Fanny Potter 1832-1882

Fanny Potter is a name that should figure prominently in the history of podiatry. Not only was she the mother of one of the founders of the Society, Ernest Runting, but she was also a renowned and respected podiatrist in her own right. In fact, she was at the very height of her profession during the mid-nineteenth century, a podiatrist to nobility and royalty; and this included Queen Victoria.

The College’s archives have a collection of personal papers from the Runting family which include Fanny Potter’s 1849 Diary, photographs, as well as facsimiles of pages from her account books.

It is clear that Miss Potter/Mrs Runting's achievements in the field of podiatry were remarkable, particularly as other contemporary accounts show that podiatrists were not always held in great esteem. In fact, even Dickens lampooned the profession with his creation of Miss Mowcher in “David Copperfield.” Fanny’s success is perhaps even more remarkable as it took place during a time when women had few rights and hardly any were able to work in a professional capacity.  

Her legacy was indeed considerable as Miss Potter/Mrs Runting also founded a dynasty, having trained both her sons in the profession; and this ultimately led to the founding of the College.