Merryweather – John Winsor Merryweather

John, the eldest son of gentleman farmer Edward and Sarah was born at Mere Park Farm Wiltshire on the 10 February 1822 and privately baptised at home on the 12 March, the ceremony being repeated publicly on the 27 January 1823 at Mere church.¹

As with most children in these pages, it is not known how they got their education, but there were many small private schools who took in boarders, or governesses who gave home tuition in the three Rs. For the children of gentlemen this could be extended to include Latin and Greek to fit such youngsters for the world of the professions. As the family's heir, John had inherited his father's gold watch and chain and seals and he was probably the apprentice aged 15 years or more recorded in the 1841 census² at 6 Queen Square, Bath.

Otherwise, rural Wiltshire being now far behind him, there is silence until he chose as a wife, Mary Ann Henly, born ca.1831 at Lee, Essex. Her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth née Anstee of Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Thomas was a plait dealer trading in straw hats at St. Albans. They married on 2 December 1848 at All Souls church, St. Marylebone the day after being granted a Licence by the Vicar-General. The witnesses were Edward Charles Smeeth and Amelia Barber but it is not known who they were.

In 1851 John started a three year course in medicine at University College Hospital, Euston and obtained his MRCS in 1854. Whilst there, he was a contemporary of Joseph Lister who was later knighted for his researches into antiseptic surgery. In the year that he graduated John decided to take a post as ship's surgeon. Short term absence from England in this sort of position could be a way for young men to build up capital. P & O and Cunard shipping lines employed such men, paying £8 to £10 a month plus expenses. Or perhaps John used this as a means of emigrating to Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald of the 25 September 1854 reporting under Shipping Arrivals:

24 Sept. China, ship 631 tons Captain J R Cox, from Liverpool, 1 June.
Passengers ... Mrs Merryweather and 220 Government emigrants ...
Dr. J W Merryweather Surgeon Superintendent.

John and Mary Ann may well have stayed in Sydney because on the 14 February 1855 they were witnesses to a wedding at St. Philip's there. A year later John was in Cooma, a village on the Monaro range about 300 miles south-west of Sydney. Perhaps he went there after reading obituaries in the Sydney papers of the death of the local surgeon Phibbs White Cullen, one report having taken the opportunity to promote the search for a successor:

There is now a good opening for one or two medical men here: The district is large and a great many inhabitants in it. What we want is an active medical man of experience and one who can ride his ten or twenty miles when his professional services are required, which Mr. Cullen was always ready to do by night or day. The fees are liberal and it would be a good opening for any young medical man, master of his profession, to come to the district where there is no doubt he would realize a very handsome income.

Not long after the above appeared, John arrived at the southern end of Lambie Street in Cooma and set up a practice in a house there. The population of the village was only 16 in 1856 but this figure did not include the surrounding countryside. At that time only three of the houses were made of brick or stone with another 123 of weatherboard or slab.

An interesting fragment appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald of 17 January 1857:

Whooping cough - this malady is causing much annoyance at present, one fine lad of Mr. Kelly's having already fallen victim to it, and it is feared that more will be carried away by it also. The want of medical aid is sorely felt here and this want had been formerly notified in your columns but none of your Sydney Medical Gentlemen seem to have courage enough to come among us. There is no doubt that Merryweather, our only medical attendant is doing his utmost to serve all but he cannot reasonably be expected to attend upon the calls in so extensive a district.

John, who used Winsor as his Christian name, became closely associated with the establishment of Cooma's first hospital. He was also recorded as the first referee and agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Society for Cooma in 1858 and acted as Government Medical Agent for the district. In 1861 he was appointed a Magistrate. Over the matter of official appointments, his pride could be wounded:

Sir
On reading over the names of the new Commission of the Peace lately issued I was surprised and much hurt to find my name had been omitted. I attributed this omission to my having resigned the office of Returning Officer of this district and stating it was my intention to reside in Sydney. I did not however consider it necessary to add that my stay in Sydney would be only temporary.
My appointment to the bench was through a request made to the Government in a memorial on the part of the inhabitants of this district. During the time I held the Commission (nearly four years) Mr. Montague and myself were the only two unpaid Magistrates residing in Cooma, and the only two in the district with the exception of Mr. Hamilton who attended regularly at the bench and assisted the Police Magistrate. I trust the Government will do me the honor to include my name in a supplementary list of Magistrates in the new Commission.
I have the honor to be, Sir, J. W. C. Merryweather

A note added to this letter reads:

The Govt. do not see any present necessity for appointing Dr Merryweather to the Commission of the Peace. In the present therefore I must decline making the recommendation. W.F. Sep 22 1884

By the latter half of 1868 steps were being taken to establish a Benevolent Society and Hospital in the village. Several of Cooma's leading citizens were stressing the need for Cooma to have its own hospital as Queanbeyan's was too far away. Cooma's Benevolent Asylum was set up and existed for about ten years in a series of rented houses, the first being in Lambie Street. It was a wooden slab and bark hut housing only two patients:

... the hospital for many years was the place for treatment of paupers, wanderers, severely injured labourers and a few mental cases.

Although it is known that John's brother Philip was at Cooma around 1859, it is not certain what part he played there as the above all appears to refer to John. Possibly Philip responded to the call for more medical help during the whooping cough epidemic of 1857.

Australian Directories imply that John left Cooma around about 1864:

1865-1873 28 William Street, Sydney.
1875-1876 78 William Street [due to renumbering].

Finally, from The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, 21 March 1876:

At the residence of Dr. Merryweather.
78 William Street, Wooloomooloo.
The whole of the valuable household furniture. Brilliant-toned Walnutwood Cottage Pianoforte, by Mangeot Frères. Walnutwood 9-stop harmonium, by Alexandre et Fils. Superior Electroplated Ware. Choice cut Glassware. China, Dinner and Dessert services. Engravings, Paintings and Dieographs Kitchen and Stable Utensils, &c.
The City Auction Company have received instructions from Dr. Merryweather in consequence of his departure for Europe per Windsor Castle, to sell by auction at his residence, 78, William Street on Tuesday 21 March at 11 o'clock, the whole of his superior household furniture and effects. Without Reserve.

John was a member of the Chandos Club and the London and Country Club and when he died of apoplexy, 18 December 1891 he was living in a pleasant north west London suburb at 13 Marlborough Road, Gunnersbury, Middlesex. His Will, proved at London 7 January 1892 left everything 'to my dear wife Mary Ann Merryweather', who was the sole Executrix, the estate totalling £1598.12.8d. The document also shows that he had an address at 24 Harrington Square, Hampstead Road, London where he may have had his consulting rooms.

Widow Mary Ann of 3 Leighton Mansions, West Kensington, London, a desirable address which had been supported by her inheritance, lived on for 10 years, dying on the 4 January 1901 at 14 Tennyson Mansions, West Kensington. Family legend had it that childless John offered his nephew, William Henry Charles Merryweather the chance of having William's children educated at his expense but it was refused for reasons of pride. Mary Ann's estate totalled £2389.10.6d, probate being granted on the 25 January 1901 to a nephew George Horsfield, an insurance agent, other bequests going to several of Mary Ann's sisters.

Nephew William's comparative poverty in nearby Chelsea went unrecognised.

¹ See Chapter 10.
² HO107/970/15.

	Website of ALAN MERRYWEATHER

	*SHARE MY HARVEST* by Alan Merryweather CHAPTER 9. JOHN WINSOR COLLINS MERRYWEATHER and MARY ANN HENLY
	John, the eldest son of gentleman farmer Edward and Sarah was born at Mere Park Farm Wiltshire on the 10 February 1822 and privately baptised at home on the 12 March, the ceremony being repeated publicly on the 27 January 1823 at Mere church.¹ As with most children in these pages, it is not known how they got their education, but there were many small private schools who took in boarders, or governesses who gave home tuition in the three Rs. For the children of gentlemen this could be extended to include Latin and Greek to fit such youngsters for the world of the professions. As the family's heir, John had inherited his father's gold watch and chain and seals and he was probably the apprentice aged 15 years or more recorded in the 1841 census² at 6 Queen Square, Bath. Otherwise, rural Wiltshire being now far behind him, there is silence until he chose as a wife, Mary Ann Henly, born ca.1831 at Lee, Essex. Her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth née Anstee of Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Thomas was a plait dealer trading in straw hats at St. Albans. They married on 2 December 1848 at All Souls church, St. Marylebone the day after being granted a Licence by the Vicar-General. The witnesses were Edward Charles Smeeth and Amelia Barber but it is not known who they were. In 1851 John started a three year course in medicine at University College Hospital, Euston and obtained his MRCS in 1854. Whilst there, he was a contemporary of Joseph Lister who was later knighted for his researches into antiseptic surgery. In the year that he graduated John decided to take a post as ship's surgeon. Short term absence from England in this sort of position could be a way for young men to build up capital. P & O and Cunard shipping lines employed such men, paying £8 to £10 a month plus expenses. Or perhaps John used this as a means of emigrating to Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald of the 25 September 1854 reporting under Shipping Arrivals: 24 Sept. China, ship 631 tons Captain J R Cox, from Liverpool, 1 June. Passengers ... Mrs Merryweather and 220 Government emigrants ... Dr. J W Merryweather Surgeon Superintendent. John and Mary Ann may well have stayed in Sydney because on the 14 February 1855 they were witnesses to a wedding at St. Philip's there. A year later John was in Cooma, a village on the Monaro range about 300 miles south-west of Sydney. Perhaps he went there after reading obituaries in the Sydney papers of the death of the local surgeon Phibbs White Cullen, one report having taken the opportunity to promote the search for a successor: There is now a good opening for one or two medical men here: The district is large and a great many inhabitants in it. What we want is an active medical man of experience and one who can ride his ten or twenty miles when his professional services are required, which Mr. Cullen was always ready to do by night or day. The fees are liberal and it would be a good opening for any young medical man, master of his profession, to come to the district where there is no doubt he would realize a very handsome income. Not long after the above appeared, John arrived at the southern end of Lambie Street in Cooma and set up a practice in a house there. The population of the village was only 16 in 1856 but this figure did not include the surrounding countryside. At that time only three of the houses were made of brick or stone with another 123 of weatherboard or slab. An interesting fragment appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald of 17 January 1857: Whooping cough - this malady is causing much annoyance at present, one fine lad of Mr. Kelly's having already fallen victim to it, and it is feared that more will be carried away by it also. The want of medical aid is sorely felt here and this want had been formerly notified in your columns but none of your Sydney Medical Gentlemen seem to have courage enough to come among us. There is no doubt that Merryweather, our only medical attendant is doing his utmost to serve all but he cannot reasonably be expected to attend upon the calls in so extensive a district. John, who used Winsor as his Christian name, became closely associated with the establishment of Cooma's first hospital. He was also recorded as the first referee and agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Society for Cooma in 1858 and acted as Government Medical Agent for the district. In 1861 he was appointed a Magistrate. Over the matter of official appointments, his pride could be wounded: Sir On reading over the names of the new Commission of the Peace lately issued I was surprised and much hurt to find my name had been omitted. I attributed this omission to my having resigned the office of Returning Officer of this district and stating it was my intention to reside in Sydney. I did not however consider it necessary to add that my stay in Sydney would be only temporary. My appointment to the bench was through a request made to the Government in a memorial on the part of the inhabitants of this district. During the time I held the Commission (nearly four years) Mr. Montague and myself were the only two unpaid Magistrates residing in Cooma, and the only two in the district with the exception of Mr. Hamilton who attended regularly at the bench and assisted the Police Magistrate. I trust the Government will do me the honor to include my name in a supplementary list of Magistrates in the new Commission. I have the honor to be, Sir, J. W. C. Merryweather A note added to this letter reads: The Govt. do not see any present necessity for appointing Dr Merryweather to the Commission of the Peace. In the present therefore I must decline making the recommendation. W.F. Sep 22 1884 By the latter half of 1868 steps were being taken to establish a Benevolent Society and Hospital in the village. Several of Cooma's leading citizens were stressing the need for Cooma to have its own hospital as Queanbeyan's was too far away. Cooma's Benevolent Asylum was set up and existed for about ten years in a series of rented houses, the first being in Lambie Street. It was a wooden slab and bark hut housing only two patients: ... the hospital for many years was the place for treatment of paupers, wanderers, severely injured labourers and a few mental cases. Although it is known that John's brother Philip was at Cooma around 1859, it is not certain what part he played there as the above all appears to refer to John. Possibly Philip responded to the call for more medical help during the whooping cough epidemic of 1857. Australian Directories imply that John left Cooma around about 1864: 1865-1873 28 William Street, Sydney. 1875-1876 78 William Street [due to renumbering]. Finally, from The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, 21 March 1876: At the residence of Dr. Merryweather. 78 William Street, Wooloomooloo. The whole of the valuable household furniture. Brilliant-toned Walnutwood Cottage Pianoforte, by Mangeot Frères. Walnutwood 9-stop harmonium, by Alexandre et Fils. Superior Electroplated Ware. Choice cut Glassware. China, Dinner and Dessert services. Engravings, Paintings and Dieographs Kitchen and Stable Utensils, &c. The City Auction Company have received instructions from Dr. Merryweather in consequence of his departure for Europe per Windsor Castle, to sell by auction at his residence, 78, William Street on Tuesday 21 March at 11 o'clock, the whole of his superior household furniture and effects. Without Reserve. John was a member of the Chandos Club and the London and Country Club and when he died of apoplexy, 18 December 1891 he was living in a pleasant north west London suburb at 13 Marlborough Road, Gunnersbury, Middlesex. His Will, proved at London 7 January 1892 left everything 'to my dear wife Mary Ann Merryweather', who was the sole Executrix, the estate totalling £1598.12.8d. The document also shows that he had an address at 24 Harrington Square, Hampstead Road, London where he may have had his consulting rooms. Widow Mary Ann of 3 Leighton Mansions, West Kensington, London, a desirable address which had been supported by her inheritance, lived on for 10 years, dying on the 4 January 1901 at 14 Tennyson Mansions, West Kensington. Family legend had it that childless John offered his nephew, William Henry Charles Merryweather the chance of having William's children educated at his expense but it was refused for reasons of pride. Mary Ann's estate totalled £2389.10.6d, probate being granted on the 25 January 1901 to a nephew George Horsfield, an insurance agent, other bequests going to several of Mary Ann's sisters. Nephew William's comparative poverty in nearby Chelsea went unrecognised. ¹ See Chapter 10. ² HO107/970/15.