William Lane Milligan (1795–1851) was a British military surgeon. He became an early resident of the Swan River Colony in Western Australia.
William Milligan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 February 1795 Cavan, Ireland |
| Died | 2 September 1851 London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Military surgeon |
| Title | Dr |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Sybil Lane |
| Children | 3 |
Early life
editMilligan was born on 1 February 1795 in Cavan, Ireland.[1] He received a Licentiate of Midwifery and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Edinburgh.[2]
Career
editHe was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and served as a military surgeon.[1][2] He originally joined the 16th Regiment of the British Army, but he transferred to the 63rd Regiment on 8 February 1827.[2]
Some records claim that Milligan emigrated to Western Australia with his wife on James Stirling's expedition arriving aboard HMS Sulphur on 8 June 1829.[2] Others claim that he emigrated to Western Australia with his wife, child and a nephew, arriving aboard Wanstead on 30 January 1830.[1][3][4]
The painting "The Foundation of Perth 1829" shows Milligan as being present at the foundation of Perth on 12 August 1829. However, if he only arrived in Perth on 30 January 1830, more than five months after the foundation ceremony, he cannot have been present.[1][4]
Milligan opened the first hospital in the colony in June 1830[3][4] and served as its superintendent.[2]
He was the original owner of the land at the southern end of Milligan Street, Perth, which was named after him.[2][5] He moved to Fremantle in 1834, but was then transferred to India and left on Merope on 18 April 1834.[1][3][4][6] He was Staff Surgeon at Poonamallee, near Madras (Chennai) in 1837.
In 1837 Milligan published a paper in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science titled "Some Account of the New Colony of Western Australia".[7]
Milligan retired from the army in 1847 due to ill health, and lived in Nuneaton, England.[8]
Personal life
editHe married Elizabeth Sybil Lane in 1823.[1] They had four children: Anna, William, Harriet, Maria. The last three were born in the colony;[3][4] William lived only four days.[2]
Death
editReferences
edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "William Lane Milligan". Australian Medical Pioneers Index. 2 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cygnet (24 September 1938). "Perth Names. 9: Milligan of Milligan-street". The West Australian. Perth, WA. p. 5. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ a b c d Pamela Statham (1979). Dictionary of Western Australians 1829–1914: Volume 1: Early Settlers 1829–1850. University of Western Australia Press. p. 232. ISBN 0-85564-159-2.
- ^ a b c d e Erickson, Rica (1988). The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians pre-1829 – 1888: Volume III K-Q. University of Western Australia Press. p. 2167. ISBN 0-85564-278-5. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "The Origin of Perth's Names: City Streets". Stephen Yarrow. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Shipping Intelligence". The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. 26 April 1834. p. 274. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ Milligan, William. . Madras Journal of Literature and Science. Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society. p. – via Wikisource. [scan
]
- ^ "WA Early History". Royal Perth Hospital Heritage Society. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
