David Wark (Australian politician)

David Wark (c. 1807 – 3 March 1862) was a medical practitioner and politician in the colony of South Australia.

History

David Wark was a medical doctor, a member of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and was licensed to teach anatomy and perform autopsies.^[1] He emigrated to South Australia from Glasgow for a more congenial climate, arriving on the Welcome on 3 April 1839.

He had settled in the Encounter Bay area and admired the local Aborigines, but was, as a medical practitioner, concerned with the fate of the females, who were succumbing to venereal diseases through interaction with European men.^[2]

He was active in the Scottish community of Adelaide, a member of the St. Andrew's Society.

In 1852 he was called on to give medical evidence at a Coroner's Inquest into the death of a child, whom her step-father, a Mr. Horgan, was accused of murdering. He was later lambasted by the Crown Prosecutor for not having conducted a post-mortem at the time. An altercation ensued, and Mann took his complaints to Judge Crawford, whose criticisms of Wark were published in the newspapers.^[3] Wark published a reasoned defence,^[1] nevertheless regretted he had not made a more thorough examination.

In 1853 John Hart, M.L.C, about to embark on a visit to England, entrusted Wark with his resignation from the Chamber, to be tendered if needed in the interests of his electorate. Wark was accused, anonymously by a letter to the press, of colluding with Hart to give him (Wark) easy succession into Parliament. Wark denied such an imputation.^[4]

He was in 1853 appointed a charter councillor for the East Torrens council district,^[5] and chairman in 1854.

In July 1854 he was touted as a candidate for the forthcoming election to the Legislative Council,^[6] but in the event, he did not stand.

Wark was elected unopposed to the South Australian House of Assembly for the seat of Murray and sat from February 1857, was re-elected unopposed in 1860 and died on 3 March 1862.

The family lived at Alton House, perhaps earlier named Auldton,^[1] Magill, since demolished, and for which Alton Street, Magill may have been named.

Family

He married Catherine Keeling,^[7] on 28 April 1842 at the residence of Matthew Moorhouse in North Adelaide. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend Thomas Quinton Stow.^[8] Catherine was the daughter of James and Sarah Keeling. Sarah died on 1 February 1854 at Alton House.^[9]

On 22 July 1859 his wife Catherine gave birth to a boy, still-born. She died she same day. The following day, his second daughter Jane died. The next day, his son Alexander died,^[10] all, according to A. T. Saunders, of diphtheria.^[11] He followed three years later.

On 2 November 1876, his second son James Keeling Wark married Mary Newland, a niece of Simpson Newland. He died on 3 June 1886 at Rylands Station after being thrown from his carriage.

References