Kitching, Charles - I20270
| C Kitching | |
|---|---|
| Born abt 1802 | |
| Nationality |
 English |
| Born |
abt 1802 London |
| Genealogy Data | |
| Person ID | I20270 |
| Voyage Data | |
| Voyage to Adelaide in 1865 | |
| Personal role | Surgeon |
| Name on list | C Kitching |
| Age on voyage | 63 |
| Joined date | 26 Jul 1865 |
| Joined place | London |
| Left date | 12 Oct 1865 |
| Left place | Adelaide |
| Left reason | Discharged |
Dr. Charles Kitching was the surgeon on the 1865 voyage of the City of Adelaide from London to Adelaide. Much of what is known of him comes from his death notice:
"The Late Dr. Kitching - The funeral of the late Dr. Kitching, a gentleman well known as having made eight or ten trips to this colony from England as Surgeon-Superintendent of immigrant vessels, took place at the West-terrace Cemetery on Thursday afternoon. A considerable number of gentlemen acquainted with the deceased followed his remains to the grave, the mourning coach containing a nephew of Dr. Kitching's, the Hon. T. Elder, Dr. Forwood (Port Adelaide), S. R. Bosisto (Strathalbyn), J. F. Hillier, and T. Cornock. The Rev. R. Reid conducted the burial."[1]
Letter of Gratitude Advertisement
The passengers on the Olivia were very thankful to Charles Kitching for his care during their voyage to Adelaide in 1853.[2] The transcript follows:
TO DR. KITCHING, SURGEON SUPERINTENDENT OF THE EMIGRANT SHIP 'OLIVIA'. DEAR SIR If patience, perseverance, uniform kindness, unremitting attention, and firmness in the discharge of the duties of a public officer, in a situation of trust, deserve approbation, we feel that the manner in which you have discharged yours entitles you to this claim, as the just reward of your meritorious and gentlemanly conduct. We, whose names are annexed, emigrants on board the Olivia, under your care for the past four months, cannot separate from you without returning in this public manner our thanks to you, and express the gratitude which your manner and actions have inspired. Your situation, was extremely arduous, and your patience must have been severely taxed in reconciling differences with out resorting to harsh measures; your perseverance put to the test in establishing and maintaining peace and harmony among persons of various countries, differing in language, manners, habits, aud customs. Then, again, your physical powers must have been exhausted from the continual claims which the sick and afflicted made on you, and which were religiously attended to at all hours and under all circumstances. But no part of your conduct deserves higher commendation than the firmness you displayed in restraining demoralization, which at times has crept into emigrant ships; you have been ever ready to caution and encourage those leaving home and friends for a distant colony; in fact you have gained our unreserved respect. In conclusion, we humbly pray the King of kings that you may be long spared to enjoy your deserved popularity as a Surgeon-Superintendent. [Here follow 104 signatures.] On board the emigrant ship 'Olivia'.
The same letter appeared word for word the same, in an advertisment in the Colonial Times in Hobart after the arrival of the migrant ship Caroline Middleton in 1854.[3] Thus the wording appears to suggest a 'stock letter'.
Voyages
His known voyages to Australia as Surgeon-Superintendant are:
- The ship Olivia from London / Plymouth on 30 July 1853, arrived Adelaide on 14 November 1853.[2]
- The ship Caroline Middleton from Liverpool on 2 July 1854, arrived Hobart Town 29 September 1854.[4][5][6]
- The barque Grand Trianon from Liverpool 28 March 1855, arrived Adelaide 10 June 1855.[7][8][9] (By this ship's arrival, news reached South Australia of the death of the Russian Czar.[10]
- The barque Duchess of Northumberland from Southampton on 27 November 1855, arrived Adelaide on 28 February 1856.[11][12]
- The ship Nabob from Liverpool on 1 September 1856, arrived Adelaide on 23 December 1856.[13]
- The ship Rajasthan from Birkenhead on 23 June 1862, arrived Moreton Bay (Brisbane) on 31 October 1862.[18][19]
- The ship Rockliff sailed from Plymouth on 17 September 1864, and arrived Adelaide on 20 December 1864.[20]
- The City of Adelaide from London on 26 July, arrived Adelaide on 12 October 1865.
His name also appears as Surgeon Superintendant on the following voyages:
- The ship Cossipore to India from 08 October 1859 to 07 April 1860 chartered by the Emigration Commissioners for the Conveyance to India of Soldiers' Wives and Families.[21]
At the time of his 1858 voyage on the ship Melbourne, Dr. Kitching was said to be quite a veteran in the immigrant ship service, having made several trips to the neighbouring colonies to South Australia as well as two voyages to Adelaide.[22] Dr. Kitching may have had one more year's travelling between Adelaide and England, or the City of Adelaide voyage may have been his last.
In January 1866 he advertised his recent arrival and medical services in the Adelaide papers.[23]
In October 1866, presumably after having responded to a newspaper advertisment[24] Dr. Kitching was appointed medical attendant of the destitute poor in the district of Macclesfield/Strathalbyn.[25]
A Sketch On Board the 'City of Adelaide'
In Alfred Hawker's poem, A Sketch On Board the 'City of Adelaide' (below), Dr. Kitching is not named but his age is given and mention made of patients. These provide the clues that he is the subject of the poem. At 62/63 years of age, the next youngest crew member on board was Captain David Bruce who was about 50 years old. The poem seems rather harsh. He appears to have been in high regard on some of his other voyages,[13] but on one voyage he was assaulted by one passenger and extorted by another.[20]
The last word in the poem, "kitchen", appears to be a psuedonym for "Kitching" and so seems to confirm the poem is about the surgeon.
I saw him standing on the deck,
His white hair streaming wild;
His glittering eye was flashing fire,
His tones were far from wild.
In terror dread this sight to see,I slunk behind the mast,
Lest I should fall like stricken deer
Beneath his anger's blast.
In hast along the ship I thenDid fly from stern to bow,
To escape the paralizing sight
Of his terrific brow.
I took my pipe, I sat me downUpon a sea-boy's chest;
My refuge was the 'Monkey-house;'
Sad feelings filled my breast.
Before me lay a little boy(I think his name was Fred),
The night before he was struck down,'
A block fell on his head.
'O boy,' I cried, 'and can it be'That one so young as you
But here that figure caught my gaze,
Into the shade I drew.
I held my breath,' on, on he came,My pulse was beating quick;
He looked around, and fiercely cried,
'Come, where's the boy that's sick?
'None of your skulking, sir; Jump up! 'I'll let you quickly see
' 'Tis not my place to go to them,
'Sick folks must come to me!'
A sailor tall close by me sat,He broke our silence dread',
'Butcher,' he cried with hungry look,
'"How much for that sheep's head?"'
But quick that old man round him turned,And at that sailor gazed,
While from his little eyes the fire
Of pent-up fury blazed.
Upon his heel he straightway turned,And went away in haste,
To seek the company of one
Congenial to his taste.
* * * * *
Angry, suspicious, harsh old man,
In truth I pity thee;
The life of a self-punisher
Must a sad burden be.
Why dost thou always tax thy brainTo find some fancied slight?
Why wilt thou ever look at things
In such a jaundiced light?
We grieve for thine infirmities;Thine age we would respect;
But friendship, as you treat us now,
You may in vain expect.
Why constitute thyself a spy On all our nameless actions?
Why shrink like coward from thy duty's
Very mild exactions.
Why with thy honeyed words deceiveThe patients wearied sense,
Then treat his ailment just as if
It was a great offence?
Why try to win his confidence,And say you never chatter,
Then go and gossip on his case
With such ill-natured clatter?
Should private feeling interfereWith thy straight-forward duty?
Should your profession be by you
Divested of its beauty?
You take your stand upon your 'age',And say you're sixty-two.
Wisdom, alas! From learning's wells
I fear you never drew!
Age without wisdom! O how sad!A life's experience wasted;
To find when homage you exact,
Your expectations blasted.
One word of counsel ere we part(For metaphor I'm rich in),
Before you blacken others pots
Just look to your own kitchen!
Death
Charles Kitching died on 17 July 1867 at the Clarence Hotel, Adelaide.[26] At the time of his death, his home was still in Strathalbyn.[27] He was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery on 18 July 1867.[28]
References
- ↑ "IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 19 July 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 16 November 1853. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "TO DR. KITCHING.". Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828-1857) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 3 October 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Shipping Report.". The Hobarton Mercury (Tas. : 1854-1857) (Tas.: National Library of Australia). 30 September 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Shipping Intelligence.". Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828-1857) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 30 September 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING NEWS.". The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840-1859) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 30 September 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "THE GRAND TRIANON.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 11 June 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 11 June 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "THE DISTRICT COUNCILS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 18 June 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "The Register. ADELAIDE: MONDAY, JUNE 11, 1855.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 11 June 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 1 March 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 12 March 1856. p. 4. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "The Register. ADELAIDE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 24,1867.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 24 January 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPS' MAILS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 28 October 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING RECORD.". Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875) (Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia). 28 October 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 7 December 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING NEWS.". The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858-1889) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 7 December 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.". The Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1861-1864) (Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia). 1 November 1862. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "ARRIVAL OF IMMIGRANT VESSELS.". The Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1861-1864) (Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia). 18 November 1862. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "IMMIGRATION AGENTS QUARTERLY REPORT.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 20 January 1865. p. 3. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Emigrant Ships To Australia, Cape of Good Hope & Natal in 1859-1861". The Ships List. Swiggum. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ "THE MELBOURNE.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 7 December 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Advertising.". The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 4 January 1866. p. 3. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 28 June 1866. p. 1. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ↑ "DISTRICT COUNCILS.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 22 October 1866. p. 3. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Family Notices.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 27 July 1867. p. 5. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 23 July 1867. p. 4. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839-1900) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 18 July 1867. p. 1. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
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