James Beaney

James George Beaney (15 January 1828 in Canterbury – 30 June 1891 in Melbourne)^[1] was an English-born surgeon, politician and philanthropist in Australia, member of the Victorian Legislative Council from March 1883 until his death.^[2]

Early life

Beaney was born in Canterbury, Kent, England, where he was educated, and studied surgery with W. J. Cooper. He was afterwards a student at the University of Edinburgh, at Paris, and at Guy's Hospital. He qualified as surgeon in Edinburgh and travelled to Australia before being gazetted assistant surgeon to the 3rd Regiment (the Scots Guards). He served at Gibraltar and later as staff surgeon to the Turkish contingent in the Crimean War. After the campaign he made several trips to America.^[3]

Medical career in Australia

Beaney travelled to

In 1883, after a severe contest, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for the North Yarra Province, and was re-elected for a period of six years, in 1885, when he defeated the James Munro, the late Premier of Victoria. Beaney was the author of several medical works, including "Contributions to Conservative Surgery". He was munificent in his donations to public institutions in his native place, and offered various medical prizes.^[3]

Legacy

He died in Melbourne on 30 June 1891, in his will Beaney left £10,000 for the creation of "The Beaney Institute for the Education of the Working Man", now the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, in Canterbury, England. Other parts of his estate went to the University of Melbourne, Melbourne hospitals and charities.^[1]

Notes

References

• Death of Dr. Beaney, The Leader, (Saturday, 4 July 1891), p.36.
• The Will of Dr. Beaney, The Leader, (Saturday, 11 July 1891), p.42.
• The University of Melbourne: The Beaney Scholarships, The Age, (Thursday, 6 October 1892), p.7.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James George Beaney.

• History of James Bearney at the Melbourne Hospital