John Jennings Imrie
1 June 1813 — 23 March 1901
John Jennings Imrie, MD (1‑85‑9)
Imrie was born in Ayr, Scotland, on 1 June 1813, where he was educated at the local Academy, Braisemere College, Oxford, then Edinburgh Royal College of Surgeons but did not graduate. He received a commission in the army, and went out as medical officer with the 42nd Highlanders to India where he remained in active service for six years. He was severely wounded in India when taking the lead in a charge. With all the other officers were either killed or wounded, he led on and gained a victory, for which he may have been awarded a medal for bravery. His obituary published in the Brisbane Courier (25 May 1901) stated this was the Victoria Cross but his name does not appear on any lists of recipients. He was then invalided to England; afterwards sold his commission.
He then emigrated to New Zealand was just at that time proclaimed a British colony with his family and settled in Nelson in 1842. Stories of Imrie’s dramatic escape from the Wairau Affray, in which 22 settlers were killed, are embroidered. Imrie and his family left in an orderly fashion aboard the Sisters for Hobart in September 1843. He then started practice of his profession in Hobart, and in January 1845 was appointed medical officer for the convicts at Maria Island, where he resided for many years with his family, until the settlement was wound down. Then he was transferred to the penal settlement at Ross, where he remained until transportation ceased. He farmed for a period, before moving to Queensland with his family in 1864, and shortly after joined the civil service where he remained until retiring in 1894. He died aged 88 on 23 March 1901.