| David Purdie MacLean
Surgeon
Source Victorian Naval Brigade 1860 - 1871 courtesy of Tom Corfmat, Victorian Colonial Infantry Association Inc.
The Victorian Government Gazette, July - Dec 1863.
Mentioned as Surgeon to the Victorian Naval Forces in The Argus, 21 September 1877
Listed in The Argus newspaper on 8 September 1884 as having received the Victoria Volunteer Long & Efficient Service Medal on 6 September 1884.
Listed in the Victorian Defence Forces List, Naval Branch, 1 January 1890 as being on the Retired List.
Name removed from the retired list. The Victorian Government Gazette, 25 September 1896.
At the Edge of the Centre - A History of Williamstown, Lynne Strahan
THE LATE DR. MACLEAN.
Another of the old identities who commenced their careers here in the early "fifties" has passed away in the person of Dr David Purdy Maclean, who died suddenly on Monday last, at South Yarra, at the residence of his son, Mr Charles Maclean, engineer surveyor to the Marine Board. Dr. Maclean, from his position as Senior health officer, which he held for many years, was well known in shipping circles. In the immigration days in the matter of small pox and other eruptive diseases he was considered an undoubted authority. He came out to Melbourne in 1852 in the ship Hurricane, and laying aside his profession, he was engaged variously in shipping work, at a time when money was being made he first commenced practice in what was known then as Canvas Town, but the district - Emerald Hill, now South Melbourne, and a city - was then of very limited dimensions. He afterwards moved to Williamstown, and had a large practice amongst the shipping, which fairly swarmed in the bay in those days. His boat - the Lancet - was familiarly known to the shipmasters voyaging here in the gold digging days. He was an early settler in Williamstown, and was appointed coroner for the district extending from the Saltwater River to the Little River. He was a member of the first municipal council in Williamstown, along with Mr (now Sir) George Verdon, and used to take an active as well as an influential part in local matters, political and social, at that period. He was appointed surgeon to the old Naval Brigade, and received the long service medal which was issued some time ago. In the establishment of the new Naval Reserve Corps he also took an active part. Dr Maclean was a lover of music and the fine arts, and was a liberal patron of both. In social life he was much esteemed, but the failure of his eyesight some time ago led to his retirement from busy life as well as from the active duties of his profession. He was apparently in excellent health on Monday morning. He retired after lunch to have a rest, and some time afterwards was seen reposing peacefully. Further on, on taking a message to him, he was found sitting on the bed as if he had attempted to get up, but had fallen back, and was quite dead. He had been subject for several months to attacks of faintness, arising from weak action of the heart, and it is believed to have been one of these visitations which cut him off so suddenly. Mrs Maclean, who was also well known in Williamstown, pre deceased her husband about a year ago. Dr. Maclean leaves two sons, Mr Charles Maclean, already mentioned, and Dr Hector R Maclean, who succeeded his father as health officer at Williamstown. Dr Maclean was a native of Edinburgh, where, he graduated.
The Argus, 15 February 1893 |
