Normand MacLaurin
Encyclopedia
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...
– 24 August 1914, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), was a Scottish-born physician, company director, Australian politician and university administrator.
Biography
MacLaurin was born in Kilconquhar, FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, 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...
, the son of James MacLaurin, M.A. schoolmaster and Catherine, née Brearcliffe. He was educated at home. At 15 years of age he won a bursary at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and took the degree of M.A., graduating in 1854 at 19 years of age.
Both parents died before he was 19. With help from his only brother, Rev. James MacLaurin, and some fees he earned for tutoring, he enrolled in medicine at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. He qualified as M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1857 (aged 22) and subsequently served on eight different ships in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
In the course of his naval service, on 4 February 1868 he reached Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
, and then Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in conjunction with the Royal Visit to Australia of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. On 1 October 1868 he decided to register with the Medical Board of New South Wales, where he met Dr Charles Nathan and his family. He was obliged to return with his ship to England, but in May 1871 he obtained 12 months leave and returned to Sydney where he married Eliza Ann née Nathan at St James' Church on 6 October 1871. (Eliza Nathan was the daughter of Charles, and the grand-daughter of Isaac Nathan
Isaac Nathan
Isaac Nathan was an Anglo-Australian composer, musicologist, journalist and self-publicist, who ended an eventful career by becoming the "father of Australian music".-Early success:...
.) He was dropped from the navy list in January 1873.
MacLaurin went to Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
, and then after his father-in-law's death in September 1872, to Macquarie Street, Sydney
Macquarie Street, Sydney
Macquarie Street is the easternmost street of Sydney's central business district. Macquarie Street extends from Hyde Park at its southern end to the Sydney Opera House at its north.-Description:...
. and became good friends with Charles Mackellar
Charles Mackellar
Sir Charles Kinnaird Mackellar KCMG, was an Australian politician and surgeon.-Early life:Mackellar was born in Sydney, the only son of Dr Frank Mackellar , and his wife Isabella, née Robertson . Charles was educated at Sydney Grammar School and then moved to Port Macquarie district...
.
MacLaurin became a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales in 1889. In April 1893 he became vice-president of the executive council in the George Dibbs
George Dibbs
Sir George Richard Dibbs KCMG was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales on three occasions.-Early years:Dibbs was born in Sydney, son of Captain John Dibbs, who disappeared in the same year...
ministry. Soon after, there was a financial crisis. MacLaurin suggested to the premier that all bank notes should be made legal tender; this suggestion was adopted and helped very much to allay the panic.
In 1887 MacLaurin was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, becoming chancellor in 1896.
See also
MacLaurin had 4 sons:- Charles (1872–1925), M.B., B.S., F.R.C.S. was "a medical practitioner" who wrote a number of notable publications.
- Henry (1878–1915), was a barrister and Brigadier General who was killed at the Battle of GallipoliBattle of GallipoliThe Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
in 1915. - J.B. MacLaurin
- H.C.H. MacLaurin