Dr John Joseph Stanley
STANLEY, Dr John Joseph MB BS 1906 – 1935
This is not a story so much about the life and times of one, John Joseph Stanley MB BS but a story that is surrounded by the sensationalism on the sudden and mysterious way he died.
John Joseph Stanley was born in Sydney NSW. His father was Matthew Stanley and his mother was Mary Agnes Kelly. There were 12 children in the Stanley family.
His youngest brother Kevin Joseph Stanley was a Solicitor in Grafton at the time of John Joseph Stanley’s death.
What follows are The Truth newspaper accounts which followed the death of the young doctor.
MYSTERY DEATH OF YOUNG DOCTOR
ANALYST SEEKS SOLUTION,
Selfless Service Won Hearts of All
FOUND DEAD ON BED
AT 29 years of age, Dr. John Joseph Stanley, clever and personable Gympie physician, had already carved himself a big place in the hearts of the towns people. From the day he first practised in the town, four years ago, he began to build up the reputation that made his name a byword for selfless service.
He not only gave the poor his prescriptions, free; many a time he gave the money as well to buy them from the chemist. That is why his funeral, last Monday, was among the very largest ever seen in Gympie. It was a mile long.
And speculation has centred keenly upon the mystery of his death ever since he was found stretched out in his bed on the previous Saturday night by the wife of the doctor for whom he had been locum tenens for more than a year, and at whose house in Channon Street he had his quarters.
The news of the popular young doctor’s death shocked the whole town. Then it took a sinister turn, with an intimation that a death certificate had been refused and that the police suspected possible irregularity in the manner of Dr. Stanley’s death.
The doctor had complained that day, Saturday, November 7, that he was feeling run-down, and in need of a break from his duties. For nearly 18 months he had been coping with the large practice of Dr. A. B. Cunningham, which he had accepted when Dr. Cunningham communicated with him, saying that he desired to go to Melbourne to continue studying the eye and ear, with a view to setting up as a specialist in that province.
Dr. Stanley, who qualified at Sydney University, had been attached to the staff of the Children’s Hospital, Camperdown, and St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, before going to Gympie four years ago to act as Dr. Cunningham’s assistant. He impressed Dr. Cunningham with his energy and proficiency In general practice, and the towns people with his genial good humour and affability, as well as his skill; so that his decision later to accept a post as assistant medical officer at Bundaberg Hospital was widely regretted.
UNANIMOUS PRAISE
Then came the new arrangement with Dr. Cunningham, having decided to go to Melbourne to further his studies, the older man cast about in his mind for locum tenens and immediately hit upon Dr. Stanley. Dr. Stanley was not averse to returning to Gympie and renewing his acquaintance with the many friends he had left there, and he entered upon Dr. Cunningham’s practice about the middle of 1934.
Mrs. Cunningham remained in the house with the three children, two boys aged ten years and eight respectively, and a little girl aged four. The younger doctor entered with zest into the life of the community. He worked unsparingly, night and day. The recreation he was able to snatch was taken usually on the golf links or in the golf clubhouse, where he was a welcome figure. People in Gympie last week were unanimous in praising the character of the dead man. They repeated stories of his benefactions to poor people. They said as one man that no ailing person, however poverty-stricken, feared to go to his surgery and ask treatment. Among his patients were numerous relief workers from whom he had never expected a penny in fees, and who, instead, had many times left him after a consultation not only with the prescription to take to the chemist downtown, but with a few shillings to pay for having it made up.
WAS LYING ON BED
So it was not surprising that a heavy leavening of the mourners at Dr. Stanley’s funeral were people obviously in straitened circumstances, and obviously deeply affected by Father McSweeney’s moving address at the open graveside. Wet eyes were the tokens of affection which they made to the memory of a warm natured youngster who laboured briefly within relatively narrow limits, but whose humanity appeared to be boundless.
Many of them, no doubt, were even then cogitating the primarily tragic nature of the doctor’s death, wondering why Dr. W. L. Millett, who pronounced life extinct on being called to Dr. Cunningham’s house, had refused a death certificate. Dr. L. Morris, Government Medical Officer (who Is also Mayor of Gympie), likewise viewed the body as It lay on the bed fully clothed, except for a coat, and concurred with Dr. Millett.
It is stated that Dr. Stanley went home after lunch that day and complained of feeling worn out. He went to the room which he had occupied for many months and lay down. He did not appear for dinner that night, and he was not disturbed for a while. But he had an engagement to attend a social function at the golf club house that evening, and toward 8 o’clock, Mrs. Cunningham went to his room, taking light refreshment, and knocked on the door.
Getting no answer, she entered the room. Dr. Stanley lay flat on his back on the bed. His feet were together, and he looked as if he were asleep. When efforts to awaken him failed Mrs Cunningham became alarmed and aid was summoned. Dr. Millett was of the opinion, it is said, that Dr. Stanley had been dead about a quarter of an hour. The house was visited by Senior Sergeant Reynolds and Sergeant McDermott. Some attention was given to a small side-table alongside the bed. On it were a tube of tablets, nearly full, and a hypodermic needle. It was standing so close to the bed that if Dr. Stanley had struggled in death throes, he must almost certainly have knocked it over.
SENT TO THE ANALYST
Did this tube of tablets supply the key to the mystery? Had Dr. Stanley accidentally taken an overdose of a sleeping draught in his fatigued state? Those questions have been left for the Government Analyst. When Dr. Millett and Dr. Morris conducted an autopsy on the Sunday, they removed portion of the viscera and gave instructions that it should be sent to Brisbane for examination. Samples of the tablets also were despatched.
NOW TO THE PRESENT
Kingston House, now a popular restaurant, was built in 1901 and has had many owners. In the 1930s Dr Cunningham and his wife turned the house into a private maternity hospital. Many more questions remain. Did Mrs Cunningham have a role in the death of the young doctor? What was the relationship between her and the doctor? As a doctor’s wife, did she have the medical knowledge to have administered the lethal injection? As she was admitted to hospital supposedly in shock after finding the body she was never formally questioned by police. Family members have tried and been unsuccessful in obtaining a copy of the coroner’s report which was never published. The findings, after hearing from several witnesses, were that there no suspicious circumstances It has been reported that Dr Cunningham and his wife divorced but a search of the electoral roll finds them living together in Tasmania some years after this event.
Staff at the now restaurant report strange events including music playing of its own accord and shadows moving along the verandah. Many staff and guests report the feeling of some sort of presence in the building.
Some believe that Dr Stanley stays in the house because he hopes someone will reveal the truth about his mysterious death.
Kingston House as it looks today.
This story was written by Denise Juler and it appeared previously in the Gympie Today.
Sources: Trove
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