart attack. In the absence of any welfare state, Edward and his younger brother Walter were admitted to Dr Stephenson’s Children’s Home in Bethnal Green, London. Edward sang in the Children’s Home choir that toured the country to raise funds. A Glasgow couple – the Warnocks - saw him when he visited Glasgow and decided to adopt him. Mr James Warnock was a dentist.

The Warnocks ensured Edward had the best education at Allan Glens School, and he then trained in dentistry – becoming one of the first Black professionally-qualified dentists in the UK. 

He remained in close contact with his brother Walter, who was one of England’s football's first Black players, playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town. He also enlisted in the British Army and would become its first ever black officer to command white troops.

From family records and recollections, we know that Edward took his work very seriously and had pride in his professionalism. He started his training at the Glasgow Dental Hospital in 1906 and is described as having been an outstanding student. He went on to study anaesthesia at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and graduated with a Licentiate in Dental Surgery (LDS) in 1910. 

Edward returned to work with his father in Glasgow and then found a post in Aberdeen, eventually returning to take over the practice in Glasgow, extending it to include a surgery in Girvan.

He is first entered onto the Dentist Register in 1913.

We do know from family papers that Edward believed in the preventative approach. He strongly advocated the importance of diet in relation to good dental health. He recognised that the ‘modern’ invention of confectionery was a major contributor to poor dental health. He also promoted the benefits of simple good regular dental hygiene, combined with routine checks, as important preventative measures. 

He was a firm believer that the cost of regular dental check-ups was likely to be less than the eventual cost of extraction, fillings or making plates, perhaps an indicator of his later support for a National Health Service. One of Edward’s recollections was that children would be sent to his surgery with sixpence and a message from their parents to extract as many teeth as sixpence would allow.

Edward was a keen and successful sportsman. He played football at a serious level, playing for Ayr Parkhouse and Girvan Athletic. He was also a member of Turnberry Golf Club and won a number of trophies. 

Edward was a devout Methodist, an excellent singer and led the choir at his local church. He was known to enjoy life and his grandson, Ed recalls:

"One of the strongest themes in the many and varied letters of condolence following his death was that he was a person who always brightened the lives of others – people felt benefit and pleasure from being in his company, he was a person of great energy and fun.” 

Edward believed that fun and family were important, as explained by his granddaughter, Pat:

“My grandad died when I was nearly 5 years old. I remember fun and laughter, mainly in Girvan where we went on holiday.  Sunshine, sweet peas in the garden, buckets and spades and playing on the beach. Safety, love and fun were what grandad meant to me.”