Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Francis John Douglas, M.B., Ch.B., Melbourne, is a son of Mr. William Selby DOUGLAS and Mary Beviss nee POOLE, of Adelaide, he was born at Glenelg in 1873, and educated at St. Peter's College, for which school  he played in both intercollegiate football and cricket matches. Entered the Adelaide University to study medicine, and spent four years there, after which on account of the Hospital  trouble he completed his course at the Melbourne University. He rowed twice for the Adelaide University in inter-University boat races, and was well known as a lacrosse player. He started to practise at Port Augusta, and afterwards he went to the Far North, but for the past nine months the has acted as locum tenens for Dr. Archer at Wallaroo.

Death of Dr. F. J. Douglas
The death occurred at his home at Stephen Terrace, Gilberton, on January 30, of Dr. Francis John Douglas. He was in his ninety-first year. Dr. Douglas practised at Victor Harbour  for 44 years until his retirement in 194o. He remained here until removing to Adelaide in 1955. Dr. Douglas was born at Glenelg and was the sixth generation of a family of doctors. After qualifying in 1897 he worked for about a year at Marree with the Central Australian Railway, tending Afghan camel drivers. In 1900 he enlisted in the S.A. Bushmen  for the Boer War. He was captured by the Boers, but after a week he was rescued by British troops. Returning from the war he took over the practice of Dr. Morgan O'Leary at  Victor Harbour in 1902 and the follow ing year married Miss Margaret Clerk Robertson. Dr. Douglas made his calls in the early days on bicycle, horseback and buggy and pair. In  those days there was not a hospital in the district. Later he acquired a car, the second locally owned vehicle in Victor Harbour. Driving on roads in winter or summer was indeed a feat. He took a tremendous in terest in town affairs and helped found thc bowling and golf clubs, being president of the latter for more than 40 cars. He was also president of the  New Year's Day Sports Committee which raised thousands of pounds for town improvements. He was instrumental in bringing the telephone here and his number was Victor  Harbour 1. The Soldiers' Memorial Gardens established after World War 1 and later the Cross of Sacrifice are further evidence of interest in the town and district.
At the funeral service at St. Augustine's Church last Saturday, the Rev. C. R. Whereat said more than 50 years of Dr. Douglas's life were spent in this district, most of them in the active ministry of healing. They began at the turn of the century when there was no telephone, motor car, radio or electricity. It was a time when the great work of the first  pioneers in these parts was ready to bear fruit. The young doctor who came was to play an important part in the way it developed. His earlier training and education were aimed  at a virile manhood. In this he succeeded and indeed there was need of it in the demands that were made on the only doctor to be found along the South Coast for some years.

Over the years he gave his life and abilities to the welfare of the people. That in itself would be enough to earn for him a lasting gratitude, con tinued the Rev. Whereat. Scripture  tells us to honour a physician with the honour that is due unto him, but a great soul is not satisfied with just professional success. The great soul, when asked to go one mile will  go the second, and here, perhaps, we come to the secret of Frank Douglas's character. This doctor was friend and counsellor, too, when needed and that applied to the whole  district. It was only natural the idea of service to the individual should expand into the great work he did for the community. The advances in those cultural things for which Victor  Harbour was ready in the first half of this century can be traced in almost every movement to the small committee meetings held for many years in the Douglas home.
History in the South Coast will have a sure place for him. The name Douglas may well rank with those of New land and Lindsay, those first pioneers, as developing the fruits of  their work in these parts. Rev. Whereat and Rev. A. R. Cameron officiated at the graveside and the president of the Victor Harbour R.S.L. sub-branch, Mr. G. V. Battye, recited the  Ode of Remembrance.
Surviving members of the doctor's family are two sons. Dr. Sholto J. Douglas and Mr. F. Selby Douglas, and two daughters, Miss May Douglas and Mrs. R. D. Blandy.