Dr. R.J. Gunn, c.1900
Description
- Creator
- Unknown, Photographer
- Media Type
- Image
- Item Type
- Prints
- Description
- A black and white print of Dr. Robert John Gunn.
- Notes
- Dr. Robert John Gunn was born on February 14, 1815 at Caithness, Scotland. He came to Canada in the autumn of 1842 and settled in Whitby where he was a physician and surgeon for 58 years. He was mayor of Whitby in 1862 and 1867-1868. He died at Whitby on June 24, 1902 and is buried at Union Cemetery, Oshawa.
Dr. Robert John Gunn was described by Dr. Caniff in The Medical Profession of Ontario from 1783 to 1850 as follows:
"Gunn, Robert J. - Born at Caithness, Scotland, February 14, 1815, was the son of Rev. Alex. Gunn, of the Kirk of Scotland. He was educated at a private school and at the University of Edinburgh. He studied his profession also at Edinburgh and became Lic. R.C.S. Edin. He then practised at Thurso for two years, and, in 1842, emigrated to Canada and settled at Whitby, then consisting of only a few houses, where he continued to practise, which became very extensive; and in the first years of his work he encountered much hardship in his rides of thirty or more miles over half-made roads. But he never refused to attend the calls of the sick, rich or poor, whatever might be the state of the weather, by night or day. Dr. Gunn did not appear before the Medical Board until April, 1846, when he obtained his license to practise.
Dr. Gunn enjoyed the confidence of the public, which he served as school trustee and chairman of the Board for many years, as a justice of the peace, town councillor, and mayor for three years, 1832, 1867 and 1868. He was appointed surgion to the gaol when Ontario became a county, 1853. He was also an elder of the Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Gunn married, October 24, 1849, Miss Agnes Pringle, of Whitby, a native of Edinburgh. Two daughters grew up, one of whom became the wife of Angus McKay, farmer of Pickering; the other, the wife of John Ball Dow, barrister, of Whitby." (as printed in Kaiser 1934, p. 28)
The image at right is from the book Kaiser, T.E. (ed.) (1934) A History of the Medical Profession of the County of Ontario. Oshawa: Mundy Goodfellow Printing Co. Ltd., p. 27. This book can be found in the Local History Collection at the main branch of Whitby Public Library. Please ask at the reference desk. - Date of Original
- c.1900
- Dimensions
-
Width: 6 cm
Height: 6 cm
- Image Dimensions
-
Image Width: 6cm
Image Height: 6cm
- Subject(s)
- Local identifier
- 31-002-005
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- Public domain: Copyright has expired according to Canadian copyright law. No restrictions on use.
- Reproduction Notes
- Scanned from a copy negative.
- Contact
- Whitby Public LibraryEmail:archives@whitbylibrary.ca
Website:
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