James Roche Verling
Encyclopedia
James Roche Verling was a British Army
surgeon
who became personal surgeon to Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena.
Verling was born in Cobh
, County Cork
, Ireland
. He graduated in Medicine from Edinburgh University, Scotland
and was commissioned Second Assistant Surgeon in the Ordnance Medical Department (which provided medical officers to the Royal Artillery
and Royal Engineers
) in 1810 during the Peninsular War
. After the defeat of Napoleon and his exile in St Helena after 1815 the British decided that Napoleon needed a personal physician. The first to fill that post was another Irishman, Barry Edward O'Meara
, but he was dismissed as it was felt he was too close to Napoleon. Verling had already been a surgeon on board the ship HMS Northumberland
, which brought Napoleon to St Helena, and was chosen to replace O'Meara.
Verling returned home to Cobh in 1820, where he lived at Bella Vista (which is now the Bellavista Hotel) until his death. He was promoted First Assistant Surgeon, Surgeon in 1827, and Senior Surgeon in 1843. He is buried in the Old Church Cemetery (also called Clonmel cemetery), Cobh.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
who became personal surgeon to Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena.
Verling was born in Cobh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He graduated in Medicine from Edinburgh University, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and was commissioned Second Assistant Surgeon in the Ordnance Medical Department (which provided medical officers to the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
and Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
) in 1810 during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. After the defeat of Napoleon and his exile in St Helena after 1815 the British decided that Napoleon needed a personal physician. The first to fill that post was another Irishman, Barry Edward O'Meara
Barry Edward O'Meara
Barry Edward O'Meara was an Irish surgeon and founding member of the Reform Club, who accompanied Napoleon to St. Helena and became his physician, having been surgeon on board the Bellerophon when the emperor surrendered himself. He is remembered as the author of Napoleon in Exile, or A Voice...
, but he was dismissed as it was felt he was too close to Napoleon. Verling had already been a surgeon on board the ship HMS Northumberland
HMS Northumberland (1798)
HMS Northumberland was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at the yards of Barnard, Deptford and launched on 2 February 1798....
, which brought Napoleon to St Helena, and was chosen to replace O'Meara.
Verling returned home to Cobh in 1820, where he lived at Bella Vista (which is now the Bellavista Hotel) until his death. He was promoted First Assistant Surgeon, Surgeon in 1827, and Senior Surgeon in 1843. He is buried in the Old Church Cemetery (also called Clonmel cemetery), Cobh.