The Honorable Dr John Macadam (29 May 1827 – 2 September 1865), was a
Scottish-
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...
, medical teacher, Australian politician and cabinet minister, and honorary secretary of the
Burke and Wills expedition
The Burke and Wills expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria in Australia in 1860–61. It consisted of 19 men led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills, with the objective of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the s ...
. The
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
''
Macadamia
''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia, native to northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland specifically. Two species of the genus ...
'' (macadamia nut) was named after him in 1857. He died at sea, on a voyage from Australia to New Zealand, aged 38.
Early life
John Macadam was born at Northbank,
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, on 29 May 1827, the son of
William Macadam (1783-1853) and Helen, née Stevenson (1803-1857). His father was a Glasgow businessman, who owned a spinning and textile printing works in
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire, East Ayrshire Council. ...
, and was a burgess and a bailie (magistrate) of Glasgow. His fellow industrialists and he in the craft had developed, using chemistry, the processes for the large-scale industrial printing of fabrics for which these plants in the area became known.
John Macadam was privately educated in Glasgow; he studied
chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
at the Andersonian University (now the
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal chart ...
) and went for advanced study at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
under Professor
William Gregory. In 1846-47, he went on to serve as assistant to
Professor George Wilson at the University of Edinburgh in his laboratory in Brown Square. He was elected a fellow of the
Royal Scottish Society of Arts
The Royal Scottish Society of Arts is a learned society in Scotland, dedicated to the study of science and technology. It was founded as The Society for the Encouragement of the Useful Arts in Scotland by David Brewster, Sir David Brewster in 182 ...
that year, and in 1848, a member of the Glasgow Philosophical Society. He then studied medicine at the
University of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
(LFPS, MD,1854; FFPSG,1855).
He was a member of what became a small dynasty of Scottish scientists and lecturers in analytical chemistry, which included, other than himself, his eldest half brother William Macadam, his immediate younger brother
Stevenson Macadam
Stevenson Macadam (27 April 1829 – 24 January 1901) was a Scottish scientist, analytical chemist, lecturer, and academic author.
He was a founding member of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain (now the Royal Society of Chemistry) an ...
(a younger brother Charles Thomas Macadam, although not involved as a scientist, was also indirectly involved in chemistry becoming a senior partner in a chemical fertiliser company) and nephews
William Ivison Macadam
Colonel William Ivison Macadam (27 January 1856 – 24 June 1902)
Colonel Professor W. Ivison Macadam was a Scottish scientist, academic author and antiquarian. He was also Colonel of the 1st Lothian Volunteer Infantry Brigade and a leading F ...
and Stevenson J. C. G. Macadam, as well as the former nephew's daughter, his great niece Elison A. Macadam.
On 8 June 1855, aged 28, Macadam sailed for
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
in the
Colony of Victoria
In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the '' metropolitan state'' ...
, Australia, on the sailing ship ''Admiral.'' He arrived on 8 September 1855.
Australian academic career
In 1855 he was a lecturer on chemistry and natural science at
Scotch College, having been engaged for the position before leaving Scotland.
In 1857 he was awarded an MD ''ad eundem'' from the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
in acknowledgment of his MD from the University of Glasgow.
In 1857-1858 he also taught at Geelong Church of England Grammar School (now
Geelong Grammar School
, motto_translation = 1 Corinthians 1:30: "For us, Christ was made wisdom"(1 Corinthians 1:30: Christ, who has been made for us in wisdom)
, city = Corio, Victoria
, country = Australia
, coordinates =
, ty ...
). In 1858, he was appointed the
Victorian government
The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and th ...
analytical chemist. In 1860 he became health officer to the
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. In 2018, the city has an area of and had a population of 169,961. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. The ci ...
. He wrote several reports on public health.
On 3 March 1862 he was appointed as the first lecturer in medicine (chemistry and practical chemistry) at the
University of Melbourne School of Medicine. For the next few years he held classes for a small number of medical students in the Analytical Laboratory behind the Public Library. He was also a member of the Board of Agriculture.
Political life
He became a member of the legislative assembly of the self-governing Colony of Victoria as a radical and supporter of the Land Convention, representing
Castlemaine.
He was
postmaster-general of Victoria
The Postmaster-General of Victoria was a former ministry portfolio within the Cabinet of Victoria. The position was created in 1857, shortly after the colony separated from New South Wales. Upon Federation, Section 51(v) of the Constitution o ...
in 1861. He resigned from the legislature in 1864. He had sponsored bills on medical practitioners and adulteration of food which became law in 1862 and 1863.
Royal Society of Victoria
Between 1857 and 1862, Macadam served as honorary secretary of the
Philosophical Institute of Victoria
The Philosophical Institute of Victoria was a scientific institute functioned in Victoria, Australia during 19th century. It was founded in 1854 through the amalgamation of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science and the Philosophica ...
, which later became the
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in the state of Victoria in Australia.
Foundation
In 1854 two organisations formed with similar aims and membership, these being ''The Philosophical Society of Victoria'' (fou ...
in 1860, and was appointed vice-president of it in 1863. He was editor of first five volumes of the society's ''Transactions''. He was active in erecting the Society's Meeting Hall (their present building) and was involved in the institute's initiative to obtain a royal charter. He saw both happen while he held office, when in January 1860, the Philosophical Institute became the Royal Society of Victoria and met in their new building.
Burke and Wills expedition
Between 1857 and 1865, Macadam served as honorary secretary to the Exploration Committee of the Royal Society of Victoria, which organised the
Burke and Wills expedition
The Burke and Wills expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria in Australia in 1860–61. It consisted of 19 men led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills, with the objective of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the s ...
.
The expedition was organised by the society with the aim of crossing the continent of Australia from the south to the north coasts, map it, and collect scientific data and specimens. At that time, most of the interior of Australia had not been explored by the European settlers and was unknown to them.
In 1860–61,
Robert O'Hara Burke
Robert O'Hara Burke (6 May 1821c. 28 June 1861) was an Irish soldier and police officer who achieved fame as an Australian explorer. He was the leader of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition, which was the first expedition to cross Australi ...
and
William John Wills
William John Wills (5 January 1834 – ) was a British surveyor who also trained as a surgeon. Wills achieved fame as the second-in-command of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition, which was the first expedition to cross Australia from s ...
led the expedition of 19 men with that intention, crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south, to the
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria (, ) is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the eastern Arafura Sea (the body of water that lies between Australia and New Guinea). The northern boundary is ...
in the north, a distance around 2,000 miles.
Three men ultimately travelled over 3,000 miles from Melbourne to the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria and back to the Depot Camp at
Cooper Creek
The Cooper Creek (formerly Cooper's Creek) is a river in the Australian states of Queensland and South Australia. It was the site of the death of the explorers Burke and Wills in 1861. It is sometimes known as the Barcoo River from one of its t ...
. Seven men died in the attempt, including the leaders Burke and Wills. Of the four men who reached the north coast, only one,
John King, survived with the help of the indigenous people to return to Melbourne.
This expedition became the first to cross the Australian continent. It was of great importance to the subsequent development of Australia and could be compared in importance to the
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...
overland to the North American Pacific Coast to the development of the United States.
After the heavy death toll of the expedition, initial criticism fell on the Royal Society, but it became clear that their foresight could not have prevented the deaths and this was then widely recognised when it became known that as Secretary of the Exploration Committee of the Burke and Wills expedition, Dr. Macadam had insisted on adequate provisions for their safety.
Macadamia
![Macadamia nuts on tree](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Macadamia_nuts_on_tree.JPG)
The macadamia (genus
Macadamia
''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia, native to northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland specifically. Two species of the genus ...
) nut was discovered by the European settlers, and subsequently the tree was named after him by his friend and colleague,
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vict ...
(1825-1896), Director of the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are botanic gardens across two sites–Melbourne and Cranbourne.
Melbourne Gardens was founded in 1846 when land was reserved on the south side of the Yarra River for a new botanic garden. It extends across ...
. The tree gave his name to
macadamia nuts
''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia, native to northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland specifically. Two species of the genus ...
. The genus ''Macadamia'' was first described scientifically in 1857 by Dr. Mueller and he named the new genus in honour of his friend Dr John Macadam. Mueller had done a great deal of taxonomy of the flora, naming innumerable genera but chose this "...a beautiful genus dedicated to John Macadam, M.D. the talented and deserving secretary of our institute."
Australian rules football
On 7 August 1858, John Macadam officiated as one of two umpires at a famous game of football played between
Scotch College and
Melbourne Grammar
(Pray and Work)
, established = 1849 (on present site since 1858 - the celebrated date of foundation)
, type = Independent, co-educational primary, single-sex boys secondary, day and boarding
, denomination ...
. It was co-umpired by Tom Wills and John Macadam. The two schools have competed annually ever since, lately for the Cordner–Eggleston Cup. This game was a predecessor to the modern game of
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
and is commemorated by a statue depicting the game outside the
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...
.
Learned societies
*1847 fellow of the
Royal Scottish Society of Arts
The Royal Scottish Society of Arts is a learned society in Scotland, dedicated to the study of science and technology. It was founded as The Society for the Encouragement of the Useful Arts in Scotland by David Brewster, Sir David Brewster in 182 ...
*1848 a member of the Glasgow Philosophical Society (now
Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow
The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow is a learned society established in 1802 "''for the improvement of the Arts and Sciences''" in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It runs a programme of lectures, starting its 220th Series in October 2021. ...
)
*1855 elected Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, the University of Glasgow
*1855 elected member (1857–59 Hon. Sec), the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, later to become the
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in the state of Victoria in Australia.
Foundation
In 1854 two organisations formed with similar aims and membership, these being ''The Philosophical Society of Victoria'' (fou ...
*1860 vice-president of
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in the state of Victoria in Australia.
Foundation
In 1854 two organisations formed with similar aims and membership, these being ''The Philosophical Society of Victoria'' (fou ...
Family
On 18 September 1856, a year after he arrived from Scotland, he married Elizabeth Clark in Melbourne, Australia. She had arrived three days before the wedding with her maid on the ''Admiral'', the same ship on which he had travelled out a year earlier, which reached Hobson's Bay (Melbourne's port) on 15 September 1856, having set sail from London on 7 June 1856. Elizabeth Clark was probably born on 7 October 1832 in Barony parish Scotland, near Glasgow (her mother being Mary McGregor). She was the second daughter of John Clark, of Levenfield House in Alexandria, the Vale of Leven, a short distance north of Glasgow in West Dunbartonshire. His Levenfield Works were involved in similar work to Dr John Macadam’s father William Macadam in Kilmarnock in the then lucrative business of textile printing for domestic and European markets. The Clarks and Macadams must have become known to each other in Scotland because of their respective fathers' business connections. Elizabeth died in 1915, in Brighton, Victoria.
John and Elizabeth had two sons:
John Melnotte Macadam was born 29 August 1858 at Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, and died on 30 January 1859, aged 5 months (he was reburied with his father, whose monument bears the additional inscription: ''In memory of his only children John Melnotte Macadam Born August 29, 1858 Died January 30, 1859'' followed by an inscription to his second son below it).
William Castlemaine Macadam was born on 2 July 1860 and died 17 December 1865 at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia. He died aged five and had survived his father by a few months. The inscription on his father's burial monument under ''His only children'' has him listed under his elder brother (above), who died in infancy, but does not for some reason give William's date of death on it.
Death
In March 1865 Macadam sailed to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
to give evidence at the trial of Captain W. A. Jarvey, accused of fatally poisoning his wife, but the jury did not reach a verdict. During the return voyage, Macadam fractured his ribs during a storm. He was advised, on medical grounds, not to return for the adjourned trial but did so and died on the ship on 2 September 1865. His medical-student assistant John Drummond Kirkland gave evidence at the trial in Macadam's place, and Jarvey was convicted.
The ''Australian News'' commented, "At the time of his death, Dr Macadam was but 38 years of age; there can be little doubt that the various and onerous duties he discharged for the public must be attributed in great measure the shortening of his days." The ''Australian Medical Journal'' stated, "For some time it had been evident to his friends that his general health was giving way: that a frame naturally robust and vigorous was gradually becoming undermined by the incessant and harassing duties of the multifarious offices he filled." The inquest verdict (he died at sea) stated, "His death was caused by excessive debility and general exhaustion."
Funeral
The funeral was large. The newspapers carried tributes and subsequently lengthier obituaries from learned societies were published, such as that in the ''Australian Medical Journal'' and elsewhere. The Melbourne ''Leader'' described the funeral: "The coffin was drawn by four horses. Four mourning coaches contained the chief mourners and the more intimate friends of the deceased gentleman. A large procession followed, in which were several members of Parliament, the members of the Royal Society, the Chief Justice; the Mayor and corporation of the city of Melbourne. A number of private carriages and the public wound up the procession....At the University, the chancellor, the vice-chancellor, and a number of the students, all in their academic robes, met the funeral cortege, and proceeded the remainder of the distance". The chief mourner was his youngest brother, George Robert Macadam (1837-1918). John Macadam's grave, surmounted by a marble obelisk, is in
Melbourne General Cemetery
The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large (43 hectare) necropolis located north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.
The cemetery is notably the resting place of four Prime Ministers of Australia, more than any other nec ...
.
Widow remarried
After John Macadam and her children's deaths his widow, Elizabeth Clark, later remarried. She married the Reverend John Dalziel Dickie, who was pastor at Colac for 32 years. They married on 26 February 1868 They had four daughters. Elizabeth Dickie died aged 82 in 1915, in
Brighton, Victoria
Brighton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Bayside local government area. Brighton recorded a population of 23,252 at the 2021 census.
...
, as the widow of the Rev. Dickie. Dickie had died 25 December 1909.
[''The Chronicle'', Adelaide,. 4 December 1909]
References
External links
''Macadam, John (1827-1865)''– entry in the ''
Trove
Trove is an Australian online library database owned by the National Library of Australia in which it holds partnerships with source providers National and State Libraries Australia, an aggregator and service which includes full text document ...
'' database of the National Library of Australia
''Macadam, John (1827–1865)''– entry in the ''
Australian Dictionary of Biography
The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...
''
Burke & Wills Web– comprehensive website containing many of the historical documents relating to the Burke & Wills expedition
The Burke & Wills Historical Society
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macadam, John
1827 births
1865 deaths
19th-century chemists
University of Melbourne faculty
Scottish emigrants to Australia
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Scientists from Glasgow
Analytical chemists
Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Burials at Melbourne General Cemetery