A REMARKABLE CAREER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1921, Page 10

A REMARKABLE CAREER.

NEW ZEALANDER’S SUCCESS. From the position of a New Zealand station hand to that of a leading London physician is the remarkable life history of Sir Thomas Parkinson, who, accompanied by his wife, arrived by the Remuera on Saturday on a holiday visit to his native land. Sir Thomas was born at Kaituna, Canterbury, where a number of his brothers and sisters still reside. As a youth he came north and for 18 months worked on Te Akau station, near Raglan. Forty years ago he was droving cattle from Raglan to Wiuku. He went to Edinburgh, where he graduated and then acted for two years as physician on the estate of the Duke of Sutherland. He engaged in private practice in Scotland for eight years, and then went to London, whjere he rose rapidly in his profession.

Before the outbreak of war he 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 position 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, it is understood, is a personal friend of Mr. Asquith. Sir Thomas and Lady Parkinson will spend five months in New Zealand and will then continue their tour of the world, going on to Australia and then to China and Java