Edward Luttrell: Pioneer Surgeon and Farmer in Australia

An Australian Medical Pioneer - Edward Luttrell 'Sells' Some of His Land, July 1810, An indenture, signed and dated at Parramatta, 24 July 1810, by which Luttrell transfers ownership of 2 acres of his land at Richmond Hill to David Bele, provided he proceeds 'to build..a House Joining the House already erected on the said land, Edward Luttrell's Farm at Richmond Hill.' One of the witnesses, Richard Rouse [1774 - 1852] was another important early settler. Edward Luttrell [1756 - 1824] was a practising surgeon however it was as a farmer that he came to New South Wales. An early map of Sydney, in 1807, shows him having property on the now George Street, about half way between the Town Hall and the old Anthony Hordern's building. He was also granted four hundred acres at Clarendon, near Richmond and not far from the current Hawkesbury racetrack. He called this property Hobartville and a suburb on this site now bears this name. In 1803 he had been in private practice in Kent, England, when like some other potential settlers he was given permission to go to New South Wales, because of his family connections and his property he was thought likely 'to cultivate his land, with greater facility than most of the settlers who have preceded him' and Governor Philip Gidley King was also instructed to give him a medical post when a vacancy occurred. He arrived in June 1804 at Port Jackson with his wife and eight children in the 'Experiment'. Luttrell was granted 400 choice acres (162 ha) near Mulgrave Place on the Hawkesbury, rations for his family and ten assigned servants, livestock, seed and tools. He soon had ten acres (4 ha) under wheat and bought some 400 sheep, but he was quickly disillusioned by the high costs, thefts, isolation and seasonal vagaries. In June 1805 Luttrell had been appointed Assistant Colonial Surgeon at 5/- a day, with duties at Sydney and Parramatta. In 1807 he became friendly with Governor William Bligh, and 'although unused to a sea life, and being upwards of fifty' he was appointed to H.M.S. Porpoise as a naval surgeon at 10/- a day and made five voyages in her. To his dismay he was superseded in November 1808 but, after, applying to Lieutenant-Governor Paterson for reinstatement in his former position, he was appointed in 1809 as Acting Assistant-Surgeon in charge of the Hospital for the Sick of the military establishments at Parramatta, for which he was paid 5/- a day. The family eventually moved to Van Dieman's Land where Edward held the position of Chief Surgeon of the colony. The Luttrell family became quite well known in Tasmania.