Doctor BENSON or Quack?

[majm]

As an aside,  Various elder members of (Thomas) Henry Kendall's family travelled on the ship Elizabeth arriving in Sydney 7 April 1827.  From memory, Henry Kendall's father,  Basil Kendall was born in Chile.   

I mention these things to indicate that even in the era of sailing ships, many families travelled to remote locations along with their families ...  It may well be that Dr Benson travelled Europe, the Americas and other "exotic" destinations before arriving in the antipodes. 

I do firmly believe that he was suitably qualified and accepted by his peers when practicing in NSW .... There is no way a Coroner appointed to the civil service on an annual salary would ask an unqualified person to perform an autopsy on a body once that 1838 Act had established the process for Post Mortems.  And the evidence he gave is definitely indicating good medical understanding and the court respected his evidence.   That it seems he declined further appointments for P.M. type work has been explained on the other thread .... his possible Quaker associations .... these would not necessarily have hindered his Anglicanism, but would certainly have inhibited his seeking membership of associations such as the colonial NSW Medical Board...

Cheers,  JM

[carna]

Thanks Dawn,

I will try the NSWMB first and then the Royal College of Surgeons London there after.

Thanks again JM,

Booked for next Wed to go down to State Records to look at Barker's probate. Will also ask to look at the minutes book mentioned at reply#38.

Having now looked at the history of the medical personel of the time, I do believe he was qualified, as in England at this time, you had to be qualified to be an apothecary(after 1815).

Probably put this reply on the wrong board as I was hopefull that there might be a list of apothecaries in England around 1830's. Probably should have put it on the England board!

I can't believe that so many people travelled across the world with their families in ships like the Endeavour, sometimes backwards and forwards, it doesn't sound safe.
I am enjoying learning about life in those days and I cannot believe how different it is today.

Thanks again for your replies,
Carna

[majm]

As a tip, contact NSW SRO at Kingswood and pre-order up to four files to be ready when you arrive .... otherwise you could wait around for up to an hour or more while they fetch the files to the front counter .... Return each file as you finish with it (and don't have more than one file OPEN at a time, perhaps ask them to hold three at the counter, take the oldest one first)...  Also be prepared to wear the supplied white cotton lint free gloves to help protect these old files.   Oh, and take your own packed lunch, and I think its $2 gold coin for locker (refundable on exiting) .... Pencil, paper, pencil eraser, and put date and page no. on each sheet of notes that you take, and the NSWSRO file reference too ... (easy to then go back through notes) ....

Enjoy ! You will be company with lots of others who enjoy going through old archive files, so soak up the quiet contented atmosphere ...  Some will be doing thesis studies, others will be researching other topics, not everyone will be into family history ...

There's also various reference books and there's always the reels of film and the readers are good machines .... you can get to photocopy various film entries directly.

[carna]

JM,
I wouldn't have thought of half of that.

I am grateful of all the tips that you have given me on researching and on keeping the records. At least I am getting my records straight from the beginning.
You are just like a fairy godmother.

Much appreciated,
Carna

[SimoneAllaston]

Hello,

Not sure if anyone is still checking these threads... I have copies of Barkers journals from his many voyages. It seems thru family stories of ours that Barker was a regular trouble maker and shipped off regularly around the world to get him out of the way. He always travelled as a gentlemen and never listed any occupation. I think he wasn't meant to get off in NZ, he had a return ticket. Met Hannah, a young seamstress on the journey and they married as soon as they docked. I have his fathers will and he definitely was in money troubles a few times and the will was amended after each loan dad dished out.

I've never been able to find proof of his qualifications, but there is tons of references to him working as a doctor. Rev. Alfred Glennies journals from Kincumber area talk about daily life and mention Barker and Mrs Benson, they seem to have been close dining and visiting often.

I have only seen reference to him being an apothecary in England... his journals don't mention any occupational related stuff but maybe he got his credentials overseas? Ill scan back thru them.....

Simone

[majm]

Hi there Simone,

Welcome to RChat.

I see you have now made three posts, so you should be able to send private messages to any RChat member, simply by clicking on the scroll under their avatar.  I see you have posted on the Benson thread on the Yorkshire board, but there is at least one other thread for Barker Joseph Benson, and it is on the Australia Board.  Perhaps there’s info there that may be of interest too.   Perhaps the family members may be on vacations during this Easter break?

Here’s links to both those threads:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,513531.0.html (Yorkshire)
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,513004.0.html (Australia)

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

Hi there,

I may be duplicating info given previously, perhaps on this or the other linked threads but:

From the Historic Records section of the Family Search website, there are possibly TWO Barker Joseph BENSON lads in the 1810s in England (neither are for Yorkshire though).  https://www.familysearch.org   I noticed that the following entries at that website have been accessed on 9 April 2012, ie earlier today.... 
 
Barker Joseph BENSON, baptism 14 July 1818 at Stepney, Middlesex, and he was son of Thomas and Sarah BENSON
AND
Barker Joseph BENSON, baptism 23 December 1815 at Chigwell, Essex and he was son of Thos and Sarah BENSON.

Thomas Barker Chapman BENSON was born 16 March 1844 and was baptised 2 April 1844 at St James, Sydney (NSW) and was the son of Barker Joseph and Hannah Emily BENSON.  St James website: http://www.sjks.org.au

William Robson BENSON born 29 June 1845, was baptised 9 September 1845 at Gosford (NSW) and was the son of Barker Joseph and Hannah Emily BENSON

John Hovendon BENSON, born 13 March 1849 was baptised 1 October 1849 at St Lawrence, Sydney, (NSW) and was the son of Barker Joseph and Hannah Emily BENSON.  (Christ Church St Laurence has an Archivist see their website: http://www.ccsl.org.au

James Joseph BENSON was born 11 March 1852 and was baptised 10 Feb 1856 at St James, Sydney (NSW) and he was the son of Barker Joseph and Hannah Elizabeth BENSON.   

May I ask a question please ...

Has there been any consideration to contact the Sydney Diocese of the C of E to seek access to information in their archives (St James and Christ Church St Laurence are both in that Diocese). 

http://www.archives.anglican.asn.au/index.php/news
and there's a seven page pdf file (An Information Document for the Public & Prospective Researchers about THE SYDNEY DIOCESAN ARCHIVES)     

Cheers,  JM

[SimoneAllaston]

Thanks JM

I'll check the other threads out.

[SimoneAllaston]

I think we have all over looked the most obvious..... Barker was an apothecary in London and I have seen in my notes the address of where he worked. If you look up the definition of an apothecary in the 18th century:

Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist (or a chemist or dispensing chemist) and some caregivers.
In addition to pharmacy responsibilities, the apothecary offered general medical advice and a range of services that are now performed solely by other specialist practitioners, such as surgery and midwifery. Apothecaries often operated through a retail shop which, in addition to ingredients for medicines, sold tobacco and patent medicines.

This makes sense.. stories of midwifery... working as a storekeeper.... suddenly a doctor.