Dr William Kerr (1738-1824) founded medical education in Northampton and was the principal fundraiser for the hospital on Billing Road (Northampton General Hospital) which opened in 1793.

Dr Kerr practised at the hospital until he was 83, and died just 3 years later in 1824.

He lived at number 47 Sheep Street for a while and is believed he may have planted the Beech Tree which went on to become one of, if not the largest of it's kind in Europe at the time of its sad and recent demise in September 2007. More information on this tree (and photos) can be found in our guide to 'Britains Largest Beech Tree'.

In 2005 a new educational building was opened at the hospital and named the 'William Kerr Building' in his honor. The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson opened the site with new student accommodation which he said would "help put Northampton's hospital on the national training map and prompt an improvement in the quality of patient care.". It houses 45 students and a state-of-the-art library.

There is a portrait of Dr Kerr at the National Portrait Gallery by William Say, painted in 1813. A recent visit (27th October 2007) confirmed this image is in the archive and unfortunately not on display.