James Millner (doctor)
J. Stokes Millner | |
---|---|
Born | 1830 Birmingham England |
Died | 25 February 1875 |
Years active | 1855 to 1875 |
Known for | Early pioneer / settler of Australia |
Medical career | |
Profession | Surgeon |
James Stokes Millner (1830 – 25 February 1875) was a medical practitioner and administrator in the early history of the Northern Territory of Australia.
History
Dr J. Stokes Millner (as he was generally known) was born in Birmingham, England in 1830, the second son of Thomas and Eleanor Millner according to the 1841 census. He was educated at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen: licentiate of faculty of physicians and surgeons[1] and was trained as a surgeon.[2] Millner immigrated to Australia in 1855, arriving at Port Adelaide on 24 August aboard the barque Lismoyne.[3] Prior to settling in Adelaide, Dr Millner was engaged as ship's surgeon, travelling around the world and working on several immigrant vessels between England and Adelaide.[4] After settling in South Australia, Dr Millner practised at Port Adelaide, Angaston and Gawler.[4] In 1861 and 1862, Millner was an elected Alderman on the Port Adelaide Council.[5]
Northern Territory
Millner was appointed Surgeon to the McKinlay party to the Northern Territory, whose brief was to investigate alternative sites for "Palmerston", the proposed new settlement, independent of the work being done by Finniss at Escape Cliffs. The party left Port Adelaide by the ship Ellen Lewis on 25 September 1865 and arrived at Adam Bay on 5 November.[6] He transferred to the Escape Cliffs settlement party as Surgeon and Protector of Aborigines, replacing
On 22 January 1870, Doctor Millner arrived in Darwin on the barque Kohinoor as Acting Government Resident of the Northern Territory of South Australia.[4][8] His commencing annual salary was listed at £500.[9] As the South Australian Government's representative in the Northern Territory, he had jurisdiction over a white population of just forty-four, until the arrival of South Australia's substantive Government Resident.[10] Millner was described as a tall man, heavily bearded, with thinning hair, who always wore glasses.[11]
Doctor Millner was given several roles including; Protector of
In 1874, under Doctor Millner's authority, the first hospital was opened in Packard Street above Doctors Gully.[13]
Last days
In February 1875, after five years service in the north, Doctor Millner resigned and was returning to Adelaide with his wife and four children aboard the SS Gothenburg. On the evening of 24 February 1875, off the north Queensland coast, the Gothenburg hit a section of the Great Barrier Reef near Holbourne Island, during a cyclone. Early the next morning, Doctor Millner and all his family drowned, along with about 100 other passengers and crew.[14]
Legacy
The following places are all named after James Millner:
- The northern Darwin suburb of Millner.[15]
- Millner Street in Millner.[16]
- The Electoral division of Millner.[17]
Gallery
-
Dr. James Stokes Millner
-
The Millner Family in 1870
-
SS Gothenburg
-
Planting the first telegraph pole, near Palmerston (Darwin) in September 1870. James Millner is fourth from left
References
- OCLC 1642852.
- ^ Administrators in Darwin. (2008). Government Residents. Retrieved on 24 December 2008. Archived 30 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Janmaat, Robert (2008). The Ships List: Lismoyne 1855 Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 24 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d Northern Territory Times and Gazette. NLA Australian Newspapers. 13 March 1875. Retrieved online 5 November 2009.
- ^ "Those Who Served" (PDF). Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (2007). City of Port Adelaide Enfield. Retrieved on 6 December 2009 - South Australian Weekly Chronicle. Vol. VIII, no. 387. South Australia. 6 January 1866. p. 4. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Northern Territory Party". South Australian Register. Vol. XXXI, no. 6320. South Australia. 5 February 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Northern Territory Government (2007). Chronological listing of Government Residents and Administrators Archived 13 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 11 May 2008.
- OCLC 435229.
- ^ Rosenzweig, Paul (1996). Governors, Residents and Administrators of the Northern Territory Archived 10 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Page 5. Retrieved on 11 May 2008.
- ^ Picture Australia (2008). Dr. James Millner and Family. Retrieved on 14 September 2008.
- ^ Northern Territory Government (1986). History of Northern Territory Health Services. Page 2. Retrieved on 11 May 2008.
- ^ Reception for the Reunion of Pre-Cyclone Tracy Staff of Old Darwin Hospital (2009). Speech by His Honour Mr Tom Pauling AO QC on 10 June 2009 (page 2). Retrieved on 6 December 2009.
- OCLC 31683149.
- ^ Northern Territory Government (2007). The Origin of Suburbs, Localities, Towns and Hundreds in the Greater Darwin area Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 11 May 2008.
- ^ Millner Street (1963). NT Government Place Names Register. Retrieved on 12 December 2009.
- ^ Green, Antony (2005). "Millner". 2005 Northern Territory Election. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 March 2011.