Thomas Robertson R. N.,

Convict Ship Surgeon-Superintendent


Date of Seniority Royal Navy 14 April 1825

Thomas Robertson was appointed Assistant Surgeon in the Royal Navy on 9 July 1812 and Surgeon on 14 April 1825.

Qualifications

He is listed in the Medical Register 1865 - Residence Burnt Ash villas, Lee, Kent.

Qualifications Lic. Royal College Surgeons, Edinburgh 1812.

Surgeon Superintendent

He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on six convict ships to Australia:
A vivid and unflattering description of Thomas Robertson is included in the journal of Ensign Abel Dottin William Best of the 80th regiment who was a member of the Guard on the James Pattison in 1837 and met the surgeon when he first came on board at Deptford.....
The Surgeon' A raw boned sandy hair'd Sawney his appearance not by any means prepossessing; a kind of careworn countenance embellished with a small pair of grey eyes and a huge nose which I suppose nature intended for a Roman but the delicacy of its shape having been destroyed and its having a considerable inclination towards the left ear its effect is not good and it has the appearance of a handle to his whole person I strongly suspect that it has on some occasion been smashed, his disposition I should pronounce on so short an acquaintance to be a singular compound of easiness, obstinacy and peevishness, he has a wife at present on board and is anxious to arrive at Sheerness (I don't mean to insinuate) The name this animal rejoices in is Robertson. He is commanding officer. I will now introduce you to (in truth) his better half, one of the coarsest Irish women I ever met with, she is what a certain friend of ours would call a 'horrid great hog' of a woman she weighs I suppose 14 stone and has evidently a temper. I find some amusement in teasing her as she flares up like a flambeau. The subject is disagreeable & I shall dismiss it as I hope to dismiss her, shortly. She goes at Sheerness.[3]

Retirement

Thomas Robertson was on the list of retired surgeons in 1847[1]

Death

He died on 30 March 1867. [2]

Notes and Links

[1] New Navy List

[2] Australian Medical Pioneer Index Online

[3] 1966 - Best, A. D. W. The Journal of Ensign Best, 1837-1843 (Ed. N. M. Taylor) - VOYAGE OUT, p 72-143 - University of Auckland.

References

[1] Naval Chronicle

[2] Sydney Gazette 24 May 1826

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