John Irving
This prelude to biography, slightly enlarged by subsequent research, was portion of a paper entailed "A Study of First Fleet Convicts," read at the monthly meeting of the society on August 25, 1953. The other parts was a general statement of the purpose and nature of the study and of methods of investigation and organization of data.
    This brief account of John Irving, the convict-surgeon who became Australian's first emancipist, is merely a prelude to biography. The general research on First Fleet convicts, from which these notes have been abstracted, is still in progress. Much source material has yet to be examined, and in all probability, from time to time, further details about Irving's life and work will be uncovered.
     He was convicted of larceny at lincoln on, March 6th 1784, and sentenced to transportation for seven years. Although in certain contemporary records he appears as Irving. It is alleged that he was also known as John Anderson and John Law. There is no evidence, however, to show that he used these aliases after embarkation. Certainly no question arises at any time about his identity.
     Recognition of the fact that he was "bred to surgery" seems to have prompted and official direction, soon  after embarkation, that he serve in a professional capacity on one of the First Fleet transports. On March 20th 1787, John Easty, a marine on the Scarborough, wrote in his diary: "I went on board (sic) the Lady Penrhyn (sic) with Ervin a convict to be a surgioens (sic) mate." This transfer seems to have escaped contractor Richard's notice. The return which he submitted on April 1st showed 206 male convicts on the Scarborough and none on the Lady Penrhyn. According to Major Ross, however on April 15th, these totals were 205 and one repectively, a disposition which remained constant in there  returns submitted on April 22, 26, 29th and on May 6th The first mention of Irving in these returns of convicts on board the various transports was in one submitted by Richards on April 26th,  "The Scarborough, " he wrote "had the number originally taken on board except John Irvine who is on board the Lady Penrhyn" confirmation of the fact that he was the one male convict still on the transport on May 6th is found in a footnote which Major Ross added to his return: "Lady Penrhyn (surgeon) 1 male." On that date there were 101 female convicts and five children on the Lady Penrhyn.
On March 6th 1784 John Irving was at the Lincoln Castle, he was charged with stealng a Silver Goblet from Frances Clark, widow (as reported in the Nottingham Journal dated March 13 1784, it is possible that it was a student prank as John was by all accounts a medical student which has not yet been confirmed) he received a sentence of seven years transportation to Australia. The following is the Journal Proceeding of the Royal Australian Historical Society Vol 40, 1954 (pages  316 - 331) In this we get a bit of insight into what John Irving went through, and how he handle the long trip from Scotland to Australia.
According to the log-book of the Lady Penrhyn, John Altree embarked as surgeon to the convicts on March 11th, 1787. Shortly afterwards he contracted "a fever of the putrescent [variety], and on  April 3rd was sent on shore "to sick quarters" Aurthur Bowes, of the Lady Penrhyn, surgeon to the ship's company, visited Altree at Ryde on April 6th and found him "dangerously [ill] taking medicine of Mr.White's prescribing." On April 27th, however he was able to return on board "perfectly recovered." Apparently Irving acted as surgeon's mate during Mr Altree's illness and for a short time after his return to duty. There does not appear to be any record of the work he did during this period.  On April 13th, surgeon Balmain "deliver'd one of the convict women on board the Lady Penrhyn of a boy"  probably Irving acted as his assistant. Further, on April 15th , Elizabeth Bruce "fell from the forecastle and broke her right leg just at he the articulation of the ankle." The records do not disclose who treated her, but Bowes said that on April 9th he "atttended (at request of Mr Balmain) on the women w[it]h the fractrued leg and removed the bandaged and dressed it up again." If Irving treated Elizabeth Bruce, Balmain may have desired another opinion of his competence, On the other hand, if Balmain himself had attended to her, and for some reason could not see her on April 19th, it rather seems that Irving  was not required to treat Patients.
      He may have been transferred merely to relieve Altree of certain purely routine duties. Curiously enough, neither Bowes nor the master of the transport mentioned him in any connexion. A measure of doubt exists about his placement in the fleet on the date of sailing. In a footnote to his return of April 26th, contractor Richards wrote " As a surgeon is now appointed for the Lady Penrhyn, it is reported that John Irvine will be placed in the Prince of Wales there being at present no surgeon on board." But nothing seems to have come of this proposal, The Prince of Wales sailed with a complement of 50 female convicts, more over it reliance is placed on the registers kept by Bowes and Clark, Irving did not sail on the Lady Penrhyn or on the Friendship. In all probability he was one of three convicts added to the Scarborough's complement of 205 between May 6th and May 13th. It is reasonable to assume that, when his services were no longer required on the Lady Penrhyn, he was returned to the transport on which he embarked originally.
     There is no conlusive evidence that he was employed professionally on the voyage, although certain references suggest rather strongly that he was. Collins, for example, referred to his "example conduct and meritorious behaviour both in this country and on the passage to it." Ordinarily the terms "conduct" and "behaviour" have much the same significance. But, when both terms are used in a common setting, and further, when each is specifically qualified, it is reasonable to assume that the writer desires to convey two distinct ideas. On the other hand, Irving conducted himself in exemplary fashion. The suggestion is that, in the daily round, his reations were praiseworthy. On the other hand, he behaved meritoriously. The suggestion is that he did certain things which distinguished him. His "meritorious behaviour...... in this country" was undoubtedly his work as an assistant to the surgeons. Perhaps Collins meant to imply that he worked in similar capacity "on the passage." Moreover, the fact that he was employed as an assistant at the hospital at Sydney Cove "since our landing" seems to indicate continuity of service.
Lady Penrhyn
Irving Clan
John Irving - part 2
The First Australian Emancipist - By A.J. Gray, B.A
Sydney Cove 1785
   There is, to an entry in the log-book of transport Alexander, which may be significant "August 14th 1781, an order to issue to the convict-surgeon two pairs trowsers (sic) etc." Perhaps this special issue was made in recognition of a service he was performing, or was about to perform. At the time the fleet was anchored at Rio the fact that the order was given to the master of the Alexander rather suggest that, if Irving was not already on board, he was about to be transferred to her.
     Whether or not he rendered professional service during the voyage, it is certain that he was employed, from the data of landing, as an assistant at the hospital at Sydney Cove. In the matter of his employment, however, Watson wrote under a definite misapprehension "The First Fleet," he wrote "carried a complete medical staff, one surgeon, three assistants and one junior had been appointed to remain as the medical staff of the infant colony. They held their commissions direct from the crown.... The First principal surgeon was John White, whose office carried a salary of $182/10 - per annum, and he has as assistant William Balwin, Thomas Arndell and Dennis Considen, at a salary of $91/5/- each, and a junior, John Irving, at $50." Certain obvious errors in this statement call for correction. The First Fleet did not carry "a complete medical staff, one surgeon on each transport." There was no surgeon on the Prince of Wales and, had it not been for Bowes co-operation, there would have been none for the convicts on the Lady Penrhyn. John Irving was not "appointed to remain as [one of] the medical staff of the infant colony." He certainly did not hold a commission "direct for the crown." He was a convict. As to his salary, although Phillip made two requests that he be paid an allowance, it was not until September 7th, 1975, a few days after his death, that Hunter arrived with his appointment as "assistant to the surgeon with a salary of fifty pounds per annum."
     Although, in Dr Hankin's phrase, sickness on the voyage was "inconsiderable." the landing had scarcely been effected when the hospital tents, erected close to the shore on the western side of the Cove, were "filled with patients afflicted with the true camp dysentery and scurvy." Surgeon White said that "moree pitiable objects were perhaps never seen," and that "not a comfort or convenience could be be got for them besides the very few we had with us." The ":very few" it should be pointed out, did not include blankets or sheets. Moreover, many of the drugs supplied in England had deteriorated on the voyage, and essential items of hospital diet were in lamentably short supply. Very fortunately certain plants, which grew profusely around Sydney Cove - for example the native Sarsaparilla- were found to be of sevice to the sick.
     Peron at later date, was misinformed when he alleaged that a hospital, capable of accommodationg all the sick of the First Fleet, had been brought in frame from England. The only building brought out in frame was a small canvas house for the Governor. The erection of wooden huts to replace the over crowed tents was commenced without delay, but progress was slow. At the end of June, White was convinced "that living in tents as the rainy season has commenced, is truly uncomfortable and likely to give a server trail to the strongest and most robust constitution." No specific reference to Irving's hospital duties had yet been discovered. Perhaps he was considered an apprentice. In any case, being a convict, he was probably required to do much of the purely routine work. Yet he has ample opportunity to extend his knowledge and perhaps to develop his skill. Accident and sickness rates were high, and generally the resources of the hospital were taxed. He may have been on duty, for example, on the evening of May 21st, 1788, when William Ayres, a convalescent who had been permitted to go to gather "sweet tea" was brought to the hospital in a weak condition with a barbed spear "stiking in his loins....  so very fast that it would admit of no motion." It was only after "dilating the wound to a considerable length and deptht" that surgeon White was able "with some diffidulty" to extract it. And then too, as a variation in the routine of hospital work, he may have been involved in the care of Daniel Gordon, who appeared to Judge-Advocate Colins to suffer from "a derangement of intellect," when summoned on August 20th, 1789, to answer a charge of stealing, he seemed "so wild and incoherent" that surgeon White was directed to examine him. His opinion was "that the man's pulse very stongly indicated either a delilrium of intoxication." Eventually he was admitted to hospital, the court have ruled that he "was not in a state of mind to be put upon his trial."
     Apparently Irving's duties, as an assistant at the hospital, were not exclusively professional. On August 30th, 1788, he appeared as a witness when Nathaniel Mitchell was charged before the magistrates, Collins and Hunter, "of making  use of the Pease (sic) and Beans that were sent out to him to sow at Mr.Whites ground." Irving deposed that Mr White had sent him on the previous afternoon to investigate, and that Mitchell had admitted to him that he had cooked some of the bean seeds. His evidence was accepted apparently without question.
Scarborough
    During the first two years at Sydney Cove, the surgeons found Irving "a very useful man" so useful in fact, that on February 28th 1790, Phillip appointed him to the civil establishment as assistant to the surgeons. It is resonable to assume that in so doing he acted on the advice or, at least with the concurrence of the Principal Surgeon. Presumably, on the basis of observation of his work, extending over two years, the surgeons believed that he was professionally competent. He may even have been given somekind of test, although, in the present state of our knowledge, the honour of gaining the first medical diploma issued in Australia seems rightly to belong to William Redfern. The Certificate which was awarded to him, on the basis of  examination was dated September 1st 1808. In the matter of his compentence, no particular significance may attach to the views of a layman, but at least it is interesting to note that Ralph Clark, in whose eyes very few of the convicts found merit, expressed the view that Irving was "the best surgeon amongest them."   
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