Paul Howard MacGillivray (1834–1895) was a scientist and medical practitioner by occupation, born at

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

William MacGillivray William MacGillivray FRSE (25 January 1796 – 4 September 1852) was a Scottish naturalist and ornithologist. Life and work MacGillivray was born in Old Aberdeen and brought up on Harris. He returned to Aberdeen where he studied Medicin ...

and Marion , and was the brother of

John MacGillivray John MacGillivray (18 December 1821 – 6 June 1867) was a Scottish naturalist, active in Australia between 1842 and 1867. MacGillivray was born in Aberdeen, the son of ornithologist William MacGillivray. He took part in three of the Royal Nav ...

, who became a noted naturalist.

Early life

MacGillivray was educated at

Marischal College Marischal College ( ) is a large granite building on Broad Street in the centre of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and since 2011 has acted as the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. However, the building was constructed for and is on long- ...

in the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

. His father, William, was appointed a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

there in 1841, a teacher of natural history. During his time as a student, Paul wrote and published a catalogue, entitled ''A Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Ferns growing in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen'', with the help and support of his father. However, when MacGillivray's father died in September 1852, he lost interest in the studies of science, and instead chose to practise medicine, in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Later that year, MacGillivray decided to migrate to

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 ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Migration to Australia

In Australia he continued his medical practice, and began working at Williamstown, where he joined a local, voluntary fire brigade, and served as the brigade's medical officer. Between the years of 1862 and 1873, MacGillivray acted as a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

in the hospital of

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

, where he organised a private medical practice. While MacGillivray's deepest interest remained natural history, he showed talent and potential in medicine, and he produced numerous papers and essays in relation to surgery and surgical matters. His work was prolific and which led him to be elected president of the Medical Society of Victoria. Paul MacGillivray also became known as a notable Australian naturalists of the time. Following his work as a naturalist, MacGillivray was selected as a member of the Philosophical Institute (later Royal Society) of

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 ...

. MacGillivray also wrote several papers in relation to nature, some illustrated, as well as undertaking several projects of research. Additionally, at a later stage in his life, MacGillivray formed relations and a membership with the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria.

Death

Paul MacGillivray died on 9 July 1895 at his house in Bendigo. It was at this time that he close to completing a

monograph A monograph is a specialist work of writing (in contrast to reference works) or exhibition on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author or artist, and usually on a scholarly subject. In library cataloging, ''monograph ...

(on the Polyzoa of Victoria) for the Royal Society of Victoria. He was survived by Elizabeth, née Shields, his wife, five daughters and a son. His collections, papers, findings and library were donated to the National Museum of Victoria by the government shortly after his death.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macgillivray, Paul Australian naturalists Scottish emigrants to Australia 1834 births 1895 deaths Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Medical doctors from Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish botanists 19th-century Scottish medical doctors Scientists from Edinburgh