Henry Theodore Dreschfeld was born in 1866 at Chorlton, the son of Leopold Dreschfeld, born in Germany and a well-known Manchester physician, and Henriette Drescheld (nee Blum).

Henry was educated at Manchester Grammar School and gained a scholarship which took him to Tettenhall College, Wolverhampton. He was interested in boxing and a few years before his death presented Manchester Grammar School with a trophy for an annual competition.

Henry entered the Faculty of Medicine of Owen’s College, Manchester in 1885, qualifying in 1893 with a License in Dental Surgery (L.D.S). He was Rugby Football captain and secretary of the Athletic Union.

Henry was also an active member of the Jewish Lads’ Brigade, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In 1895 Henry married Jessie Mindele Frankenburg, the daughter of Alderman Isidor Frankenburg, who was a Justice of the Peace, at Manchester Synagogue, Park Place, Manchester.

They had six children. By the start of the First World War the family were living at Broom Lane in Higher Broughton, Manchester.

Henry had an illustrious medical career. He was appointed as a lecturer in Dental Surgery and as a Consulting Surgeon at The Manchester Dental Hospital and became a leading advocate of dental hygiene and the importance of dental care to the wider health of the population.

He promoted dental care for children and insisted that encouraging the young to use toothbrushes and wooden toothpicks and ensuring visits by dentists to schools were key to improving dental health.

In 1907, at the annual conference of the British Dental Association in Cardiff, he presented a paper in which he compared the chemical make-up of some common tooth fillings and his experiences in using them.

At the same association’s conference in Belfast in 1908 he gave a demonstration on the preparation of cavities, mixing cements, how to fill teeth, and the use of combination fillings, followed by a series of experiments of different cements under conditions found in the mouth.

Henry served on the Manchester Committee of the Jewish Board of Guardians for over 20 years and was President of the Jewish Operatic Society.

He was also Governor of the Salford Royal Technical Institute and was involved with a number of other charitable bodies.

In 1895 Henry joined the 8th (Ardwick) Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, a territorial unit, and in 1896 wrote “Handbook of musketry for the use of volunteers”.

When war came in 1914, Henry was given a captaincy in the 13th (Service) Battalion. In November 1914 the battalion moved to Eastbourne for training. Sadly, Henry didn’t have the opportunity to put his training to use in the front line.

In February 1916 he was taken ill with appendicitis and he died on the 16th February following an operation. He was 47 years old.

At his funeral officers of the Jewish Lads’ Brigade acted as pall-bearers.

The magazine of Manchester Grammar School on writing of his death described him as “a highly gifted man who, to the qualities of geniality, good nature, and keen humour, added indomitable will and energy”.

Henry Dreschfeld is commemorated at Whitefield British Jews Cemetery in Greater Manchester. Henry is also commemorated on the World War 1 Memorial Board at Manchester Grammar School; on the University of Manchester War Memorial in the University’s Main Quadrangle; and the Tettenhall College War Memorial, Wolverhampton.