William Thornborough Hayward

William Thornborough Hayward was born in England on 26 June 1854, the son of William G. Hayward and Dionysia Hayward, née Barnes of  Reading, England. He was educated at King's and Queen's College of Ireland and at St. John's College, Hurstpierpoint.

In 1869 he entered the Royal Infirmary School of Medicine, Liverpool, and at the age of 15 passed the primary examination of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1872 he was a silver medalist in medicine, surgery, and pathology, and an exhibitioner at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. He was appointed assistant to a general practitioner in 1873 and qualified LRCPI and LM in 1874.

He arrived in Adelaide in October 1878, and married the following year. He practised at Riverton for four years, then they moved to Norwood. He was elected honorary physician to the Adelaide Hospital in 1885. In 1886, he was appointed lecturer in clinical medicine at the University of Adelaide, a position he held for 13 years, and lecturer in materia medica and therapeutics from 1888 to 1920. He represented the University on the Adelaide Hospital's board of management

In August 1915 he left with the Australian Army Medical Corps for England with the nominal rank of major, and he was appointed commanding officer of the Harefield Military Hospital, a position which he held for several years. He served with the Army to March 1918, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and in January 1918 made full colonel, then returned to Australia in February 1918.

He resumed his duties with the hospital and university in 1918, relinquishing his lectureships in 1920 to allow more time for his medical practice.