John Freke (1688–1756) became assistant surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1726. In 1727 the governors had decided that there was a requirement for some surgeons to be specialists, and Freke was appointed to deal with diseases of the eye, becoming the first ophthalmic surgeon. The same year, he was put in charge of the anatomical and surgical preparations, becoming the first curator of the hospital's Pathological Museum collection. He was appointed surgeon to the hospital in 1729, serving until 1755, and was a governor of the hospital from 1736 to 1756. Freke trained Edward Nourse who in turn trained Percivall Pott, and together with Pott he was instrumental in separating the profession of surgeon from that of barber. In 1745 the Company of Barber Surgeons were split by an Act of Parliament into two bodies at the request of surgeons including Freke and he became an establishing member of the Company of Surgeons.