James Barry's legacy: 200th anniversary of the first successful caesarean section and a tale of three cities

Born in Cork as Margaret Ann Bulkley, James Barry adopted a male identity to attend the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1812 with a medical degree when women were barred from study. As a distinguished army surgeon, Barry moved to Cape Town in 1816, serving as Colonial Medical Inspector and improving healthcare for both soldiers and civilians. In 1826, Barry performed the first recorded Caesarean section by a European physician in Africa where both mother and child survived, a milestone in surgical history. Upon Barry's death in 1865, it was discovered that Barry had been assigned female at birth, challenging 19th-century gender norms. 

This international conference will celebrate Barry’s impact across Cork, Edinburgh, and Cape Town - three cities central to Barry’s story. The event will reflect on milestones in reproductive research and gender in medicine, with contributions from the University of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, and a reading from Hilary Spiers' play about James Barry, called ‘A Singular Deception’.

Details of how to book, speakers, etc., will follow shortly.