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| Dr Spark’s official Katoomba Municipal Council photo 1893. Image courtesy Blue Mountains Historical Society |
John
Spark was born at Twickenham, Middlesex on August 8th, 1853, where his father
held an extensive medical practice. John was the eldest son of a family of
eight born to John and Emma née Pool, and with his sister Fanny, were the only
survivors of childhood. At the age of 14, he lost his father, and was trained
for the medical profession by his father's friends. He showed aptitude, and at
the age of 18 was dispensing for a doctor with a large city practice.
Dr Spark, Lic. Soc. Apoth. Lond. 1875, M.R.C.S. Eng. 1875, trained at St
Bartholomew's Hospital, gained the Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries and was admitted
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Later, at High Holborn, he conducted
the city branch of a prominent West End doctor's practice, retaining the
position for over seven years. He then went to Devonshire for a year, but the
climate not suiting him, he took several trips to Australia and South America. Aged
30, he arrived in Australia as ship’s surgeon on the Lusitania in 1884, and within
a year had established himself in Katoomba, being the only medical practitioner
on the Mountains at the time (Obituary. 5
March 1910, Blue Mountain Echo).
According to the marriage certificate, in 1893 aged 39, John Spark married Johanna Cashman,
24, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney. She was a farmer’s daughter from Co. Cork
Ireland. They went on to have seven children, all born in Katoomba. They were: Iris
1895, James 1897, Beatrice 1899, John 1900, Joan 1904, Edward 1905, Sheila
1907.
In 1889 he advertised that he had moved to ‘St.
Cyrus’ opposite the Carrington Hotel, near Katoomba Station, where he could be
consulted daily. He could also be consulted at: Lawson at the Blue Mountain Inn
on Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Wentworth Falls at Mr Gale's Store on Wednesdays at 4
p m and Blackheath at Victoria House on Thursdays at 11.30 a.m. Although his
headstone reads SPARKE, he signed his name SPARK and his newspaper
advertisement used the latter spelling.
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| The illuminated address presented to Dr Spark on his retirement, image courtesy of Ted Watts |
The name
Dr Spark appears on many birth and death certificates of the time and in
numerous newspaper reports of accidents and serious illness. In March 1902 he
attended the death of Henry Cole who died from concussion after his horse
bolted outside the Railway Hotel. Dr Spark also attended Henry’s daughter, Ruby
Cole, who died aged eight in1910 after being kicked in the head by a horse
outside her home in Clissold Street, Katoomba; Ruby was the step daughter of
Ranger James McKay, builder of the Giant Stairway at Echo Point.
Dr Spark died age 56 on 1 March 1910,
at his home, ‘Twickenham Villa’, Katoomba
Street Melbourne
Dr Spark’s
son Edward (Ted) Spark, who attended the Sisters of Charity School in Katoomba
with his siblings, won an exhibition
from St Joseph’s College, Sydney and entered medical school at Sydney
University, becoming in 1929 at the age of 23, the first Katoomba boy to become
a doctor, incidentally winning the university prize for obstetrics (Blue Mountains Star, 1929).
Mrs Joanna
Spark died at her residence in Bondi on 23 July 1931. She was described as ‘the
widow of the late Dr. John Spark, formerly of Katoomba, and mother of Dr. E.
Spark, of Bondi. A devoted Catholic, constant in the discharge of her religious
duties, and charitable to the poor. Three
sons and four daughters survive to mourn their loss, and great sympathy goes
out to them in their sad bereavement. A
Requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of her soul at St. Patrick's Church,
Bondi, Rev. Father John O'Farrell being the celebrant. The funeral left the
home for Waverley Cemetery, accompanied by Rev. Father J. O'Farrell, who
recited the last prayers at the graveside in the presence of the sorrowing
relatives and a large number of friends.’ (Catholic Press, Thursday 13 August
1931, page 14)
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| Studio portrait of Dr Spark, image courtesy of Ted Watts |
Notes on Qualifications
M.R.C.S. = Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
Lic. Soc. Apoth.
Lond. = Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries.
In addition to
providing qualifications in, and regulation of, the trade of the apothecary and
dispensing, the Apothecaries' Society offered primary medical qualifications
until 1999. This began after the 1815 Apothecaries' Act, followed by further
Acts of Parliament. The title of the original licence was Licentiate of the Society
of Apothecaries (LSA).
When the General Medical Council was
established by statute in 1858, the LSA became a registrable qualification.
From 1885, the examination included surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, which were
required by law following the Medical Act of 1886, and in 1907 the title was
altered by parliamentary act to LMSSA to reflect this. The Society ceased to be
recognised by the General Medical Council as a provider
of primary medical qualifications in 2008, although it had rarely issued any
licences since 1999, the year the United Examining Board was abolished.
Notable people who qualified in medicine as a Licentiate of the Society
of Apothecaries (LSA) include the poet John Keats (1816), Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1865,
thereby becoming the first openly female recipient of a UK medical
qualification) and Nobel Prize winner Sir Ronald Ross KCB
FRS (1881).
All full members of the Society or Guild, both terms are used, become
Freemen of the City of London.
Acknowledgements
Correspondence with John Spark, a descendant of Dr Spark.
References
“Beyond
the Vale – Dr John Spark” (obituary), Blue Mountains Echo (newspaper) 5 Mar
1910.
“Blue Mountains Municipal Council, Register of Aldermen”.
John Low, Blue Mountains
City
“Dr John
Spark”, newspaper advertisements, The Mountaineer (newspaper), various: 1895 -
1900.
“Local
Boy’s Success, First Doctor from Katoomba”, Blue Mountains Star (newspaper), 13
Sep 1929.
“Local
Government Management and the Doctor, the contribution of Dr John Spark to the Municipality of Katoomba
“The
Mountains as a Health Resort, a medical man’s experience”. Dr John Spark, The
Sydney Mail Saturday, December 12, 1896.
Our Past
Blue Mountaineers: Katoomba Cemetery transcriptions. Blue Mountains Family
History Society, 1996.
Websites
DEATH OF
DR. SPARK. (1910, March 1). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931),
p. 5. Retrieved June 26, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116054143
JOHN SPARK.
(1910, March 5). Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962), p. 6.
Retrieved June 26, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101301428
Memorial
to Dr. John Spark. (1910, March 12). The Blue Mountain Echo (NSW : 1909
- 1928), p. 4. Retrieved June 26, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107958257
Mrs.
Johanna Spark. (1931, August 13). The Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW :
1895 - 1942), p. 14. Retrieved June 26, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103851360
*****
Newspaper
Articles
Beyond the Vale. Dr. John Spark.
'Tis with feelings of deepest
regret that we chronicle a visitation from the Grim Reaper, who took as His
toll the soul of one of Katoomba's noblest citizens — Dr. John Spark, a
gentleman who, for nearly a quarter of a century, faithfully tendered to the
medical comforts of residents of this district, and who, during that term, was
in the van of every movement having for its object the welfare of the
advancement of the Mountains. The news of his death, which occurred early on
Tuesday morning, shed a mantle of heavy gloom over the whole township. Deep and
sincere regret was expressed in all circles, the consensus of opinion being
that ' one of the best' had gone to the bourne that knoweth no return.
Some two years ago deceased
sustained a paralytic stroke, from which he never properly recovered. Robbed of
his old-time vitality and energy, the doctor of late was only a shadow of his
former self, but, although in a weak state, the news of his sudden death came
as a shock to his legion of friends. The funeral, which left his late
residence, Twickenham Villa, on Wednesday after- noon, was the largest ever
seen on the Mountains. All business premises were closed out of respect, and
the cortege, which was headed by the school children, was the emblematical of
the love and esteem in which deceased was held.
The preacher advised all to
look forward, as deceased did, to the brighter happiness of a higher sphere of
life, and rejoice at his attainment to it. While in the flesh, deceased always
took a very keen interest in all that was to the advancement of his fellow citizens.
He worked hard, under severe physical disability, in all that was for the
welfare of the community. He concluded by stating that it remained for those
left behind, as far as was in their power, to do what they could to make the
lives of those who were under his immediate care, prosperous and happy. The
coffin was covered with magnificent wreaths from all places along the
Mountains, and many a tear was shed as the coffin was lowered from sight. In
1885, the late Dr. Spark was granted the Freedom of the City of London.
Beyond the Vale. (1910, March 5). The Blue Mountain Echo (NSW : 1909 - 1928),
p. 7. Retrieved July 12, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107960971
The Late Dr. Spark
On the first of last March there passed away at Katoomba one of the most patriotic and philanthropic citizens who has ever lived on the Blue Mountains. Ever ready to sacrifice his health and comfort to minister to the wants of his fellow-beings, no sordid considerations dared to obtrude themselves when the cry of pain or distress reached his ears.
Though never of robust constitution, for more than twenty years he braved the rigors of many severe winters, and no path was ever too dark or too perilous, and no sufferer too insignificant when there was a chance of bringing relief to the afflicted. Well might it be said of him, in the words of the poet that it was his highest wish – ‘To learn the luxury of doing good.’ Indeed, it was the only luxury that Dr. Spark seemed to care for. His purse was as ready to assist the sufferers as his soul was to pity them, and his large-hearted charity endeared him to many a poor creature ‘fallen by the wayside’.
In all matters for the advancement of the town and district, he was untiring in his efforts. It would be hard to say how much the intellectual, the social and the sporting sides of our life are indebted to him. His guiding hand can be traced in many of our institutions, and many of the ‘old hands’ are never tired of quoting him as an authority on the subject that lies nearest to their hearts. Without doubt, they are right. A great reader and a deep thinker, he was ever ready to help with any knotty problem that was brought to him for solution, and it was an intellectual treat to spend an hour with him in discussing any interesting subject. At those times, not-withstanding his bodily infirmities, his eyes would sparkle and his humour be-come irresistible when recounting some reminiscence or story with which to clinch his point. Time seemed to fly all too fast when the Doctor was in a story-telling mood.
A few weeks after his death, some of his friends met in public meeting, and decided, among other things, to erect a suitable memorial over his grave. This has now been accomplished. The execution of the work was entrusted to Mr Rose, of Wollongong, and he has carried out his work to the satisfaction of the commit-tee The design is simple and chaste, and such as the Doctor himself would choose. It is in book form, and bears, the following inscription:
‘Sacred to the Memory of Dr. JOHN SPARK, M.R.C.S., who departed this life at Katoomba on 1st March, 1910, aged 56 years. At Rest.’ On the pedestal is inscribed: ‘Erected by his numerous friends in token of their esteem, and in recognition of sterling services to the town of Katoomba.’
For many a year to come those who have experienced his sympathy and generosity will linger by that simple little monument, and recall with reverence the noble and unselfish life which endeared Dr. Spark to all who came in contact with him. May the Mountain winds against which he battled so bravely, on many an errand of mercy, sigh gently over his grave! And may his good example inspire all of us to do whatever we can to help the suffering! Vale ! Dr. Spark. Vale !
Blue Mountain Echo (NSW : 1909 - 1928), Saturday 19 November 1910, page 10
Mrs. Johanna Spark.
Mrs. Johanna Spark, a well-known
and highly-esteemed resident of Bondi, died at her residence, 54 Imperial
Avenue, Bondi, on Thursday, 23rd ult. She was the widow of the late Dr. John
Spark, formerly of Katoomba, and mother of Dr. E. Spark, of Bondi. Mrs. Spark
was a devoted Catholic, constant in the discharge of her religious duties, and
charitable to the poor. Three sons and four daughters survive to mourn their
loss, and great sympathy goes out to them in their sad bereavement. A Requiem
Mass was celebrated for the repose of her soul at St. Patrick's Church, Bondi,
Rev. Father John O'Farrell being the celebrant. The funeral left the home for
Waverley Cemetery, accompanied by Rev. Father J. O'Farrell, who recited the
last prayers at the graveside in the presence of the sorrowing relatives and a
large number of friends. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. W. N.
Bull. — E.I.P.
Catholic
Press (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1942), Thursday 13 August 1931, page 14 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103851360
John Merriman, Local Studies Librarian, Blue Mountains City
