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Hunter Valley Colonial Medical Practitioners

Medical Practitioners Index

Henry W. Radford

 

 

Henry W. Radford arrived on the 'Greenock in 1824.

Formerly a regimental surgeon attached to the 62nd regt., he was granted 2000 acres of land at Hunter River. Convict servants assigned to him in 1824 included- Henry Bodson, James Hickman and Francis Gallagher Select here to find  some of the other convicts assigned to Henry Radford.

W. Allan Wood in Dawn in the Valley recorded that Dr. Radford (with his wife Francis Maria and their child) resided near Lochdon, McGillivray's farm on Fishery Creek. It was here that they were attacked by marauding bushrangers Jacob's Mob.  The Australian carried the following account: On Wednesday the 24th (August), four bushrangers went to Dr. Radford's near Wallis Plains, and met with a reception little expected - the Doctor had notice of their approach, and the moment he observed them, fired, and wounded one man severely - as the waistcoat was found yesterday morning, all covered with blood. One of Dr. Radford's men acted with great courage, and wounded another - this man deserves great credit for supporting his Master, as it seems to be believe that not one prisoner in fifty in this district would have followed his example. The parties fired fourteen shots.

A son Charles Wyatt Radford was born in 1827 and Henry was born in 1828

A daughter Alicia was baptised at Patterson's Plains in March 1829. (Select here to see a portrait of Alicia Radford c. 1848). Soon after Alicia's birth Henry Radford and his family returned to India. As can be seen from the following Return of sickness, the 62nd regiment endured appalling conditions in India.

Return of the sickness in 62nd Regiment on the march from Bangalore to Masulipatam from 18 February to 15 April 1833

 

Broken in health and spirit, the family returned to Australian. A son John was born in 1834 and another, Henry Wyatt Radford was born in November 1835. Henry Wyatt Radford married Lydia Sloane, daughter of David Sloane at Newcastle in 1864.

Henry Radford died in 1836 aged 44. In January his land at Hunter River was advertised for auction.

His death notice appeared in the Colonist - DEATH at Newcastle on Friday 15th instant - Dr. Radford arrived in the colony in the year 1824 on furlough from his Regiment in India, having married an English lady at Algoa Bay during his stay at the Cape. He obtained a grant at Hunter River but returned a year or two thereafter to India to complete his period of service. His two sons were on their way from India to the Australian College when they were both drowned in the unfortunate vessel that was lost on Amsterdam Island about 3 years ago (Lady Munro). The melancholy tidings of this calamitous visitation preyed upon Dr. R's sensitive spirit, and the climate of India undermined his robust constitution, so that on coming to the colony, after having at length completed the regular period of service in India, he only came to spend the remainder of his days in sickness and to sink prematurely into the grave. Dr. R. died sincerely regretted by his numerous friends in NSW but we are happy to add he has left his widow and family in comparative independence. -  28 January 1836.

Henry Radford's widow Frances Maria (nee Biddulph) later married A.B. Sparke. Read the following excerpt from St. George: Rockdale, Kogarah, Hurstville to find out more about Frances Radford's second marriage to A.B. Sparke and the fate of some of Radford's children.

 

St. George: Rockdale, Kogarah, Hurstville, Lawrence, Joan., Kingsclear Books Pty Ltd, 2002, p.10

 

For more information see Australian Pioneer Medical Index

 

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