Newman, Francis Alexander

Collection of four original letters handwritten by Francis Alexander Newman whilst serving as a Medical Officer in South Africa (Boer War) during 1900. The letters were written to his father over the period March to July 1900. The letter dated 29 July 1900 is particularly detailed and is written in diary format over a three day period. Newman was born near Castlemaine, Victoria and is thought to have served with the British Forces in South Africa, possibly with Lord Methuen's Kimberley Relief Column.

Newman's grand-daughter provided the following biographical information about her grandfather:
Francis Alexander Newman was born at Guildford, near Castlemaine on 28 September 1870. He graduated from Melbourne University in 1894 as a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. He was in General Practice in Casterton until 1909 after which he was attached to the medical staff of the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Oxford Eye Hospital. Having obtained higher qualifications in Ophthalmology, he specialised in the branch of medicine on his return to Australia where he was appointed Ophthalmic surgeon to outpatients and clinical lecturer at St Vincents Hospital. Upon trying to enlist in the army medical corps during the First World War, it was discovered that he had tuberculosis (TB) of the larynx which was cured after 3 years rest, including 12 months silence. Early in the 1930s, the TB recurred, forcing Newman's retirement and he finally died on 4 May 1940.