Hal London . . . the Doctor, the Musician, the Historic Home Renovator

Submitted by Karen Thompson

Features Reporter

April 9, 2015 5:10 p.m.

Dr. Hal London is a man of many talents. He’s an emergency medicine doctor in Florida and Georgia, he teaches advanced trauma life support at Shands in Jacksonville and he has opened London Medical Spa in downtown Fernandina Beach where he practices aesthetic medicine.

But that’s not all. Dr. London, fondly known around town as the “ RocDoc,” plays the drums in two local bands: Dr. Soul and The Music Crafters. His latest passion has been restoring the historic Lohman House, 19 S. Sixth Street, built in 1880. Dr. London is a busy man.

Dr. London grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. After graduating from college and medical school he joined the U.S. Air Force where he received his emergency medical training. Board certified in emergency medicine, Dr. London has been practicing since 1988. He moved to Fernandina Beach in 2002, after falling in love with Amelia Island on vacation.

After becoming certified in aesthetic medicine in 2012, he opened London Medical Spa. He offers the latest physician-only, anti-aging cosmetic treatments including wrinkle and line reducers, dermal fillers, chemical peels, leg vein treatment, earlobe repair and minor surgeries. The Doc says aesthetic medicine allows him to combine his emergency medicine and surgical experience with his passion for the arts and beauty. Like physicians of a by-gone era, London’s medical practice is attached to his home. But, with its crystal chandeliers and Victorian furnishings it doesn’t look like the typical doctor’s office; it truly has an elegant spa feeling.

The “RocDoc” started drumming at the young age of 5 when his grandmother bought him his first drum set. He credits his mom, a former ballet dancer, for his artistic talent. He went on to play in high school bands, the school orchestra and in rock bands at the Jersey Shore. For years he was the regular drummer with Davis and Pam Turner at the former O’Kane’s and was drummer for the popular Honey Badgers who, until they disbanded recently, played often around the island. Now, on most Wednesday and Saturday nights you can hear the “RocDoc” at the Green Turtle with Dr. Soul and The Music Crafters playing improvisational soul, jazz, funk, and rock music.

Dr. London bought the Lohman House last year and has finished restoring it to its former elegance with refinished original heart pine floors, three magnificent fireplaces, chandeliers and period furniture. From research he gathered the house was built by Warren Scott in 1880 for J. Frederick Lohman, one of seven siblings that came from Germany and settled on or near Amelia Island. Lohman was in the dry goods business and had a store located at the corner of Sixth and Ash. Today that building is a hardware store.

The Lohman House originally stood on the southeast corner of Centre and Sixth where the antique shop is now located and next to a movie theatre called The Ritz. After Mr. Lohman died, his widow sold the house to a Mr. J.M. Askins. Although some of the history is not clear Mr. Askins may have purchased the Lohman dry goods store and expanded it to create Askin’s grocery store at the same location in 1938.

In the early 1950s a Mr. Setzer wanted to buy the property. He didn’t really want the house, he wanted the lot on Centre Street to build Setzer’s Supermarket. Askins sold the lot to Mr. Setzer and moved the house, at a cost of $1200, to its present location at 19 S. Sixth Street. The house was sold to Lelia and Raymond Ketchum in the 1950s and in 2000 the house was sold to its fourth owner.

Dr. London, the fifth owner, bought the house at a foreclosure auction last year. He was aware that the historic home was structurally in great condition but needed attention since it had sat empty for several years. On his first walk-through he found something that was unsettling and comforting at the same time.

While exploring the homes on the day of purchase London found a broom closet in the old kitchen. He opened the closet door and found carvings on the inside of the door that sent shivers down his spine and a mysterious welcome to the house. Carved into the back of the closet were the initials RK + GK + HAL, XMAS 1959, Lelia + Raymond 28th. Sound normal? Not really. What a curious coincidence that Hal London was born on Dec. 28, 1959. Despite the intrigue, he calls the move right, the house welcoming and the renovation a labor of love.

If anyone has more information on the Lohman House, Dr. London would like to hear from you at londonmedicalspa@gmail.com . If you’re curious about London Medical Spa the Web site is www.londonmedicalspa.com.

Editor's Note: Karen moved to Fernandina Beach two years ago after working in Chicago as a senior public relations specialist for the Midwestern regional office of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to that, she was an editor, columnist and writer for a chain of Chicago newspapers , an account executive for several Chicago public relations agencies and proprietor of her own pr/marketing business. She grew up and earned her journalism degree in Wisconsin.