Chapter:

Dr. James Murdoch M.D. of Craigow 1785-1848
Early Pioneer of Medicine in Van Diemens Land

13.

Even a sadly-named Mr. Garlick, appropriately living at Hollow Tree, bore him no grudge for being told that what he required was a quart of stomach solution, and being charged six shillings for the same.

Other children enlarged the family circle at Craigow during happy years, William, Tom and Peter joining their elder brothers John, James and Scottish Robert Bruce. The latter would seem to have given indications of an excessive proclivity for card playing. In a business day book is to be found in his mother's handwriting the maternal observation, "August 4, 1840. This day Robert Bruce brought the cards to his mother, although he is fond of playing them." An entry on the Doctor's part more likely to be connected with a member of a working team than with a similarly named member of the family, noted for the dignity of her deportment, is that dated two years earlier, when we are told that "Ploughing commenced March 12,1838. Same day Antonia bolted. Reward... £5."

Dr Murdoch was a Scotchman and a human. At such times as he had occasion to put up at John Ryan's hostelry he appreciated his Cape wine, port and sherry, as much as his company. With recklessness contradicting his national caution and prescience, he was £3 to the bad as a result of the Richmond race meeting of 1840. At the same time, he paid up his £1 chapel subscription like a man. Richmond was a place to reckon with in those times; in it was situated one of the several country mills to which was carted the harvest of Craigow and the surrounding farms situated in the district, then renowned as "the granary of Tasmania". There, too, was a private school deemed suitable for the reception for educational purposes of the Craigow youth.

Considerations of space alone curtail narration of the enterprises and qualities of an outstanding man. Farming his estate, rescuing his wandering pigs and cows from the pound, travelling with his men across the ferry plying between Kangaroo Point and Hobart, arranging for the transportation of his grain and salt by other ferries then existing between Bridgewater and Hobart, attending on the medical needs of the Governor, and in visiting needy women without fee or reward, anticipating a century ago the modern beneficent Child Welfare endeavour, the many-sided doctor was in the truest sense a maker and builder of the State.

Dr. James' wife, Grace, died at Craigow on October 9, 1841 at the age of 46 and her remains are buried on the property.

Dr. James himself died suddenly on April 22, 1848 at the age of 62 and was buried in Queenborough Cemetery. He was living at 11d Bathurst Street at the time of his death.