William Lane Milligan

William Lane Milligan (1795–1851) was a British military surgeon. He became an early resident of the Swan River Colony in Western Australia.

For other people named William Milligan, see William Milligan (disambiguation).

William Milligan
Born1 February 1795
Cavan, Ireland
Died2 September 1851
London, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationMilitary surgeon
TitleDr
SpouseElizabeth Sybil Lane
Children3

Early life

Milligan was born on 1 February 1795 in Cavan, Ireland.[1] He received a Licentiate of Midwifery and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Edinburgh.[2]

Career

He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and served as a military surgeon.[1][2] He originally joined the 16th Regiment of the British Army, but he transferred to the 63rd Regiment on 8 February 1827.[2]

Some records claim that Milligan emigrated to Western Australia with his wife on James Stirling's expedition arriving aboard HMS Sulphur on 8 June 1829.[2] Others claim that he emigrated to Western Australia with his wife, child and a nephew, arriving aboard Wanstead on 30 January 1830.[1][3][4]

The painting "The Foundation of Perth 1829" shows Milligan as being present at the foundation of Perth on 12 August 1829. However, if he only arrived in Perth on 30 January 1830, more than five months after the foundation ceremony, he cannot have been present.[1][4]

Milligan opened the first hospital in the colony in June 1830[3][4] and served as its superintendent.[2]

He was the original owner of the land at the southern end of Milligan Street, Perth, which was named after him.[2][5] He moved to Fremantle in 1834, but was then transferred to India and left on Merope on 18 April 1834.[1][3][4][6] He was Staff Surgeon at Poonamallee, near Madras (Chennai) in 1837.

In 1837 Milligan published a paper in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science titled "Some Account of the New Colony of Western Australia".[7]

Milligan retired from the army in 1847 due to ill health, and lived in Nuneaton, England.[8]

Personal life

He married Elizabeth Sybil Lane in 1823.[1] They had four children: Anna, William, Harriet, Maria. The last three were born in the colony;[3][4] William lived only four days.[2]

Death

He died on 2 September 1851 in London, England.[1]

References
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William Lane Milligan
  1. "William Lane Milligan". Australian Medical Pioneers Index. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. Cygnet (24 September 1938). "Perth Names. 9: Milligan of Milligan-street". The West Australian. Perth, WA. p. 5.
  3. Pamela Statham (1979). Dictionary of Western Australians 1829–1914: Volume 1: Early Settlers 1829–1850. University of Western Australia Press. p. 232. ISBN 0-85564-159-2.
  4. Erickson, Rica (1988). The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians pre-1829 – 1888: Volume III K-Q. University of Western Australia Press. p. 2167. ISBN 0-85564-278-5. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. "The Origin of Perth's Names: City Streets". Stephen Yarrow. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
  6. "Shipping Intelligence". The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. 26 April 1834. p. 274. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  7. Milligan, William. "Some Account of the New Colony of Western Australia" . Madras Journal of Literature and Science. Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society. p. pp. 318–350  – via Wikisource. [scan Wikisource link]
  8. "WA Early History". Royal Perth Hospital Heritage Society. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
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