James Grafton Carstairs (1829 - 1904)

Born 28 Jun 1829 in Poonah, India

Ancestors

Husband of Aimee (Weston) Carstairs — married 2 Dec 1857 in Perth, Tasmania, Australia

Husband of Mary Caroline Hacon (Smith) Carstairs — married 14 Sep 1864 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 13 Jan 1904 at age 74 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mark Ryan [send private message]

James Carstairs was born in India

Biography

Occupation

Doctor

Residence

1841: Residing in a boarding house in North Street, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland ^[1]

1856: Residing at Moorabool Street Geelong, Victoria, Australia as a Medical Practitioner ^[2]

Marriage

Marriage 1: To Aimee Weston

On 2nd December 1857 reg. 722/1857 ^[3][4]

On the 2nd instant, at Perth, by the Rev. Alfred Stackhouse, M.A., JAMES GRAFTON CARSTAIRS Esq., M.D., of Geelong, to AIMEE WESTON, third daughter of the Hon. W. P. Weston, Esq., of Hythe, Longford. (The Courier 4 Dec 1857 (Hobart)) ^[5]

Marriage 2: To Mary Caroline Hacon Smith

On 14th September 1864 reg. 2461/1864 ^[6]

CARSTAIRS—SMITH. - On the 14th inst., at St. Paul's Church, Geelong, by the Rev. Astley Cooper, J. G. Carstairs, M.D., to Mary Caroline Hacon, daughter of J. H. Smith, Esq., Autumn-street. No cards. (The Argus 17 Sep 1864) ^[7]

Marriage Certificate ^[8]

Record information

Event Marriage

Event registration number 2461

Registration year 1864

Personal information

Family name CARSTAIRS

Given names James Grafton

Sex Male

Spouse's family name SMITH

Spouse's given names Mary Caroline Ha

Death

Died 13th January 1904^[9] peacefully at home.

Death Certificate ^[10]

Record information

Event Death

Event registration number 1490

Registration year 1904

Personal information

Family name CARSTAIRS

Given names Jas Grafton

Sex Unknown

Father's name Carstairs Wm

Mother's name Mary (King)

Place of birth

Place of death Glong

Age 74

Obituary

Geelong Advertiser, Thursday 14 January 1904 ^[11]

DEATH OF DR. CARSTAIRS.

It will be learned with general regret that the death occurred at his residence, Retreat-road, Newtown, yesterday morning, of Dr. James Grafton Carstairs, M.D., at the ripe age of 77 years. With his demise is removed a conspicuous figure from medical circles and a much esteemed citizen from a community amongst whom he had resided for half a century. He was a gentleman of sterling character, and was greatly respected in all circles, as much for his professional skill as for his other fine qualities. When he applied himself to his profession more closely in years gone by, the deceased gentleman had the largest practice in the town. Some twenty years ago he turned his efforts in the direction of the study of public hygiene, and followed out this branch of his profession right up to the time of his death. The first indicationof his health failing occurred several months ago, when he fell in a fainting fit at Newtown, and since then he never regained his former good health. Under medical treatment, however, he was able to potter about quietly in connection with his duties as health officer in the town, but again in October he grew very weak and was confined to the house. The weakness arose from a heart trouble, and about three weeks ago dropsy manifested itself. These new symptoms disappeared, however, under treatment by Dr. Small, and the patient's condition somewhat improved, so much so, in fact, that he even undertook the tedious task of compiling the meteorological statistics for 1903, and successfully completed it. On Tuesday evening he again plunged into statistics, and retiring to bed at an early hour spent a rather restless night. At 7 a.m. yesterday the doctor partook of a cup of tea and some light food, and when next observed at 8 o'clock was sleeping calmly. At about 9 o'clock, however, Mrs. Carstairs' attention was attracted by her husband's, remarkable stillness, and on examination she was grieved to find that he had quietly slept to death. The end was very peaceful, and befitted so splendid a career.

James Grafton Carstairs was the son of Surgeon W. Carstairs, of the Honorable East India Company's Service, and he was born at Poonah, Bombay Presidency, India, on June 28th, 1827. At the early age of three he was sent to Scotland to be brought up under the care of his grandfather, then town clerk and provost of Cupar, county town of Fife. He received the groundwork of his education at Madras College and University, St. Andrew's, East Fife, and afterwards remained three years at the Edinburgh University, where he took the diploma L.R.C.S., Edin., and the degree of M.D., Edin. He gained considerable professional experience through visiting the hospitals of Paris and London. For some little time he was assistant to Dr. Gardiner, of Perthshire, and then entered the Immigration service in 1851. His first passage to Australia was in the sailing vessel Isle of Skye, 330 tons, which arrived off Point Henry on December 12th, 1852. He returned to London in the ship Melbourne, and sailed for Geelong again in the ship Lady Peel. Dr. Carstairs first commenced the practice of his profession in February, 1854, in a four-roomed cottage in Moorabool-street, having to pay the heavy sum of £4 per week for rent. He built up a very large practice, and in 1870 accepted the appointment of health officer to the Shire of Bellarine. He was elected to a similar position in the Borough of Newtown and Chilwell in 1884, and on January 28th, 1889, succeeded Dr. Walshe as health officer of the Town of Geelong. In 1857 Dr. Carstairs married a daughter of the late Hon. W. P. Weston, then Premier of Tasmania, but Mrs. Carstairs died three years later. His second wife was a daughter of Mr. John Smith, of the Geelong post-office. Since 1881 he had devoted his attention chiefly to public health matters, his statistical information and reports on various subjects being considered by his professional brethren to be models of scientific research.

The deceased gentleman leaves a widow and two grown-up sons, one of whom isengaged in agricultural pursuits in New South Wales, while the other (Captain H. G. Carstairs) has settled in South Africa, where he occupies a high position in the Law department of the Transvaal.

Yesterday the corporation flag, and flags on various buildings were flown half-mast high, out of respect to the deceased gentleman, whose remains will be interred on Saturday.

Burial

16/01/1904

4879 CARSTAIRS JAMES GRAFTON 16 Jan 1904 Geelong Western Public Cemetery PRES 01-807-0160 ^[12][13]

Sources

1. ↑ 1841 Census of Scotland on ancestry.com
2. ↑ Australian Electoral Roll on ancestry.com
3. ↑ Australian Marriage Index on ancestry.com
4. ↑ Libraries Tasmania
5. ↑ The Courier, Hobart, trove.com.au also see The Argus, Melbourne
6. ↑ Australian Marriage Index on ancestry.com
7. ↑ The Argus, Melbourne, trove.com.au
8. ↑ BMD Victoria - Marriages
9. ↑ Australian Death Index on ancestry.com
10. ↑ BMD Victoria - Deaths
11. ↑ Geelong Advertiser, trove.com.au
12. ↑ Geelong Cemeteries Trust
13. ↑ Find A Grave

• Source: S2072 Title: Michael Ryan, NLA