PREFACE

This is the true and untold story of Thomas Graham, a British Royal Navy surgeon, born in 1818 in Ecclefechan, Scotland, who succumbed to malaria in 1850 in Whampoa, China. He was a remarkably determined, resilient, delightfully good-humoured young man who, through perseverance and excellence, achieved much during his short lifetime. As the author of Thomas' story, I have been inspired by his strength of character, his acceptance of the harsh realities he often encountered on a daily basis, his basic decency and his ability to write beautifully.

The background to this research started in 1978 at my stamp shop in Hobart, Tasmania, in Australia. An elderly gentleman wishing to fund his drinking habit offers some 1840 Great Britain Penny Black stamps for sale. He had removed them from envelopes and was crestfallen when told they were worth more on the envelopes. The gentleman's identity and the provenance of the letters were not known, as I had recently arrived from interstate. This was the very reason the material came to me, rather than other stamp shops owned by locals. It was not until many years later I discovered the family letters were not the gentleman's to sell.

However, a steady supply of material ensued and the now-intact letters passed on to collectors. These were specialists interested in English Postal History, who study postal markings, i.e. hand stamps and endorsements, rather than the actual postage stamps. As the letters came in, they swiftly went to these avid collectors and have therefore been preserved. After some time, I chanced to read some of the letters and recognised the author had a remarkable gift of expression, was extraordinarily insightful, and offered first-hand accounts of contemporary events.

I then realised that these letters, the bulk of which were written between 1840 and 1850, had considerable content significance, in addition to any philatelic value, and I stopped disposing of them. Although mainly written by Thomas, some were written to him. Many were what are termed as "entires", meaning the letter itself was a folded sheet, sealed with wax and addressed on the reverse side. Some were "hatched", that is, written in two directions on the same sheet of paper and often on both sides of the sheet. This was because of the high cost of postage, especially from overseas, and the cost of writing materials at the time.

In all, over 500 letters and documents form the basis of this research and story. Some have been retrieved, others copies from collections, still others copied from letters remaining with the original seller's family. One letter was purchased from a stamp dealer in Toronto, Canada. Two student medical diaries were found amongst descendant family papers in an Australian country town. One of Thomas' daily diaries was located in the Wellcome Trust Library in London, another in the Fryer Library in the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Other documents relating to Thomas's estate were located in Perth, Scotland. All original material is now held at the Wellcome Library in London and is thus preserved for permanent public examination.

In a letter to his beloved sister Catherine on 8th September 1843, he mentions he kept "a private journal since I joined the service", so there exists a continuous account of his travels and thoughts until his tragic death on 13th July 1850, just two weeks after receiving notification of his long awaited promotion to ships surgeon.

The significance of Thomas' observations is often seen in relation to events he witnessed or in which he was a participant. In particular, his letters from Ireland, during 1846 to 1848 at the height of the Great Famine, are of special merit. He wrote from the H.M.S. Madagascar, an armed stores ship berthed at the Royal Naval Base at Tarbert at the mouth of the Shannon River. These are thought to be the only accounts known and provide historians with a wealth of new insights into this sad time. His compassion, in tending to the sick peasantry, at his own behest, was noted by his commanders in references given to him. His spirituality was the wellspring that dominated his being.

Thomas visited many countries in his short naval career and provided graphic descriptions of places and events occurring at that time. His entire career was under sail, principally on the H.M.S. Warspite 1841-1846, H.M.S. Madagascar 1846-1848 and H.M.S. Apollo 1849-1850.

An endearing aspect of Thomas' writings is his understanding of human frailties and the need to accommodate differences in others to make shipboard life bearable. His empathy and spirituality is continually shown when he comments on deaths of his relatives and friends. It would seem his strong religious beliefs sustained him at all times. Perhaps the words of Psalm 107: "They go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters. These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep", were the touchstones during his life?

More of Thomas' correspondence is believed to be in public and private hands, and it is hoped by this publication some more material will come to light.

That the letters survived for a hundred years after Thomas' death, and then found a researcher on the other side of the world to record his life, is only one intriguing facet of "The Thomas Graham Story".

Further information will be found on www.thomasgrahamwritings.com.

Chapter One

Thomas Graham was born in 1818, in the small Scottish village of Ecclefechan, one hundred miles south of Edinburgh, where his father was a merchant. This village was notable for being the birthplace of Thomas Carlyle, the famous Victorian author, who became known as the "Sage of Ecclefechan". His parents, and several brothers and sisters, had died by the time he was eight years old, leaving Thomas in the care of his twenty nine year old sister Catherine, who assumed the role of parent/guardian, responsible for his upbringing and education.

He attended the village school, from where, in 1830, at the age of twelve, he left to become a boarder at the Carlaeverock Grammar School, twelve miles away, on the northern shore of the Solway Firth. In 1834 he began his medical studies in Edinburgh, where, four years later, aged twenty, he qualified at the Royal College of Surgeons. Also, having completed a thesis on gunshot wounds, he received a M.D. from Edinburgh University. He then joined his brother, Dr. William Graham, in his medical practice at Longtown in Cumbria twelve miles east of Ecclefechan, where he was to remain for two years.

Opportunities for graduate Scottish doctors in the 1840s were limited, unless they came from a wealthy or connected background. Thomas had neither background, so choices for a medical career were few. His options would have been to work in a hospital and eventually go into private practice, or join the services. Perhaps he was inspired by his seafaring uncle who was also named Thomas Graham and served with Nelson. He had in fact been fortunate to work in his brother's Longtown practice, so had the experience of that life, but opted for a different and much more exciting career.

Longtown was unusual, in being a "company" town, purpose built as part of the large land holdings and commercial enterprises, known to this day as the Netherby Estates. It was owned by the powerful Graham family (no relation) headed by Sir James Graham M.P. Sir James was a man of considerable influence, having held the position of First Lord of The Admiralty and, it was he who wrote a reference for Thomas to Sir William Burnett, The Inspector General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets, recommending him for a naval career.

Early on Christmas Day 1840, with great expectation and excitement, Thomas travelled to London to apply to join the Royal Navy. Thomas had left his brother William's home, in Longtown, in darkness, travelled by coach to the bustling town of Carlisle and thence again by coach to the northern rail terminus at Lancaster on the west coast of England. From there he travelled by train to London, arriving in darkness at what is now Euston Station, at 5.00am on Boxing Day, his journey having covered some 300 miles. It was undoubtedly Thomas' first visit to London, a huge, dirty, bustling city with a population of two million. A vastly larger city than the two others he had visited of Edinburgh and Glasgow, each having a population of less than a quarter of a million.

For Thomas, the eleventh and youngest child of deceased parents, to have qualified as a doctor and to be able to apply for a commission in the Royal Navy was in itself a considerable achievement. He was greatly assisted by Catherine who became the dominant figure in his life.

Letters he wrote to her during his school years in the early 1830s until his death in July 1850, are the basis of this story. Thomas' letters to Catherine- and other correspondence sent to Thomas and preserved by Catherine- found their way to Tasmania in the 1950s as part of an estate.

On arrival in London, Thomas "saw an omnibus to the Bull and Mouth and got into it and went to that inn". Later in the morning he presented his credentials at Royal Navy headquarters at Somerset House where it was suggested he might find accommodation at "lodgings as generally occupied by Naval Medical men. After looking at them I took a room for 9/- a week, coal 6d. a scuttle full, breakfast & tea 10d. each and 1/- per week for cleaning boots - candles according to the number burnt."

Thus he informed sister Catherine on the evening of his arrival, commenting:

The next two days were spent studying before he attended an examination on Monday 28th December. On Saturday 2nd January 1841 "having passed a very respectable examination" he was appointed as a Supernumerary Assistant Surgeon to do duty at Melville Hospital, Chatham, Kent, some 30 miles from London. He took up his position there on Wednesday 6th January and remained at Melville Hospital until joining H.M.S. Warspite in Portsmouth in September 1841.

Although the qualifications for surgeons in the Royal Navy and Army were basically identical, the social and professional rank was not. An Army doctor was immediately considered an officer and a gentleman, whereas his Navy counterpart was considered a much lesser being. A naval doctor would normally have had to endure eight to fifteen years of very difficult, dangerous and unrewarding labour, often on half or no pay, before he became a ships surgeon. Only then did he acquire true professional status and the appropriate rewards in salary, and in having his own quarters. Prior to this, assistant surgeons were accommodated in a general mess with neither privacy nor facilities to study.

Army doctors enjoyed a much better existence, in better accommodation, with opportunities to study, higher salaries and greater prospects for advancement, compared to a naval doctor. In Essence the difference in position amounted to class. An army doctor was expected to have his own funds to pay the cost of mess fees, something a person of Thomas' background could not afford. These fees were an integral and essential part of army life.

A naval doctor had to serve his time to achieve comparable status. As a result, in Thomas' era, only one in ten assistant surgeons ever became a ships surgeon. This situation prevailed despite numerous efforts to place army and naval surgeons on a similar footing. An Order in Council of January 1805 attempted to rectify many of the disparities between the two services, but very little change occurred, despite rigorous efforts by Sir William Burnett. Again, in 1839 Sir William gave evidence before a naval inquiry headed by the Duke of Wellington, but little came of his earnest efforts to bring the two medical services to parity.

Whether Thomas was fully aware of the disadvantages of a naval medical career is not known. It is possible that his sponsor, Sir James Graham, being aware of Sir William Burnett's representations to authorities to improve the lot of ships surgeons, encouraged Thomas to pursue a naval career. It is reasonable to assume that he had an inkling of what he might encounter.

However, with the optimism of youth, belief in his own capabilities and the prospect of exciting foreign travel, he probably thought the prevailing conditions would improve and in the meantime he would accept the situation and associated challenges. Conditions did improve, but not in any way to assist Thomas. In fact, when one reviews his service record and the glowing recommendations he received, one can be convinced that his sheer doggedness prevailed and the authorities, when they eventually promoted him in June 1850, could no longer reasonably deny him his due.

With the passing of years, it is apparent he had given deep thought to his choice of career. In a rather wistful comment, he quotes, at the beginning of his diary for the period 1st February to 29th December 1845, the words of Washington Irving in his book Bracebridge Hall:

In 1845 when Thomas quoted the above, he was only 27 years of age. He had a lifetime in front of him, been in the Navy for four years, had survived harsh and lonely conditions and thrived. To return to any land-based position at that time would not have been possible, as he was in the third year of a four and half year posting on H.M.S. Madagascar in the Mediterranean. He enjoyed his adventures, and could anticipate promotion and further exciting times.

Thomas thoroughly enjoyed the first nine months of his naval career in 1841 at Melville Hospital, and had no difficulty adapting to hospital life and the accommodation provided. He had been at boarding school before going to Edinburgh to study in 1834, so being away from home and caring for himself was nothing new. He relished the responsibilities and duties of his position and his letters indicate his growing maturity. At the same time, he is easing into the life of a service officer in a large town hosting a variety of naval and military enterprises. His letters speak of his daily routine and his enthusiasm.

At Melville he came under the influence of a much older and more experienced ships surgeon, Dr. William Rae (later Sir William Rae (1786-1873), Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets) who was in charge of the hospital. Dr. Rae and Thomas, notwithstanding their differences in age and position, became firm friends. Dr. Rae appears to have become Thomas' lifelong mentor and champion. Dr. Rae was married but had no children, nor other family, and one gets the impression that Thomas filled a void in Dr. Rae's life. At one stage he is the sole assistant to Dr. Rae and is caring for 143 patients. He comments, "it is rather too hard duty for one person". Subsequently he expresses, "being most confined to Hospital I have no news to communicate".

Other assistant surgeons come and go to postings on ships, however it is obvious Thomas is recognised as being very competent. So much so, after nearly six months with Dr. Rae, he informs Catherine, "the Doctor has written Sir William Burnett not to send me away as they cannot do without me. That at least is a little flattering so far as it goes, and I shall consequently get my time here considerably lengthened". This is the case, and he remains at Melville Hospital until September 1841, much later than was originally anticipated.

Chapter Two

As Thomas settled into the routine of living in barracks he maintained constant contact with his family and takes delight in sharing his new experiences with sister Catherine, brother William and William's wife, Jane, often alternating letters to them knowing these will be shared. He was particularly devoted to Catherine, and often assures her of his appreciation for all her loving care and his upbringing. It is interesting he never addresses her by name but rather, "My Dear Sister", and always closes, "Your Affectionate Brother Thos. Graham".

It is during this Melville period when Thomas' special gift of expression becomes more apparent.

His comments on communication with others are beautifully illustrated when he writes on 26 June 1841 to Catherine:

This sentiment is repeated in various forms throughout his life to both family and friends. He is a gifted communicator and his fluency is given full expression in his letters. At the same time, he is writing poetry and later in his career he includes competent drawings in his letters and diaries.

Another aspect of Thomas' character, evident from earliest letters, is his keen sense of humour and the ability to laugh at himself. At no time does he seem to take himself too seriously nor be pompous. He comes across generally as a warm person, conscious of his position and responsibilities, but joining in shipboard activities such as, "the crossing the equator ceremony" and exploring the places he visits in company with his shipmates.

His gratitude to Catherine is shown practically in his letter of the 8th July 1841 when he states:

This letter was answered by Catherine, who obviously was concerned he was leaving himself short of funds and would also welcome various items sent to him. Thomas' response was typically endearing:

An indication of the esteem in which Thomas was subsequently held, and his acceptance by his shipboard peers occurred when his personal desk was stolen from the ship on which he was serving in 1843. It was eventually recovered, and thirteen crew members, mostly senior to himself, signed a petition to The Lords Commissioners of The Admiralty confirming Thomas' story that the desk had been stolen by a senior officer. This would have required a deal of courage by Thomas and the petitioners.

Courage was an oft-evident part of Thomas' character. He did not shy away from expressing forceful opinions at variance with convention, nor resile from acting unconventionally when he deemed it necessary. An incidence of this was his unthinkable visitations to the hovels of starving peasants in Ireland at the height of the Great Famine (1846-1848) when he was based at Tarbert on board a navy store ship. Perhaps this was part of his Scottish heritage. He was willing to try to address what he considered to be injustices, or failings of the system. In the late 1840s he was a forthright protagonist for better conditions for assistant ships surgeons, writing anonymously to service publications.

Thomas' perception of the reality of class, influence and politics of advancement is scathingly covered in his letter of 8th July 1841 concerning a subscription to Sir William Burnett. Sir William was already a wealthy man, having patented various medicinal products and providing them to the Royal Navy whilst still serving as a very senior officer. Apparently no conflict of interest was considered!

Thomas describes the subscription proposal as follows:

Thomas' disdain for this type of fawning behaviour is often manifested during his life. He is his own man. He would have been viewed by his staid and regimented superiors as a radical, somebody to be wary of, rather than a subservient, 'yes sir no sir' type of time-server who would patiently wait for his advancement.

Thomas' medical knowledge and experience was comparatively wider than many of his contemporaries of the same age in the navy. He was born and bred in the country and subsequently based in a rural practice where he would have had a broad variety of injuries and ailments to treat. His family had medicine as a background, with an uncle, also Thomas Graham, a ships surgeon, who served with Nelson, and Thomas' older brother William, a doctor in a rural practice. It is reasonable to believe that Thomas would have spent considerable time with William during his student years rather than in the company of his much older spinster sister Catherine who was postmistress in a small village.

Thomas was now in his early twenties, a bachelor, and remained so for the balance of his life. One can imagine his excitement at the prospect of seeing the world and participating in adventures at sea and in distant lands. He was able to do this. His subsequent experiences showed him to be a person who revelled in the opportunities to advance his knowledge of places he visited and events occurring at the time.