Port Stephens

Employed by the Australian Agricultural Company at Port Stephens, twenty eight year old Dr. John Edward Stacy arrived in Australia on the 'Magnet' in 1828 with his wife Jane and child. Others who had made the journey on the Magnet included Thomas Hewitt, Thomas Sawkins, Benjamin Stacey and John Swayne.

On his arrival at Carrington, Port Stephens Dr. Stacy and his family lived with other families, the hospital wardsman and the patients.  Sir Edward Parry thought the hospital no more than a shed.

Dr. Stacey was also a botanist and early in his time at Port Stephens established gardens where he planned to grow Tobacco, Olives and Poppies.   No doubt two of the convicts assigned to Stacey -  farmer's man Thomas Emmett who arrived on the Manlius in 1827 and Anthony Tunsil  a gardener who arrived on the Roslin Castle in 1833 proved useful in Stacey's botanical experiments.

In 1835, the following notice (advertisement) appeared the Australian:

'We understand that Mr. Stacy, Surgeon to the Australian Agricultural company, at Port Stephens, intends settling with his family at Peel's River, for the purpose principally of turning his attention to the culture of Medical plants; but we hope that he does not intend to give up the lancet for the spade, as his professional abilities will prove highly advantageous to the neighbouring settlers. While we admire the independence of Mr. Stacy's feelings, we cannot but regret that a pupil of Sir William Blizzard, and Mr. Headington under whom Mr. Stacy walked the boards of the London Hospital, and whose undeniable approbation he attained, should seclude himself with his family in the bush. We wish Mr. Stacy success in his undertaking, and hope he may never repent having thrown up a good practice in England, to become a settler at the Antipodes.'

John Stacey and his wife became friends with the family of Lieutenant William Caswell during their time a Port Stephens. Dr. Stacy attended Susan Caswell during her many pregnancies and the childhood illnesses of the family. Later, in 1859 his son Henry Stacey married William and Susan Caswell's daughter Caroline at Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle.

In the 1840's Dr. Stacy was established at Newcastle as Surgeon General. The family lived in Newcomen Street. In February 1847 he attended a dinner at the Victoria Hotel in honour of Sir Charles Fitzroy and a few days later he was called to attend to immigrant Eliza Milner who was employed by Rev. Wilton in Newcastle. Benjamin Harris, also in Reverend Wilton's employ, had poured boiling fat over the girl's head. The wounds extended from the head and down the back over one side of the face terminating at the chest. Dr. Stacy attended her daily for over a month. Later, when Eliza appeared in Court  she was asked to remove her bonnet when a 'most frightful' scald was observed. One of her eyes was also disfigured and the girl's sight, Dr. Stacy said was only preserved by the extreme attention paid to the girl by the benevolent and watchful Wilton family.

He was appointed Magistrate at Newcastle in May 1848 and later that year he accompanied surveyor Mr. Charlton to traverse Newcastle boundaries

John Stacey died in 1881 in England.