Samuel Blackney was born about 1836 at Mt Hawke, which is a village near St Agnes on the west coast of Cornwall. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth Blackney. According to the 1841 and 1851 censuses, Samuel senior was a copper miner. By 1851 Samuel and Elizabeth had 5 children.

The family migrated to Australia, arriving aboard the "Standard" at Port Adelaide on 17 December, 1854. Mother, two brothers and a sister disembarked. Very sadly, Samuel senior was one of the 14 deaths during the voyage, only two of whom were adults. He died on board on 4 December, 1854. The emigrants were described as being "well selected" and "a very eligible class of persons".

A Methodist, he was twice married, firstly to Emma Patience Butler on 24 May 1877, at Port Adelaide. After her death in 1878, he married Louisa Emma Bowen, in 1893, by whom he had two children, Samuel and William.

Later, in 1927, the Semaphore Methodist Church celebrated 60 years of service and reported that Samuel Blackney was one of the first local preachers.

Prior to travelling to the United States, in the South Australian Directories Blackney was listed as a grocer or ship provisioner, firstly in North Parade, Port Adelaide, and from around 1878 at Commercial Road, Port Adelaide.

Dr Blackney studied medicine, including homœopathic principles, at the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago.

The following is a report which appeared in the South Australian Register of 13 April 1887:

Medical Students at Chicago, U.S. - A letter has been received, dated March 4, from Mr Samuel Blackney, late of Port Adelaide, by a gentleman in Adelaide, who has sent us, for publication, a few extracts in the belief that they will be read with interest. It will be observed that Mr Blackney makes reference to a fellow student, Mr C. Bollen, son of Dr Bollen, and formerly a student at Prince Alfred College, Kent Town.

Mr Blackney says:

"I arrived in Chicago on October 4, and at once entered the College, paying as my first fee $95. On the first morning of my attendance I found the Professor lecturing with a corpse before him. The Americans go in for the real thing. Well, after I got accustomed to the place and sights, and had fairly gript the subjects, I bent all my energy with a will to my work. On December 24 I went up for an examination (the first), and I am pleased to say that I passed the first 'exam.' in anatomy. I then thought that if I could work up and pass with the two year graduates I should be delighted. And for that I have been working day and night, studying eight and nine hours in the twenty four besides attending the College. -- Well, the big examination commenced on February 14; it was very exciting, and I felt very nervous at the commencement. We were three days at it, and finished on the third at 9 p.m. when I was completely knocked up. I do not know the result yet of all the papers, but this I know, that I am through with two subjects, inorganic and organic chemistry. The winter season is over now, and nearly all the students have left for their homes I am attending the classes at the hospital now. Another session will commence next month, but this is for the doctors, those who have graduated, so I am to attend that, but there is any amount of work. I may say that Mr C. Bollen is one of the successful graduates, and he is a doctor now. We have had little else but snow ever since I have been in Chicago, but I have stood the cold well; that has helped me on in my studies very much."

The letter continued with Samuel Blackney's remarks regarding his impressions of the local Methodist and Presbyterian churches, including the cost of being able to sit at a pew - $300 per year, or for one sitting $60 per year.

Dr Blackney graduated in 1888, followed by further qualifications obtained at Toronto in Canada. The latter qualification was necessary as the South Australian Medical Board did not recognise qualifications obtained in the United States, particularly those acquired via a homœopathic college. In June 1891 the South Australian Register provided the following report.

A Successful Portonian - The friends of Mr Samuel Blackney will be glad to hear that he has passed his final examination at Toronto taking the M.B. degree. About two years previously he was also successful in passing the same degree at Chicago. Before returning to this colony he will visit the principal hospitals of New York and London, and may be expected here again shortly before Christmas. Previously to entering upon this course of study Mr Blackney was for many years in business at Port Adelaide, where he has many friends.

The Advertiser of 7 November, 1891 reported that the Medical Board had registered Samuel Blackney, M.B., Toronto.

In 1892 the Government appointed Dr Blackney of Port Adelaide to be a public vaccinator. In the same year, the Independent Order of Rechabites advertised that Dr Blackney of St Vincent Street was appointed Surgeon in lieu of Dr Bollen, who had retired.

Dr Blackney practised in Port Adelaide until four years before his death, when he became severely ill, and retired to Woodville where he spent the remaining years of his life. He died 19 January 1923 and was buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery.

Dr Blackney's son, also named Samuel, studied medicine for three years at the Adelaide University. However, he instead decided to become a minister and travelled with his wife to America. According to a 1934 article in Victoria's Camperdown Chronicle, "his wife, having become partly paralyzed through an accident, and regular treatment having proved unavailing, he took her to a Chiropractor or spinal manipulator. She began to get better, and her husband, who was then studying for his Doctor of Philosophy, took the Chiropractic course of study, in order to continue treatment on return to Australia. He set up a Free Clinic for incurables in the industrial suburb in which his church was situated in Melbourne."

Samuel Blackney Jnr became famous for his work. Having been  left a large inheritance by his mother, he decided to devote his life to healing the sick, and built an Institution at 441 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, in which there were 21 treatments, "all outside medicine and surgery". There were 23 treatment rooms within the establishment. All consultations were free. During March 1934 Rev. Dr. S. Blackney travelled to Camperdown to provide free consultations at the Leura Hotel.

©   Barbara Armstrong      

       www.historyofhomeopathy.au