William Blair-Bell FRCS (28 September 1871 in Rutland House, New Brighton[1] – 25 January 1936 in Shrewsbury) was a British medical doctor and gynaecologist who was most notable as the founder of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1929.

[2] Blair-Bell was considered the greatest gynaecologist of the 20th century, raising it from what was then a branch of general surgery into a separate medical specialism.

[1] In 1905 Blair-Bell was appointed to a position as assistant consulting gynocologist at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, working as a surgeon, in the outpatient department[4] and as a gynaecologist to the Wallasey Cottage Hospital.

The GVS was organised as a club, with members being elected by strict ballot, based on professional ability and character, with two meetings a year.

In October 1924, Shaw met with Blair-Bell at a rough shooting meet in the North Lancashire fells[6] to discuss the idea and persuade him of its merits.

The GVS were enthused by the idea, and a committee was formed by Shaw, Blair-Bell, Maclean and several others to draw up a detailed plan.

To circumvent this entrenched resistance, the committee decided to establish the college as a limited company with possible special dispensation to remove the Ltd part from the name - but proved this problematic.

[5] It having taken almost four years to form, the college it was founded on 26 August 1929, with Blair-Bell as its president (holding that role until 1932), Fletcher Shaw as Honorary Secretary, and Comyns Berkeley as the treasurer.

[6] Blair-Bell was made Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania and was an honorary member of obstetric and gynaecological societies in Belgium and the United States.

[4] Those who knew him considered him to be difficult, ruthless, overbearing and complex,[1] but also lucid and interesting,[1] with his achievements outweighing any failings.

After he turned up a day early, Professor Henry Briggs made the bon mot "Bell, you are an abortion, you are here before your time".

[1] When this proved fruitless, Blair-Bell started to experiment with the use of Lead as a treatment, assuming that as an abortifacient, it could reduce or inhibit the growth of cancer.