Sir Thomas Frederick Chavasse, FRCSE, FRCS (19 March 1854 – 17 February 1913) was an English surgeon, who learned the practice of antiseptic surgery from Joseph Lister in Edinburgh and remained an exponent of this technique throughout his career.

After graduation he spent six months in Vienna attending the clinic of Theodore Billroth, who, at that time, was pioneering the surgery of the abdomen.

Billroth's clinic attracted young surgeons from all over Europe and amongst Chavasse's fellow postgraduate students was an Edinburgh contemporary Dr (later Sir) George Andreas Berry.

From Vienna he continued his studies at the Charité in Berlin under Bernhard von Langenbeck the surgeon credited with establishing scientific surgery in Germany.

Spence was resolutely opposed to the practice of antiseptic surgery, which meant that  Chavasse had to be diplomatic about his enthusiasm for Listerian antisepsis.

[2] In 1878 Chavasse applied for the post of assistant surgeon at the Birmingham General Hospital, but to be appointed he needed to present his fellowship diploma.

Twenty-one years later he wrote to the then President, Sir Patrick Heron Watson expressing his thanks and donating a sum which the college used to buy the Chavasse Cup.

Their son, Arthur Ryland Chavasse MD (1887–1916), became a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was killed in World War I.