The ship's doctor

The role of ship’s doctor was not an envious one.
Conditions on immigrant ships were not designed for good health.  Many people crammed into small bunks, living too close together for months at a time.
The doctor was often into charge of stores and food rations, organising the cleaning of the passenger areas, and the passengers themselves.
The ships’ owners often supplied the medicinal supplies but a doctor would be expected to have their own equipment.
They would deal with everything from lice to amputations to tooth pulling.
It was accepted that there would be deaths.   Doctors sometimes got paid based on how many people lived.
Thomas Renwick was the ship's doctor on the Thomas Harrison - an early settler ship from the New Zealand Company.  Doctors often worked their passage to a new company.
The ship arrived in Nelson with the death of only two children, considered an extremely low death rate and a testament to Dr Renwick.
Renwick was born in Dumgree in Scotland in 1818 to Herbert and Elizabeth Renwick.  He received his medical education in Edinburgh before working in Kent, England.
In 1842, he opted to become ship’s doctor on the Thomas Harrison for the trip to New Zealand.
Renwick established himself in Nelson and did well for himself.  He was not only able to set himself up with livestock for farming but helped finance George Hooper’s brewery - the second commercial brewery in the country.
He also helped establish the first Presbyterian Church in the area.
In 1846, he married Adeline Absolon who was quite wealthy so they bought land in the Awatere Valley - calling it Dumgree.
The marriage however did not last, Adeline had an affair and then went to England - no longer wanting to live in New Zealand and they agreed to a separation.
He would later marry again - Anne Smith in 1872.
Renwick went into politics in 1853, standing for provincial elections although he didn’t win (he lost by one vote) and then was a member of the Nelson Provincial Council until 1863, advocating strongly for independence of Marlborough from Nelson.  
After a trip to England he returned to be appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council - what was then the Upper House of what would become Parliament.
He continued until his death on November 28, 1879.  He is buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.  
The town of Renwick in Marlborough is named after him.
Picture by Markus Frieauff.

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