Letters from Thomas Graham to his sister Catherine, in Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, and brother William, in Longtown, Cumberland.

The letters were written from various locations and document Graham's medical and naval career, from studies at Edinburgh to his final journey to China aboard H.M.S. Apollo. There are letters written from the United States, which Graham visited as assistant surgeon on H.M.S. Warspite on two voyages in 1842 and 1843. Subsequently Warspite was based in the Mediterranean: there are several letters written from Gibraltar, Malta, Beirut and other places during 1844-45, one or two of which show signs of having been disinfected against plague. There is a long series of letters written from Tarbert in the west of Ireland, where Graham was stationed in 1846-48 as assistant surgeon on H.M.S. Madagascar: these letters provide a revealing picture of the course of the famine in that part of Ireland and the efforts of Graham and others to alleviate suffering.

1830-August 1849

111 items in 8 files

Purchased from John Beagle, 2005-06

Typed transcripts of the letters made by the seller are available.