Frederick Spicer (1820 – 7 May 1905) was a medical doctor and politician in the colony of South Australia.

Biography

Family vault of Frederick Spicer in Highgate Cemetery

Dr. Spicer was one of five brothers, four having been trained as doctors, and emigrated to

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

in the early 1850s. He practised in

St. Kilda, Victoria St Kilda is an inner seaside suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km (4 miles) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. St Kilda recorded a population of 19, ...

for a while before moving to South Australia in 1862 to take a position of House Surgeon with the Adelaide Hospital. He took over the practice of Dr. Taylor at

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

in 1864, and was followed by Dr. John Benson both as House Surgeon and, in 1866, at Kensington. Spicer next had a practice in Adelaide with Dr. Augustus Davies, formerly of

Clare Clare may refer to: Places Antarctica * Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land Australia * Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley * Clare Valley, South Australia Canada * Clare (electoral district), an electoral district * Cl ...

. He was appointed in 1867 to a panel of enquiry into the operation of the Hospital, which, over the objections of the Colonial Surgeon,

Robert Waters Moore Robert Waters Moore M.R.C.S. (1819 – 6 December 1884) born in Cork, Ireland, was a prominent surgeon and medical practitioner in the early days of the colony of South Australia. He succeeded Dr. William Gosse as Colonial Surgeon. History Moo ...

MRCS (1820–1884), recommended sweeping reforms. He returned to England around 1871, died at

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and is buried in a family vault in

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...

(west side).

Politics

He was elected to the

Adelaide City Council The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council is a local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia and is legally defined as the capital city of Sout ...

for Grey Ward in December 1869. His candidacy drew some criticism, as he was a major shareholder in the South Australian Gas Company and a proponent of gas lighting for the City. He was elected a member for The Sturt in the

South Australian House of Assembly The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide. Overview The House of Assembly was creat ...

in February 1870 following the resignation of

Richard Bullock Andrews Richard Bullock Andrews (11 May 1823 – 26 June 1884) was an Australian politician and judge. Early life Richard Bullock Andrews was born in Epping, Essex, England the eldest child of Richard Bullock Andrews, an attorney, and his wife Emma ...

who had accepted the post of Crown Solicitor and Public Prosecutor. He sat until March 1870, with

Joseph Fisher Joseph Fisher or Joe Fisher may refer to: * Joe Fisher (ice hockey) (1916–2002), Canadian professional ice hockey player * Joe Fisher (journalist) (1947–2001) * Joseph Fisher (priest) (1655–1705), Archdeacon of Carlisle * Joseph Fisher (Austr ...

as his colleague. He was a candidate at the following election but was unsuccessful.

Family

He was married; they had two sons, both doctors, and one daughter. *Dr. R. H. S. Spicer was an ear, nose and throat specialist in

Cavendish Square Cavendish Square is a public garden square in Marylebone in the West End of London. It has a double-helix underground commercial car park. Its northern road forms ends of four streets: of Wigmore Street that runs to Portman Square in the much lar ...

, London. *a second son, born in Adelaide, was a medical doctor in the Royal Navy *their only daughter, also born in Adelaide, married Mr. Roques, a leading London architect. Edward H. Spicer (1 January 1817 – 7 May 1906), businessman of Rose Park, was a brother. He emigrated to South Australia on the ''Winchester'', arriving in June 1838; fellow passengers included T. G. Waterhouse's brothers Henry and John. He married Elizabeth (c. 1819 – 24 January 1889). Their daughter Elizabeth Spicer ( – 1911) married (later Sir) Edwin T. Smith on 11 November 1869 (his second marriage). (Two other brothers trained as doctors but first Henry (from 1853 to 1873), then George (from 1873 to 1896), found the life of a businessman in partnership with Edward more congenial.)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spicer, Frederick Members of the South Australian House of Assembly 19th-century Australian medical doctors 1820 births 1905 deaths 19th-century Australian politicians Burials at Highgate Cemetery