Dawes Dr Richard St Mark Collection
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | Dr Dawes |
| Principal occupation | Medical Doctor |
Stories about Dr Dawes. His vehicle, a 1908 DeDion Bouton, was one of the first motor cars in Gawler, it was owned by Dr Dawes and the picture shows his chauffeur Charles waiting to take the Dr on a house call.
The first advertisement for Dr Dawes appeared in the Bunyip on the 9th July 1875. His first surgery was in Murray Street, later moving to the property on High Street previously owned by Dr Nott, another Gawler Doctor
Dr. Dawes was appointed Chairman of the Gawler School Board of Advice on 28th February 1895 and on the 24th May 1905, he addressed the Gawler Primary School, at their observance of the First Empire Day.
Dr. Dawes is listed as a Surgeon member of the 'Loyal Gawler Lodge of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity' in June 1908, and the 'Grand United Order of Oddfellows' in October 1908.
His wife played an important role in the Church of the Transfiguration in Gawler South. She laid the foundation stone of the church on 3rd April 1895 and the foundation stone of the chancel on 16th August 1902. Mrs Dawes presented a prayer desk and Dr. Dawes a rood screen to the church.
Dr Dawes services were required when a Tiger-Trainer was attacked during a performance at Harmston’s Circus in Gawler South on Saturday 11th June 1898. The victim was a South African Tiger Keeper and Trainer, named John Isaacs. During the performance he was attacked by the tiger and suffered major bleeding from the neck. After he was rescued from the cage he was taken to Dr Dawes surgery for treatment. Fortunately the main arteries of the neck were intact and the haemorrhage was stopped. Unfortunately John died in Hospital on Tuesday the 14th June 1898.
On Saturday 21st December 1918 Dr Dawes was called to an accidental drowning at the Kingsford farm of Mr A J Davis. Alick Davis, a seven year old boy, had opened an underground tank, looked over the edge and fell in. Rescue attempts were unsuccessful and when Dr Dawes arrived the boy was pronounced dead. The tragedy was that the parents had sold the farm and were to leave it in a few weeks.
On the 29th January 1923, Dr Dawes was a passenger on the Kapunda train, returning home from a visit to Adelaide, when it collided with the Clapham train at the Adelaide Railway Station. He was able to render first-aid to the injured before a team of doctors and nurses from the Adelaide Hospital arrived.
Dr Dawes was one of very few medical doctors servicing the large area around Gawler. Petrol rationing after WWII made it impossible to cover the large area. To allow the Doctor to continue attending to all his patients he hired the local garage proprietor, Jack Curnow who had no restrictions on fuel usage because of his occupation, to drive him when his own ration of fuel ran low.
Related Articles
References
- Gawler – Colonel Light’s Country Town 1989 Derek Whitelock ISBN 0 7316 7822 2
- Glimpses of Gawler and District Vol.1 October 1998 Stan Roulston ISBN 0 646 35493 0
- South Australian Register Monday 13th June 1898 Page 5
- Advertiser Adelaide Tuesday 24th December 1918 page 6
- Register Adelaide Tuesday 30th January 1923 page 8
- Footprints Gawler Significant Identities 2008 ISBN 978 0 646 48588 1
- History of Gawler 1837 to 1908 E H Coombe 1978 Reprint ISBN 0 85872 224 0
- Recollections by Glen Curnow 2nd May 2012
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