[1818-1900]

John Waugh obtained his MRCS in 1840, and his LSA and MD in 1856 at St Andrews. On December 30 1848 he arrived as surgeon-superintendent on the “Walmer Castle”, which transported 302 emigrants from Plymouth to Australia.

Described as “a homœopath with scientific leanings”, John Waugh, MD, was in Brisbane and registered on 7 May 1863.

In June 1864 Dr Waugh advertised that he was moving from South Brisbane to North Brisbane (one of Mr Matheson’s cottages in Stanley Street), and so was selling a list of goods (including chairs, tables, commode, washstand and set) via auction.

In July 1864 Dr Waugh advertised that he was now living at Mr Cowell’s Cottage, North Quay, corner of Queen Street.

The Homœopathic Directory of Great Britain & Ireland for 1872 and 1873 listed him as a practitioner at Brisbane.

According to Douglas Gordon, “owing to his professional beliefs, he lived outside the main stream of the town’s medical practice. However, he was in many ways a remarkable man. He lived along North Quay.”

In the 1899 edition of Pugh’s Directory, he was on the list of medical practitioners, living at North Quay, although in 1891 Dr Hartley Dixon advertised that he had set up practice “in succession to Dr Waugh”. He died in Brisbane on 5 August 1900.

© Barbara Armstrong