Dr Barclay Barrowman JP, DTM, FCO, FRSH was a British medical doctor who conducted early research on

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

. Barrowman also served as the personal physician to the

Sultan of Selangor Sultan of Selangor (سلطان سلاڠور) is the title of the constitutional ruler of Selangor, Malaysia who is the head of state and head of the Islamic religion in Selangor. The current monarch, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ascended the t ...

Early life

Barrowman was born on 10 March 1896 in the

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area of

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. He was the youngest child of John Barrowman (1844-1900), a lime merchant and Helen Agnew (1854-?). After graduating from Glasgow University, Barrowman joined the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

, serving in

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as a surgeon. After the war, he returned home to Glasgow, where he worked as a general practitioner. In 1928 Barrowman married Marguerite Emily Burn (born 18 January 1901), the daughter of Sir Joseph Burn and wife Lady Emily H Burn.

Service in Malaya

After earning a Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Tropical Hygiene from the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

, Barrowman moved to British Malaya. After working for several years in Sir Malcolm Watson's estate practice at Klang, Barrowman took over the practice. In 1937, Barrowman was appointed Personal Physician to the Sultan of Selangor, who gave him the title "Dato'Semboh Di Raja of Selangor, Malaya". Working as a

malariologist Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue (medical), tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In se ...

, Barrowman made advances in the treatment and prevention of malaria, writing several articles on the subject. He also worked to improve conditions for the local labour force and ran instructional courses. Barrowman served as President of the BMA Malayan Branch and was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Sultan's successor. After the

Japanese invasion of Malaya The Malayan campaign, referred to by Japanese sources as the , was a military campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942 during the Second World War. It was dominated by land battles between ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Barrowman fled Malaya. He served in the Royal Army, achieving he rank of Colonel. He advised the Australian Military Forces, then the Malayan Planning Unit of the

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

in London. At the end of the war, Barrowman returned to Malaya as a Lieutenant-Colonel, serving with the Military Administration as Advisor in Malariology.

Later years

In 1947, Barrowman retired due to ill health. A new highway to Port Swettenham, Malaya was named Barrowman Road after his retirement. Barrowman died on 31 January 1978 in Elstree and Potters Bar Registration District leaving a Will which was probated on 19 April 1978 in Winchester. There is an obituary in the ''British Medical Journal'', 1978, i, p. 514.

Personal

Barclay and Marguerite Barrowman had two children: Gillian Emily Barrowman who was born around 1931 in Malaya and Gavin Renfrew Barrowman who was born 1933 in

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. Mrs Marguerite Barrowman published Life As Remembered From Rydal Mount (1905-1927) which has been published by The Potters Bar and District Historical Society

References

National Archives Wellcome Archive Dr Barclay Barrowman (1896–1978), medical practitioner in Malaya:`Notes on a demonstration of malaria control’, for League of Nations Health Organisation course, and related items, 1934–1947 BARROwMAN, Barclay: Receives the Malay title of " Dato Semboh di Raja," 244 Barrowman, Barclay: Surgeon Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. 1938 Barrowman, Dr. Barclay, Dato, Federal Dispensary, Klang, Selangor F.M.S New Selagor Justice Sultan of Selagor with Dr Barrowman photograph Prophylaxis of Malaria correspondence from Dr B. Barrowman published in the BMJ {{DEFAULTSORT:Barrowman, Barclay Medical doctors from Glasgow 1978 deaths 1896 births Malariologists