Sir Richard DOBSON Kt. MD FRS [4001]

  General Notes:

Sir Richard Dobson was Surgeon General of the Navy

He proposed that the rank of Physician be abolished in the Navy . . . . .
Ref: http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Ke4BAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA372&lpg=PA372&dq=Sir+Richard+Dodson&source=bl&ots=hKQQnAZxE-&sig=MFnvPxFhBoHcmdSndQWpQbhiN9Y&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0GZvUebZGobCkgW69oAI&sqi=2&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Sir%20Richard%20Dodson&f=false

Richard was aged 73 at his death and was given a big funeral.

Dr Sir Richard Dobson RN FRS., Medical Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets, died yesterday, at Greenwich. Sir Richard was surgeon of the Lively at the capture of the Spanish treasure ships in 1804, and in action with the Spanish 74-gun ship Glorioso off Cadiz ; and was subsequently at the taking of Vigo and cooperation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain.

THE FUNERAL OF SIR RICHARD DOBSON, KNIGHT
This distinguished and much lamented officer, Sir Richard Dobson, Knight, M.D., F.R.S., Knight of St. Vladimir of Russia and also of Dannobrog of Danmark, and Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets, was this day (Thursday, the 9th inst.), buried with due honours at St. Mary's Church, Chatham, in the presence of a large concourse of people. The body was brought from London by a special steam boat, accompanied by a distinguished circle of private friends and mourners; and the parry having disembarked at the Sun pier the body was placed in a hearse drawn by four horses, the friends following in four mourning coaches with four horses each. At the church the body was met by the Rev. G. E. Nash and the Roy.. H. T. Stimpson., and the following distinguished officers of the Royal Marines Corps in full dress uniform, viz. Colonel John Wright, Commandant of the Royal Marines; Colonel Charles Menzies, K.H., Second in Command of the Battalion ; Dr. W. Rae, Deputy inspector of Hospitals and Fleets, and Chief Medical Officer of Melville, Hospital ; Dr. Warden, Senior Surgeon of the Navy ; Captain Alexander Anderson and Captain P. Trant Payne, of the Royal Marines. These six officers officiated as pall bearers. There were also upwards of 30 officers of the Royal Marines in full dress uniform stationed at the entrance of the church gates, and on the approach of the body they formed into an open line for the corpse to pass through, and at the close of the procession they closed and walked two abreast into the church, when the funeral service, was impressively, read by the Rev. G. E. Nash. The body was at the conclusion removed to the family vault. The deceased owing to his distinguished character in the service was much respected by the principal officers of the garrison. This gallant officer's service commenced in May. 1795, at Haslar Hospital, and in October, 1796, he was reappointed to the Tickler, and in succession to the Arrow, Sang Pareil, Prince of Wales, Virginie, Swift, and Lively; and in 1809 he was appointed to the Trusty Hospital Ship, stationed in Gillingham Reach of the river Medway, where he had charge of upwards of 1500 prisoners of war of all nations for five years. At the conclusion of this service he received the above orders of knighthood from tho Emperor of Russia and King of Denmark, and also two magnificent diamond rings of the value of £1,000 and in 1814 he was appointed surgeon of the Chatham Division of the Royal Marines ; and upon his appointment to Greenwich Hospital in 1824 he was presented by the officers of the Royal Marines with a valuable service of plate. He continued as chief medical officer and surgeon of Greenwich Hospital until June, 1844, when he retired on full pay. From the time of his entering the service to his retirement, was 49 years and one month, during which was 48 years in active service.

Richard married Katherine ALSTON [4000] [MRIN: 1371], daughter of William ALSTON of Rochester [3981] and Sarah LOADER [3983], on 23 Apr 1811 in St Nicholas Rochester KEN. (Katherine ALSTON [4000] was born on 2 Jan 1789, baptised on 25 Jan 1789 in St Nicholas Rochester KEN, died in 1822 and was buried on 3 May 1822 in Chatham KEN.)