Robert Valpy Fulton FRMetS (1865 - 1924)

Born 19 Jan 1865 in Ravenscliffe, West Taieri, Otago, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Lillias Augusta (Herslett) Fulton — married 30 Sep 1890 (to 1 May 1924) in St Matthew's, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Died 1 May 1924 at age 59 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

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Biography

Robert Fulton FRMetS has Irish ancestors.

Robert Fulton FRMetS has English ancestors.

Robert Fulton FRMetS has Welsh ancestors.

Robert Fulton FRMetS lived in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.

Birth

Dr. Fulton is the youngest son of the late Hon. James Fulton, M.L.C. He was born at Ravenscliffe, West Taieri, Otago, in 1865.

Education

He began his education at the West Taieri school, afterwards attending the Outram school, then under the Headmastership of Mr. David A. McNicoll, now of the George Street district school, Dunedin. Three years at Outram were followed by four at the Otago Boys' High School, after which he was for two years in the service of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand at Dunedin. He started the study of medicine at the University of Otago, and, proceeding to Edinburgh, graduated as Bachelor of Medicine and Master in Surgery in 1889.

During his residence in Edinburgh he took a great interest in the Australasian Club, founded in that city about 1878. The members of this society are students hailing from the Australasian colonies, and it was as honorary secretary that he assisted in raising the Association from the state of depression into which it had fallen to the honoured and influential position it holds at the present day.

Service

After leaving Edinburgh Dr. Fulton was for nine months in the service of the New Zealand Shipping Company, and then, returning to Dunedin, he settled down to the practice of his profession. He takes an active interest in volunteering, and has been for twelve years attached as honorary surgeon to the Dunedin Naval Artillery (now the New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers). He was gazetted Surgeon-Lieutenant in 1892, and Surgeon-Captain in 1897. he was a member of the Medical Board which undertook the selection of men for the various New Zealand Regiments during the recent war in South Africa; has been a member of the Dunedin District Volunteer Officers' Club for ten years and is at the present time a member of the committee of that association.

Life, Memberships and Associations

At one time, he was an active cyclist, even to the extent of appearing on the racing track, and in the days of the high wheeled “ordinary” bicycle won a number of handsome prizes. He was one of the earliest members of the Dunedin Bicycling Club as far back as 1882; was a vice-president of the Dunedin Cycling Club in 1892, and filled the president's chair in 1895 and 1898. Dr. Fulton was a member of the Otago Rowing Club in the early “eighties” and one of those who represented the Otago Medical School in the regatta of “Fours” which was rowed in 1884, when his team had the hard luck in the first heat to meet Reid and Gray's “Four,” the winners of the regatta. When at Edinburgh he was a member of the Edinburgh University Boating Club, and he is now a vice-president of the North-End Boating Club. Dr. Fulton was one of the founders of the Otago Early Settlers' Association, and has sat continuously on the committee of that body since its inception. He was vice-president of the Otago Branch of the British Medical Association in 1899, and president in 1900, when the members presented him with a beautifully chased and engraved silver cradle, as a memento of his presidency during the year in which his twin son and daughter were born. In June, 1902, he paid a visit to the Fiji Islands, and on the 23rd of September of the same year he read before the Otago Institute a paper entitled “An account of the Vilavilairevo, or Fiji Fire Walking Ceremony, with a probable explanation of the mystery.” This was favourably reviewed by the local papers and by “Nature” of the 12th of December, 1902, and, with some fine illustrations from the “Auckland Weekly News,” was printed in full in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute for 1903. In 1903 Dr. Fulton was elected a member of the Society of Arts, and a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Marriage

He married, in 1890, the third daughter of the late Mr. H. O. Hertslet - Lillian Augusta, of Dunedin, and has four sons and two daughters.

Sources

• http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/name-412321.html
• http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc04Cycl-t1-body1-d2-d26-d2.html#name-412321-mention
• http://www.airgale.com.au/jeffreys/d6.htm#i35447
• http://www.airgale.com.au/valpy/d4.htm#i35447
• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/145068163/robert-valpy-fulton : accessed 01 May 2021), memorial page for Robert Valpy Fulton (19 Jan 1865–1 May 1924), Find A Grave: Memorial #145068163, citing West Taieri Cemetery, Dunedin City, Otago, New Zealand ; Maintained by AvidGen (contributor 48346054) .