DEANE, Dr Edward Wilkinson (1872-1916)
Edward Wilkinson Deane was born at Rainford, Lancashire, England on 11 March 1872 and baptised a year later at Christ Church, Staincliffe, the second son of Charles Maslen Deane and his wife, Isobel.
He came to South Australia at two years of age with his family, where his father was a medical practitioner at Mount Barker. He received his early education at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, and later Geelong College where he was enrolled on 27 July 1886 by Dr Deane. His address at the time was Latrobe Terrace, Geelong. He became a member of the College 1st Football XX in 1890 and was awarded the following academic prizes:
1886, 1st, Arithmetic, 4th Lower Division.
1886, 1st, Algebra, 4th Lower Division.
1886, 2nd, English, 4th Class.
1886, 1st, Geography, 4th Class.
1887, Dux of 4th Class.
1887, 2nd, Arithmetic, 4th Class.
1887, 1st, Algebra, 4th Class.
1887, 1st, French, 4th Class.
1887, 1st, English, 4th Class.
1887, 2nd, Geography, 4th Class.
1887, 2nd, History, 4th Class.
1888, 1st, Algebra, University Class.
1888, 1st, English, University Class.
1889, 2nd, Latin, Post Matriculation.
1890, 1st, Latin, Post Matriculation.
1890, 1st, Greek.
He then studied at the University of Melbourne where he graduated in 1895 MB and CH.E. after a brilliant career, having obtained first class honours in each of the last four years of his course. In his final year there he won a scholarship in Medicine and Forensic Medicine, with First Class Honours in Surgery and Obstetric Medicine, and the diseases of women and children. He then became Senior Resident Surgeon in the Melbourne Hospital, and afterwards the Alfred Hospital. He began private practise in 1898. In 1893, he married da Maud Hayden Wilcox, of Auburn, and they resided at Maryborough, where he spent eleven years as Superintendent at Maryborough Hospital. Before taking residence there he was at Kaniva for two years, and then a further two years at Walhalla. They had two sons, both born at Carisbrook, Edwin Hayden Wilcox Deane in 1902, and Maslen McKenzie Deane in 1904.
When war was declared, Dr Deane offered his services, and in May 1915 was accepted, with the rank of Surgeon Captain with the Australian Medical Corps. He went to Egypt, embarking on RMS Mooltan on 18 May 1915. There he laboured faithfully and skilfully until he contracted an acute attack of cystitis, which proved fatal. He died at 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis on 4 April 1916, aged 44, and was buried at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery - Grave F.24.
Sources: 'Geelong Collegians at the Great War' compiled by J. Affleck. pp29-30 (citing The University of Melbourne: Record of Active Service of Teachers, Graduates, Undergraduates, Officers and Servants (1926); Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Photo Pegasus August 1916).