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Showing posts from December, 2024

A formidable man who refused to stand still!

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There are many notable people lying in Rookwood forgotten but in plain sight. The man I honour today has his surname as a municipality in Western Sydney. We may recognise the name of the place but do we know who the person was it was named after? ARTHUR TODD HOLROYD - Physician, Adventurer, Barrister, Judge, Mayor Arthur was born on the 1st of December 1806 in London England to merchant Stephen Holroyd and Elizabeth, nee Lofthouse. His father died when he was three years of age and he was educated at private schools. At 18 he studied medicine in Winchester and then Edinburgh. He married Sophia Rachel Abbs in 1830, they had one child, a female, Emily, the following year, whilst he practised as a physician in London. Arthur decided that the career opportunities as a physician were limited and studied to be a lawyer. He was admitted to Lincolns Inn London in 1835 and decided after his first year to take a "gap" year and travel! Yes, he was not struggling. He studied Italia...