John Jackson, MD

Dr. Jackson “never had a day’s illness in his life,” according to Leslie Stephen, and “went to church as regularly as to his dinner.” He had “a commonplace understanding, and was a worshipper of respectability.”

From: http://www.nikoko.co.uk/Diaries/Jackson.htm

John Jackson 1804 - 1887

This third son was born on 17 November 1804 but whether in India or England the record was not clear in the Diary. However, the 1881 census for Hove, Sussex says that he was born in Hackney, London. He was educated as a Doctor and served in the Bengal Medical Services. The 1881 census also states that he had retired from the Bengal Army in which he served as a Physician.

He is mentioned twice in the book "Daniel Corrie His Family and Friends". Once in 1834 where he and Daniel Corrie had a narrow escape from drowning while travelling In a Bholiah (semi covered rowing boat) to Ishipore. And again in 1855 when Mrs. Hannah Ellerton was living with John Jackson in Calcutta. He decided to go back to England to join his wife and family. She was very upset until she was offered accommodation in the Palace which she gladly accepted.

He married Maria Pattle on 17 January 1837. She was the daughter of James Pattle and Adeline De L’Etang. James Pattle was apparently a character. One story describes him as "Jim Blazes, a drunkard and a liar" He and his wife had seven "beautiful" daughters all of whom married well. But his son in law John Jackson was unfortunately seen as the "poor cousin", as, although he was much loved as a physician, he was "socially inept". All the above quotes came from Nikki Vine.

A memorial plaque hangs in St. John’s Church, Calcutta to James and Adeline. It identifies James as of the Bengal Civil Service who died in Calcutta in September 1845. His wife Adeline must have then decided to return to England. The plaque states that she died "at sea" on the 14th. Nov: AD 1845."

Both John and Maria were still alive in 1881. It is interesting to note that Maria’s mother died at sea and in the 1881 census she shows herself as born "at sea". If her age in 1881 is correct she was born about 1819. They obviously were comfortable with six servants including a "Sick Nurse".

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John Jackson practised as a doctor in Bengal for 25 years without once returning home in that time. His career started in the East India Company's Bengal service. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon to the 16th Foot stationed at Saugur (Central India) and then to Ghazipur (on the Ganges between Patna and Benares).

The poet Coventry Patmore said of him: "Dr Jackson has long attained that serene and thorough goodness that I have been all my life in vain endeavouring to reach. I have never seen him without being rebuked by such gentle perfection."

His grandson, H.A.L. Fisher recalled the doctor iwhen, after his retirement in England, he received fellow old India hands. "He opened the door to the fascination of India. We children skirmishing among the fringes of a conversation of which we could only understand the merest of fragments were made to feel the presence of the mysterious East, with its peacocks and elephants, temples and lakes, its veiled princesses and jewelled princes, and wondered why our grandparents had ever exchanged such splendours and delights for the quiet comforts of our Kentish home."

 by BarbaraHorsfield