Sir Henry Lindo Ferguson (7 April 1858 – 22 January 1948), known as Lindo Ferguson, was a New Zealand ophthalmologist, university professor and medical school dean. He was born in London, England, on 7 April 1858. Ferguson's parents were Louisa Ann Du Bois and William Ferguson. The family moved from

Burton upon Trent Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a market town in the borough of East Staffordshire in the county of Staffordshire, England, close to the border with Derbyshire. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 censu ...

, England, to Dublin, Ireland, in 1866. Ferguson started college in 1873 at the

Royal College of Science for Ireland The Royal College of Science for Ireland (RCScI) was an institute for higher education in Dublin which existed from 1867 to 1926, specialising in physical sciences and applied science. It was originally based on St. Stephen's Green, moving in 1 ...

. After earning a scholarship in

industrial chemistry The chemical industry comprises the company, companies and other organizations that develop and produce industrial, specialty and other chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, the chemical industry converts raw materials (Petroleum, oil, ...

, he decided to instead study medicine at the

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

. He earned his medical degree in 1880 and continued his studies, specialising in

ophthalmology Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

. The Ferguson family moved to New Zealand in 1883, choosing

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

because of its medical school. Ferguson was the first ophthalmologist in

Australasia Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand (overlapping with Polynesia), and sometimes including New Guinea and surrounding islands (overlapping with Melanesia). The term is used in a number of different context ...

. Ferguson was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...

in the 1918 King's Birthday Honours. In the

1924 New Year Honours The 1924 New Year Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published in ''The London Gazette'' on 1 January 1924. The recipients of ...

, he was appointed a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

. In 1935, he was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...

. He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of St John The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (), commonly known as the Order of St John, and also known as St John International, is an order of chivalry constituted in 1888 by royal charter from Queen Victoria and dedica ...

in 1937.

References

1858 births 1948 deaths Irish ophthalmologists British emigrants to New Zealand Academic staff of the University of Otago New Zealand ophthalmologists New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George New Zealand Knights Bachelor Commanders of the Order of St John Medical doctors from County Dublin Medical doctors from London Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Irish emigrants to New Zealand Scholars and academics from County Dublin {{NewZealand-med-bio-stub