Dr Thomson - A Name on a Certificate

Melbourne Medical School University of Melbourne. Archives Accession no: MHM00460

Taken in the courtyard of the Old Medical Building, c1880 with the students wearing academic

robes and mortar boards, and some are supporting human skeletons and skulls;

J R M Thompson is identified as seated in the middle of the front row.

John Rae Menzies Thomson was one of the first medical students at the University of Melbourne who did not go on to do further study overseas, being wholly trained in Australia.  He had many and varied professional and recreational interests, which Marilyn Kenny outlines in her article about Thomson.   

By 1889 "an advertisement in the Essendon Gazette announced that Dr J R Menzies Thomson, formerly Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Hospital had commenced practice at the Presbyterian Manse in Mt Alexander Road.  By 1890 the practice had moved to Rose St, Essendon, second in from the corner with Buckley.  In 1891 after Martha Thomson came to reside with the couple they moved to 2 Napier St, west side.  By 1900 they were living in St Ronan’s, Mount Alexander Road, next to St John’s".

 Read Marilyn Kenny's short biography of  Dr Thomson on the Time Travellers' website here.