Finding a Victorian Ships? Doctor

[Paula&steve]

I have an ancestor by the name of Frederick PALMER.
His presumed date of birth (I dont have confrimation - its pure
supposition) is around 1800, possibily in Liverpool.
A confirmed fact is that he married Harriet Dennis HENSMAN in 1833,
Liverpool. Her father, Henry Blowes HENSMAN (born about 1778, Liverpool)
is described as a surgeon.

My original information regarding Frederick PALMER was that he was a
physician who died in Jamaica in 1840.
Another source of information is that Frederick PALMER was a ships doctor
who died at sea in the Carribean circa 1838.

My ultimate dream is to find someone who can connect Frederick to their
PALMER family. Next best (but just as good) would be if someone could
point me in a direction that could lead to confirmation of Frederick's
status as a physician or ships doctor. He surely (hopefully!) had to
qualify as a doctor...somewhere
My question is...where do I find information on physicians in this time
frame...and furthermore one who serves as a ships doctor.......whether it be
miliary or civilian.

Where can I go from here?

Regards
Paula

[FCP]

Paula,

The book I have has 2-3 pages of information on where doctor and
surgeon records can be found. I would type up some of the information
but there is just too much I'm afraid. If possible, check into the
book 'Ancestral Trails, the complete guide to British Genealogy and
Family History' by Mark D. Herber. Your local library may have it, or
can be purchased through ancestry.com or amazon.com Page 393-394
lists all kinds of research areas, in addition to page 454. There is
also information about researching through military records as well,
etc. throughout the book.

Best regards,
Stewart

Post by Paula&steve
I have an ancestor by the name of Frederick PALMER.
His presumed date of birth (I dont have confrimation - its pure
supposition) is around 1800, possibily in Liverpool.
A confirmed fact is that he married Harriet Dennis HENSMAN in 1833,
Liverpool. Her father, Henry Blowes HENSMAN (born about 1778, Liverpool)
is described as a surgeon.
My original information regarding Frederick PALMER was that he was a
physician who died in Jamaica in 1840.
Another source of information is that Frederick PALMER was a ships doctor
who died at sea in the Carribean circa 1838.
My ultimate dream is to find someone who can connect Frederick to their
PALMER family. Next best (but just as good) would be if someone could
point me in a direction that could lead to confirmation of Frederick's
status as a physician or ships doctor. He surely (hopefully!) had to
qualify as a doctor...somewhere
My question is...where do I find information on physicians in this time
frame...and furthermore one who serves as a ships doctor.......whether it be
miliary or civilian.
Where can I go from here?
Regards
Paula

[Lenore Frost]

Post by Paula&steve
I have an ancestor by the name of Frederick PALMER.
His presumed date of birth (I dont have confrimation - its pure
supposition) is around 1800, possibily in Liverpool.
A confirmed fact is that he married Harriet Dennis HENSMAN in 1833,
Liverpool. Her father, Henry Blowes HENSMAN (born about 1778, Liverpool)
is described as a surgeon.
My original information regarding Frederick PALMER was that he was a
physician who died in Jamaica in 1840.
Another source of information is that Frederick PALMER was a ships doctor
who died at sea in the Carribean circa 1838.
My ultimate dream is to find someone who can connect Frederick to their
PALMER family. Next best (but just as good) would be if someone could
point me in a direction that could lead to confirmation of Frederick's
status as a physician or ships doctor. He surely (hopefully!) had to
qualify as a doctor...somewhere
My question is...where do I find information on physicians in this time
frame...and furthermore one who serves as a ships doctor.......whether it be
miliary or civilian.
Where can I go from here?
Regards
Paula

Hi Paula,

It can be quite difficult finding records of surgeons, as you could
become a surgeon by being an apprentice, not by attending a college.
Army surgeons, for instance, got experience sawing legs off, and may
have started off as wardsmen or the like. And then there are the
barber-surgeons, who presumably trimmed hair and lopped off limbs as
required.

Physicians you can track down looking at Medical Directories, or Medical
Registers (there is a difference). You'd want British ones, probably.
Once again, it can be hard work finding a good run of Medical
directories and registers. When I wanted them, I went to a variety of
libraries, including the State Library of Victoria, the Brownless
Medical Library at Melbourne Uni, and the Genealogical Society of
Victoria library. You can probably get some help locating them from
your nearest Reference Librarian.

"Log of Logs" is a useful resource for picking up information about
ships' surgeons. I have some a description of what it is on my webpage:
http://members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/shipslog.html

Lenore Frost
Essendon, Vic
http://members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/index.html

[Paula&steve]

Have responded to both replies by email

Thanks
Paula

Post by Paula&steve
I have an ancestor by the name of Frederick PALMER.
His presumed date of birth (I dont have confrimation - its pure
supposition) is around 1800, possibily in Liverpool.
A confirmed fact is that he married Harriet Dennis HENSMAN in 1833,
Liverpool. Her father, Henry Blowes HENSMAN (born about 1778, Liverpool)
is described as a surgeon.
My original information regarding Frederick PALMER was that he was a
physician who died in Jamaica in 1840.
Another source of information is that Frederick PALMER was a ships doctor
who died at sea in the Carribean circa 1838.
My ultimate dream is to find someone who can connect Frederick to their
PALMER family. Next best (but just as good) would be if someone could
point me in a direction that could lead to confirmation of Frederick's
status as a physician or ships doctor. He surely (hopefully!) had to
qualify as a doctor...somewhere
My question is...where do I find information on physicians in this time
frame...and furthermore one who serves as a ships doctor.......whether it be
miliary or civilian.
Where can I go from here?
Regards
Paula

[C Rihan]

Post by Paula&steve
Have responded to both replies by email
Thanks
Paula

Post by Paula&steve
I have an ancestor by the name of Frederick PALMER.
His presumed date of birth (I dont have confrimation - its pure
supposition) is around 1800, possibily in Liverpool.
A confirmed fact is that he married Harriet Dennis HENSMAN in 1833,
Liverpool. Her father, Henry Blowes HENSMAN (born about 1778,

Liverpool)

Post by Paula&steve
is described as a surgeon.
My original information regarding Frederick PALMER was that he was a
physician who died in Jamaica in 1840.
Another source of information is that Frederick PALMER was a ships doctor
who died at sea in the Carribean circa 1838.
My ultimate dream is to find someone who can connect Frederick to their
PALMER family. Next best (but just as good) would be if someone could
point me in a direction that could lead to confirmation of Frederick's
status as a physician or ships doctor. He surely (hopefully!) had to
qualify as a doctor...somewhere
My question is...where do I find information on physicians in this time
frame...and furthermore one who serves as a ships doctor.......whether it

be

Post by Paula&steve
miliary or civilian.

I'm not sure if this will be of any help to you.
In the book about Dr Gully by Phyllis Mann she wrote about his education.
He also had Jamaican and Liverpool connections so may be he had a similar
education, though he must have been born after a few years after your man.
Liverpool was a 'notoriously unhealthy place to live'.

He went age 18 to Edinburgh University (c 1826) . During his time there
he studied at Ecole de Medecine in Paris, then returned from Paris to
Edinburgh to
graduate as a Doctor of Medecine by exam for his 21st birthday.
He applied for a license to practise in 1830, and received his Licentiate
from the
Society of Apothecaries on 10th June in London.
(I haven't checked this)

Best wishes
C.Rihan.

[Paula&steve]

Thank you for your response. It's all adding up to being a lot harder to
trace my ancestor than I at first thought.

Kind regards
Paula

Post by C Rihan
I'm not sure if this will be of any help to you.
In the book about Dr Gully by Phyllis Mann she wrote about his education.
He also had Jamaican and Liverpool connections so may be he had a similar
education, though he must have been born after a few years after your man.
Liverpool was a 'notoriously unhealthy place to live'.
He went age 18 to Edinburgh University (c 1826) . During his time there
he studied at Ecole de Medecine in Paris, then returned from Paris to
Edinburgh to
graduate as a Doctor of Medecine by exam for his 21st birthday.
He applied for a license to practise in 1830, and received his Licentiate
from the
Society of Apothecaries on 10th June in London.
(I haven't checked this)
Best wishes
C.Rihan.