SIR THOMAS PARKINSON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22030, 9 February 1935, Page 13

SIR THOMAS PARKINSON

DEATH OCCURS IN LONDON DOMINION-BORN DOCTOR LONDON. Feb. 7 The death is announced of Sir Thomas Parkinson, noted New Zealandborn physician, at the age of 71. From the position of a; New Zealand station hand to that of a leading London physician was the remarkable life history of the late Sir Thomas Parkinson. He was born at Kaituna, Canterbury. As a youth he came North and for 18 months worked on Te Akau station, neju' Raglan. As a youth he was droving cattle from Raglan to Waiuku. He went to Edinburgh, where he graduated and then acted for two years as phvsician on th(s estate of the Duke of Sutherland. He engaged in private practice in Scotland for eight years, and then went to London, where he rapidly rose in his profession. Before the outbreak of war Sir Thomas was physician to the German Court in London, and attended'many members of the German royal family, being on intimate terms with Prince Henry of Prussia. Prior to the war he was invited to go to Russia as physician to the Russian Court, but upon the advice of the British Foreign Office he declined the appointment, it being thought that his occupancy of the posin tion might lead to jealous anti-British feeling. At the time the war broke out he was attending most of the members of the British Cabinet, and was present at No. 10 Downing Street, upon the fateful night of August 4, 1914, when the decision was made to draw the sword.

Sir Thomas and Lady Parkinson some years ago spent five months in New Zealand and continued their tour of the world, going on to Australia and then to China and Java.