▁do ctors , ▁E ps om ▁College . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁there ▁when , ▁at ▁four teen , ▁he ▁suffered ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁bel oved ▁mother . ▁He ▁later ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁train ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁B irmingham ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁qualified ▁phys ician . ▁He ▁met ▁his ▁wife ▁Jess ie ▁H ank inson ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁lod ging ▁at ▁Ed gb ast on ▁in ▁B irmingham ▁and ▁she ▁was ▁training ▁at ▁An st ey ▁College ▁of ▁Phys ical ▁Education , ▁then ▁hous ed ▁in ▁nearby ▁The ▁Le as ow es ▁( the ▁former ▁home ▁of ▁William ▁Sh en stone , ▁the ▁author ▁he ▁most ▁adm ired ). ▁ ▁He ▁started ▁medical ▁practice ▁on ▁the ▁steam ship ▁SS ▁K int uck , ▁on ▁a ▁long ▁voyage ▁to ▁the ▁Far ▁East . ▁He ▁returned ▁with ▁the ▁money ▁to ▁purchase ▁his ▁own ▁medical ▁practice ▁at ▁Cleveland ▁House , ▁B rix ham , ▁Dev on , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁secure ▁job , ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁secret ly ▁married ▁to ▁Jess ie ▁H ank inson ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁Jess ie ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁singer ▁and ▁he ▁accompanied ▁her , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁compos ing ▁two ▁sets ▁of ▁songs ▁for ▁her , ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 3 . ▁His ▁first ▁attempt ▁at ▁a ▁novel , ▁Under g row th , ▁was ▁a ▁collaboration ▁with ▁his ▁brother , ▁Eric . ▁