Stephen Simpson (1793–1869) was a doctor and civil servant in

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

, Australia. He was a founding Member of the Queensland Legislative Council.

Early life

Stephen Simpson was born on 29 July 1793 in Wolston,

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...

, England, the son of Thomas Simpson and his wife Anne (née Bank). From 1813 to 1817 he was a soldier with the 4th Light Dragoons. After that he studied medicine in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. He became interested in homeopathy.

Queensland years

Simpson immigrated to Queensland, arriving first in Sydney on the ''Wilmot'' and then arriving in

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

in July 1840. Stephen Simpson was appointed Commissioner for Crown Lands for the

District in 1842 when the area was first opened up for free settlement following the closure of the penal colony. He was a doctor of medicine, a Justice of the Peace, a police

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

and a founding Member of the Queensland Legislative Council following separation from

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. Simpson established a Border Police Station on Woogaroo Creek/

Brisbane River The Brisbane River (Turrbal language, Turrbal: ) is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia. It flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the ...

in early 1843. He travelled throughout the Moreton Bay area for his work, part of which involved local Aboriginal people. His border police were involved in the Battle of One Tree Hill. Note: Dr Ray Kerkhove, owner of this site, is a reputable historian. Se
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In March to April 1843 he undertook an exploration of the Bunya Country in the Wide Bay district. After first living at Eagle Farm then at Petrie's Bight, Simpson established his first cottage at Woogaroo (now Goodna), situated between

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

and

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...

on what was to become the site of the Wolston Park Hospital. In 1851, when the opportunity to buy land in the area arose, he purchased to the east of his first house on land overlooking the

. There he constructed a two-room brick cottage over a sandstone basement. The house was shingled and had a detached kitchen. This cottage now forms the core of the heritage-listed Wolston House. Simpson had designated his nephew, John Ommaney (for whom Mount Ommaney is named) as his heir. On 11 March 1856 the young man was riding from Wolston station and was thrown from his horse. The horse returned to Wolston and a search was undertaken. Ommaney was found on the ground insensible and, despite medical attention, died. His body was taken by steamer to be buried in the Church of England cemetery at Paddington. This may have affected Simpson's commitment to remaining in the colony and a few years later, he put the Wolston estate up for sale and returned to England. According to the auction notice which appeared in the ''

Moreton Bay Courier Moreton may refer to: People Given name * Moreton John Wheatley (1837–1916), British Army officer and Bailiff of the Royal Parks Surname * Alice Bertha Moreton (1901–1977), English sculptor, draughtsman and artist * Andrew Moreton, a ...

'' of 3 January 1860 the estate was by then well established with of fenced land, an extensive garden and orchards and 250 head of horses and 400 of cattle.

Later life

Although appointed on 23 May 1860 as a life member of the

Queensland Legislative Council Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, ...

, Simpson attended only once before he travelled to England. He was granted a leave of absence from the Council until September 1864. However, Simpson never returned to Queensland and resigned from the Council on 3 February 1865. Simpson died on Thursday 11 March 1869 at 28 Bryanston Street,

Portman Square Portman Square is a garden square in Marylebone, central London, surrounded by townhouses. It was specifically for private housing let on long leases having a ground rent by the Portman Estate, which owns the private communal gardens. It mar ...

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, London.

References

Attribution

External links

* * Description of Simpson's exploration of the Wide Bay district in 1843 by Frank Cumbrae-Stewart drawing on Simpson's "Journal of an excursion to the Bunya country" ** Part 1: ** Part 2: ** Part 3:
Colonial Secretary's papers 1822-1877

State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland (State Library) is the state public reference and research library of Queensland, Australia, operated by the Government of Queensland, state government. The Library is governed by the Library Board of Queensland, whi ...