Francis Labee, the senior surgeon/barber-surgeon under whom Beddome trained for the medical profession appears to have been born around 1697 and died in 1755. He was probably a Huguenot ship’s-captain’s son. Beginning as a Baptist he became a Methodist. He appears to have taken on two apprentices after 1726 and apprenticed more over a 30 year period (1726-1754). His wife's name was Sarah Labee. Their son Francis junior was also a barber-surgeon. He was apprenticed to his father in 1741 and in 1746 became a surgeon’s mate on a privateer. He himself also taught students later on.
Besides Beddome and his son, Labee's other apprentices include
- The surgeon John Eaton
- The barber surgeon John Evans who began in 1735 and was discharged in 1737.
- The senior surgeon Abraham Ludlow, a Bristolian, in an informal arrangement from 1724. The payment was £20. He himself became a master. He died in 1753. His wife's name was Martha.
- The surgeon/surgeon-manmidwife Morgan Nicholas who was a Carmarthenshire gentleman. He began his apprenticeship in 1754. The payment was £50. His wife's name was Mary Gifford. He moved on to Bath.
Beddome's apprenticeship involved the payment of £26 5s.
Labee was also responsible for the training of Martha Powell as a midwife about 1752. She practised in the countryside until 1762 when she returned to Bristol.
