Thomas Braidwood Wilson
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Thomas Braidwood Wilson FRGS (bapt. 29 April 1792 – 11 November 1843) was an Australian surgeon and explorer. He was baptised in Kirknewton, West Lothian, Scotland, the son of James, and Catherine Boak.[1]
Wilson studied at Edinburgh University and became a Doctor of Medicine. He joined the Royal Navy in 1815 and made nine voyages to Australia as a surgeon-superintendent on convict ships.
The times were very dangerous and many of the sea voyages were eventful. In 1829 he travelled on the return journey of the Governor Ready to Australia when it was shipwrecked in the Torres Strait. Wilson and some of the crew rowed 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) to Timor.[1]
Aboard the ship, John, Wilson returned in 1831 to Hobart Town with a hive of bees, that had survived the trip to Australia, and many European plants. The bees were considered to be the first European bees brought to Tasmania. Wilson was presented with an engraved snuffbox with the inscription praising him for, "introducing to (the colony) some of the most valuable plants and animals, but especially the honeybee, which are now in a manner become indigenous to it."[2]
The following table details the nine voyages Wilson made as a surgeon-superintendent on convict ships.
| Ship | Dep. Date | Dep. Location | Arr. Date | Arr. Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 27/11/1821 | Sheerness, England | 30/04/1822 | Van Diemen's Land |
| Prince Regent | 13/02/1824 | Cork, Ireland | 15/07/1824 | New South Wales |
| Mangles | 23/10/1825 | Cork, Ireland | 18/02/1826 | New South Wales |
| Governor Ready | 03/04/1827 | Portsmouth, England | 31/07/1827 | Van Diemen's Land |
| Governor Ready | 21/09/1828 | Cork, Ireland | 16/01/1829 | New South Wales |
| John | 14/10/1830 | Spithead, England | 28/01/1831 | Van Diemen's Land |
| England | 04/04/1832 | Spithead, England | 18/07/1832 | Van Diemen's Land |
| Moffatt | 29/01/1834 | Plymouth, England | 09/05/1834 | Van Diemen's Land |
| Strathfieldsay | 18/02/1836 | Portsmouth, England | 15/06/1836 | New South Wales[3] |
Exploration
Wilson sailed in the ship, Governor Phillip to the Swan River in Western Australia with Captain Collet Barker. From there he explored the region inland from King George Sound. Captain Barker was the Commandant at King George Sound and provided the provisions for the expedition. Wilson named the hill overlooking the future township of Mount Barker in his honour.[4] During these expeditions Wilson collected seeds and species to bring back to his friend, Allan Cunningham at the Sydney Botanical Gardens. A species of grevillea from Western Australia, Grevillea wilsonii,[5] was named after him.[6] Wilson's inlet in Western Australia is also named after him. King George Sound is now home to the thriving town of Albany.
In 1833 Wilson was granted a fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society.
Journal and travel writing
Wilson wrote of his travel experiences and published them in 1835.[7] The title page of the book describes the contents as:
...an account of, the wreck of the ship "Governor Ready" in Torres Straits; a Description of the British Settlements on the Coasts of New Holland, more particularly Raffles Bay, Melville Island, Swan River and King George's Sound; also, the Manners and Customs of the Aboriginal Tribes:with an Appendix, containing Remarks on Transportation, The Treatment of Convicts During the Voyage, and Advice to Persons Intending to Emigrate to the Australian Colonies.
- – by T. B. Wilson, M.D. Surgeon, R.N.
- Member of the Royal Geographical Society
In the preface Wilson states that his aim was to inform those interested in "Australian affairs" and provide amusement to the general public.[7]: viii He states further that the information in the appendix was based on his supervision of, "nearly two thousand prisoners, without having met with any difficulty, or disturbance, worth mentioning."[7]: ix
Pastoral life
Wilson married Jane Thomson of Durham, England, in 1826 at St Oswalds in Durham. In 1836 he emigrated with his wife, daughter Mary Braidwood Wilson (b. 1827), and son James Braidwood Wilson (b. 1833), to Australia.
Wilson's first land grants were in the Oatlands area of Tasmania, however he exchanged these for grants in the Braidwood district before settling there in 1835. Wilson's grants in Braidwood amounted to 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) in recognition of his exploration, to which he added another 1,600 plushectares (4,000 plusacres) of purchased and leased land. The family property was known as "Braidwood Farm" (since changed to "Mona"). When the township was formed it took the name of Braidwood in his honour because Wilson relinquished an area from the western end of his property to be used as the site for the new town.[8][9] He became a pastoralist and was noted for the good management of his land.[1] He also served as a magistrate, and funded the building on the courthouse in Braidwood.[10] He was on many local committees and took an active interest in district affairs.
At Wilson's death his daughter, Mary Braidwood Wilson, was 16. She kept a diary that covered her life after her father's death, and during her marriage to Stewart Marjoribanks Mowle. The diary is now in the National Library of Australia and is seen as a clear and detailed record of early expatriate life in Australia.
