Matthew Joseph O'Regan, Surgeon

1865 Ellen McSwiney and husband Thomas O'Regan are registered as parents of Matthew Joseph O'Regan, born 5 July 1865. (Source: familysearch.org, Indexing Project (Batch) Number:C70126-6, System Origin:Ireland-ODM, GS Film number:101114)

Matthew trained as a Medical Doctor (Surgeon) at Queens College, Cork, Ireland and at Edinburgh University, Scotland.

The Lancet, 16 October 1886 - Age 21 Royal University Of Ireland. — The following have passed the Second Examination in Medicine of this University:— Pass.—Matthew O'Regan

1890, August - British Medical Journal ....THE NAVY.. The following qualified candidates have been appointed to be Surgeons in Her Majesty's fleet:

• MATTHEW JOSEPH O'REGAN, M.B.
• Entered the Navy in 1890.

1892, Feb 25 - THE NAVY Matthew J. O'Regan, M.B. Surgeon, to the Leander

[Feb 27 1892] - Age 27 P.471 British Medical Journal Naval and Military Medical Services

1895 Royal Navy Hospital, Hong Kong

Hong Kong was a British Colony at that time.

January 9, 1895 Hong Kong, Great Britain

Marriage of Lily Belle Holmes to Matthew O'Regan (aged 30) - Surgeon Royal Navy, Royal Navy Hospital, Hong Kong - son of the late Thomas O'Regan.' Marriage Announcement in British Medical Journal.

Lily, born in Kowloon (mainland part of Hong Kong) was eldest daughter of Henry J. Holmes, a Hong Kong Solicitor.'

Yokohama, Japan

1895, Nov 26 - M. Terence, son, born in Yokohama, Japan (source: BMJ)

Bermuda

1899 : MATTHEW J. O'REGAN, Surgeon, to Bermuda Hospital, February 28th; Appointments have been made at the Admiralty. [British Medical Journal March 18 1899]

1901, Jan 12 - Matthew Joseph, second son, born in Bermuda (see BMJ and 1911 England Census for Greenheys Kingswear, Devon, England)

Colony of Newfoundland, Canada

[Sept. 6, 1902] P.734 British Medical Journal Naval and Military Medical Services ROYAL NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE. The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty MATTHEW J. O'REGAN, M.B., Staff Surgeon to the HMS Calypso. Undated.

(Source: Wikipedia) The Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve was a military reserve force founded in 1902 in what was then the Colony of Newfoundland, a part of the British Empire. A steam and sail powered training ship, the HMS Calypso, was provided by the United Kingdom. A photo is provided of the HMS Calypso behind members of the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, wharfside in the harbour of St. John's, Newfoundland, c. 1902–14. ... While the vessel is afloat it is no longer capable of going to sea, its masts and funnel having been removed.

Sept 12 1903 Birth of daughter Lily Honor O'REGAN, born Cochrane Street, St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.

Oct 9 1903, Baptism of Lily Honor O'Regan, dau of Matthew Joseph,Staff Surgeon, R.N. & Lily Belle. Address Box 1, St Thomas Anglican Church, St. Johns (Baptisms). {Source: courtesy of Jill Marshall, transcriber of Baptism Records at St. Thomas, St. Johns, Newfoundland.)

1906 serving on H.M.S. Trafalgar at Devonport [near Portsmouth] - a drill ship for the Gunnery School.

P.1320 British Medical Journal I UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES. [JUNE 2, 1906] [May 1906] "WE regret to record the death of Staff Surgeon O'REGAN, R.N., from pneumonia - at his residence, Essa Villa, Saltash [Cornwall, UK]. Staff Surgeon O'Regan was educated at Queen's College, Cork, and at Edinburgh, and entered the Navy in 1890. He served in the naval hospitals at Hong Kong and Bermuda, and for three years was in medical charge of the Naval Reserve drill ship at St. John's, Newfoundland. At the time of his death he was serving in H.M.S. Trafalgar at Devonport [near Portsmouth, Hampshire - a drill ship for the Gunnery School]. He leaves a wife and three children to mourn his loss."'

[This information about Dr. O'Regan serving in the HMS Trafalgar needs to be verified, as family members - granddaughter Mary Anne O'Flynn (daughter of Lily Honor O'Regan) - maintain he died at sea from pneumonia, en route to England from Newfoundland. Perhaps he fell ill on his way to the new assignment, but died in Cornwall.]

Registration of Death: Apr-May-Jun 1906 Age at Death: 40 [in fact 41] Registration district: St Germans Inferred County: Cornwall