Haynes Gibbes Alleyne facts for kids

Hayes Gibbes Alleyne (born in Saint James, Barbados on October 14, 1813; died in Sydney, Australia, on September 9, 1882) was a skilled physician (doctor) and zoologist (someone who studies animals, especially fish). He worked in Australia and became very well known for his important studies on Australian fish.

Early Life and First Adventures

Hayes Gibbes Alleyne was born in Saint James, Barbados, on October 14, 1813. His father, John Gay Alleyne, owned a plantation. His mother, Johanna Bishop, was the granddaughter of a famous military leader, General Fitzroy Maclean.

Alleyne began studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. However, he left his studies early and traveled to New South Wales, Australia, arriving in April 1839. He tried cattle farming with a cousin, but this business didn't work out. After facing financial difficulties in 1844, he left Australia. He planned to go to the Marquesas Islands but changed his mind. Instead, he stopped in New Zealand. There, he joined the military and fought in the Flagstaff War, also known as the Hone Heke War. During this conflict, he showed great bravery and excellent medical skills. After the war, he returned to Edinburgh and finished his medical degree in 1846.

A Doctor in Sydney

After completing his medical studies, Alleyne returned to Australia. He officially registered as a doctor in Sydney on July 3, 1848. Soon after, in May 1848, he was appointed as a coroner in Liverpool, New South Wales. A coroner is a public official who investigates deaths. By 1852, he became the health officer for Port Jackson, which is the large natural harbor of Sydney.

In 1852, it was noted that Alleyne successfully used chloroform at the Sydney Hospital for a surgery. Chloroform was a new type of medicine used to make patients unconscious during operations, so they wouldn't feel pain. He used it to amputate (remove) the left leg of a young girl who had a serious illness. Alleyne also played a key role in stopping outbreaks of smallpox, a dangerous disease, in Port Jackson in 1876 and 1881.

Other Important Roles

Besides his work as a government health officer, Hayes Gibbes Alleyne took on many other important responsibilities. From 1855 to 1873, he was an honorary physician at the Sydney Infirmary, meaning he volunteered his medical services. In 1875, he became an honorary consulting physician there.

He was a member of the New South Wales Medical Board from 1854 to 1882, and he became its president in 1877. This board helped regulate medical practice in the region. He also served on the Immigration Board starting in 1852 and became its chairman from 1879 to 1880. Additionally, he was the president of the NSW Pharmacy Board from 1877 to 1881.

Alleyne was very involved in the health and cultural life of Sydney. He was an honorary member of the Government Benevolent Asylums Board, which helped people who were sick or poor, from 1862 to 1876. He also served on the Board of Visitors to Lunatic Asylums from 1876 and was a trustee of the Australian Museum from 1880. In 1867, he was an examiner in medicine at the University of Sydney. In 1876, he was appointed as a medical adviser to the government of New South Wales.

Studies on Fish

Outside of his medical work, Alleyne had a strong interest in ichthyology, which is the study of fish. He wrote a special book about the fish found in Port Jackson. He also published scientific papers about fish along with another scientist named William John Macleay.

Later Life and Legacy

Hayes Gibbes Alleyne passed away on September 9, 1882, at the age of 68. He never married. He died after having an "apoplectic fit," which is an old term for a stroke, while getting ready to go out.

Alleyne had connections to the Sydney suburb of Willoughby. In 1858, he bought five pieces of land that together measured about 103 acres (41.7 hectares) on the Little Sugar Loaf Peninsula. This area is now known as Castle Cove. In the East Chatswood area of Sydney, there is a street named Alleyne Street, which honors him.