William Ilbert Hancock FRCS (10 April 1873 – 26 January 1910) was an English ophthalmologist who worked as an assistant surgeon at the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital.
He had earlier served as Senior Assistant Surgeon and Pathologist for the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital.
His obituary in the British Medical Journal describes Hancock as genial and loyal, and predicted that "had he lived, would doubtless have taken a very prominent place in the profession.
[3] He also represented his county at tennis, and in his British Medical Journal obituary it is claimed that he would have gained international honours in rugby had it not been for a knee injury.
Initially the symptoms appeared to have faded, but the acute pain returned, and Hancock required an operation for appendicitis.