George Spearman was born in 1846 (or 1845) at Plymouth in Devon. His parents were William Spearman, a linen draper, and Mary Taylor. According to the English census for 1861, at age 16 George was a medical student living at Compton Gifford, Devon. Next door lived Dr John W. Sparrow, Surgeon General. It is possible that George decided to study medicine because he was inspired by Dr Sparrow, or he was Dr Sparrow's  apprentice.

Dr Spearman gained his qualifications in 1866 (MRCS 1866, LSA 1866, LRCP Edin. 1866). His father had died the year before, in 1865.

In 1867 Dr Spearman became Surgeon Superintendent aboard the "Morning Light", which arrived in Melbourne on 8 February, 1867. On 13 March it was announced that George Spearman of South Yarra had been gazetted as a legally qualified medical practitioner.

By June 1867 Dr Spearman was living and practising from "Leicester Cottage" in Rowena Parade, Richmond. On 14th August he moved from Rowena Parade to Lennox Street, Richmond. A later advertisement which advertised the house to let stated that the house in Lennox Street was called "Stroud Villa" and had 6 rooms and a bath.

The first indication that Dr Spearman was a homœopath was on 13 May 1868 when he placed an advertisement in The Argus stating that he had a "good opening for a medical man, a homœopath preferred".

On 4 July 1868 he married Alice Ralston, youngest daughter of Gavin Ralston, late of South Yarra.

In October 1868 it was announced that Dr Spearman, homœopathist, had moved to "Inglewood Cottage" in Bridge Road, Richmond, opposite the post office.

The Launceston Examiner of 6 March 1869 copied and published the following item from the "Homœopathic World":

An Australian Physician's Avowal of His Conversion to Homœopathy

We have much pleasure in acceding to the request of Dr Spearman to publish his letter in the Homœopathic World. Such avowals as the following help the wavering to decide, encourage the sceptic to enquire, and confirm those members of the profession who have but lately adopted Hahnemann's principle of practice.

"Having convinced myself," writes our correspondent, "of the truth of the Homœopathic law, I wish to acknowledge such conviction publicly."

"I commenced here as an Allopath, or rather, empiric, in March, 1867; and owing to the inattention of some of the other medical men, succeeded in getting elected surgeon to four clubs. Being totally disgusted with medicine, as taught me by the "old schools," I obtained the Vade Mecum of Modern Medicine and Surgery, Jahr's Manual, and Gross's Materia Medica, from which I learnt the principles of Homœopathy and the action of its drugs. The clubs have not yet as I expected, dismissed me; but are so convinced that my death rate is far less than of the practitioners of the old school, that they at present seem only too glad to keep me on. I gave them an explanation of my reasons for change of practice, and intend to give them lectures on the prevention of disease by Hygiene and Homœopathy. I have been deterred from publicly acknowledging this before, because I felt that I might prove rather a hindrance than a support to the advance of Homœopathy."

"I think, if medical men would acknowledge their belief in Homœopathy in the Times by a letter to the editor of that paper, at the time they become convinced, it would lead intelligent laymen to inquire more than they do whether or not there be any truth in Hahnemann's theories and practice."

George Spearman,

LRCP Edin; MRCS; LSA, etc

Lennox-street, Richmond

Melbourne, 4th September, 1868

An advertisement in early July 1869 announced that Dr Günst had "made arrangements with Dr Spearman, homœopathic physician, to prescribe daily for his patients, during his absence". At that stage Dr Günst's practice was in Collins Street East, next to the Independent Church on the corner of Russell Street.

However, Dr Spearman was already very ill and later during the same month of July he decided to sell his possessions at Bridge Road, including household furniture, a pianoforte, "brilliant toned 7 octave, in elegant walnut case", and an English-built phaeton (a four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle). He then moved into Melbourne, to 13 Spring Street, Melbourne. Just a few weeks later, on 13 August, 1869, Dr Spearman died at Spring Street, aged 24 years.  According to his death certificate, he had rheumatic fever and pressure on the brain "caused by apoplexy". He had been ill for 4 months. His medical practitioner was Dr Günst. Dr Spearman was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery.

In 1873 Alice Spearman married Thomas Clark Gillespie (previously captain of HM 4th Dragoon Guards).

© Barbara Armstrong