141:, who was stabbed by a would-be assassin in 1823. Farquhar had expressed concern over Montgomerie's youth when he arrived in Singapore in 1819. Montgomerie was very young at this point, even younger than the Sub-assistant Surgeon from whom he took over and was now in charge. If anything happened to Farquhar, Montgomerie would have been left in charge of Singapore as the next most senior official. Farquhar wrote to Calcutta asking them to put alternative arrangements in place.
193:, but since the nutmeg trees still looked healthy, Montgomerie decided to start his own plantation with seeds procured from Penang. He believed that enough nutmeg could be grown in Singapore to supply the entire British Empire by 1850, and that the price could be driven down to something affordable by ordinary people. However, he complained that the government land leasing arrangements were not favourable in Singapore, and discouraged farming. He compared this to
311:' in the jail. Natives and Chinese were confined in this way, while Europeans enjoyed better treatment. It was part of Montgomerie's duties to visit the jail daily to attend to their needs. There had been public disquiet about the lack of proper facilities, but nothing was done until 1840 when one mentally ill inmate murdered another. Montgomerie was tasked with investigating and making recommendations. He recommended a purpose-built
256:. However, he could not obtain a sample at the time and did not get another opportunity until 1842 after he returned to Singapore. In that year a Malay showed him a parang with a gutta-percha handle. Montgomerie purchased the item and requested that more of the substance be provided. After experimentation, he concluded that its
448:
If it is an error, Montgomerie himself was under the same misapprehension, since he also says he got the medal for gutta-percha (Montgomerie, p. 378). It is entirely possible that
Montgomerie misunderstood the award. He was in Singapore at the time, and the award was collected on his behalf by his
280:
Besides its use for making medical instruments, Montgomerie proposed several other uses, including as a dental filling (for which it is still used). Numerous other applications were quickly found for the new material, including a much improved golf ball. However, the most important application was
445:
Oxley, and several other sources, say that
Montgomerie got the medal for the discovery of gutta-percha (Oxley, p. 22). This may be an error since the RSA citation flatly contradicts this. The alternative explanation that there were two different medals awarded is not found in any source of this
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in London in 1843. He began an investigation into how widespread the tree was. He discovered that it was not only found in
Singapore, but all over the Malaysian peninsular and the islands of Indonesia and appeared to be plentiful. However, as early as 1846 Montgomerie was expressing fears that
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estate for most of his time there, but never succeeded in making it profitable. It was sold after his death and briefly renamed "Woodsville". The area is now built-up and the name has reverted to Duxton Hill, a name also preserved in Duxton Road. The primary crop grown was sugar, but later he
331:
bearing an ancient and undeciphered inscription. It was destroyed by the
Settlement Engineer to clear the river channel. Montgomerie had intended to set up a Singapore museum, but was unable to do so. Instead, he sent the pieces he recovered to the
22:
348:. On seeing the strange inscription, they refused to carry on. Montgomerie commented "it was a pity that those who afterwards authorised the destruction of the ancient relic were not themselves prevented by some such wholesome superstition."
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to designate a medical officer's rank. It did not indicate whether or not the officer practiced surgery. Surgeon ranks, in order of descending seniority were; Surgeon-Major, Surgeon, Assistant
Surgeon, Sub-assistant Surgeon (Teo, p.
248:. Montgomerie said that most people he showed it to could not recognise it. It had even made its way to Europe, but again, was not widely known. Montgomerie's discovery began in 1822 when he was shown a different natural rubber,
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supplies would dry up due to the destructive method of harvesting and large quantities being produced. Trees were cut down and the bark stripped to get to the sap. Montgomerie believed that it was possible to harvest the sap by
52:
possible. Montgomerie was involved in spice cultivation as head of the
Singapore botanical experimental gardens and at his personal estate in Singapore. The latter never became economically viable, but he received a
267:
Montgomerie sent samples to the
Calcutta Medical Board with a recommendation for its medical use. The board agreed with him and requested that he obtain as much as possible. Montgomerie also sent samples to the
235:
Montgomerie is sometimes credited with discovering the substance. He is responsible for it coming into widespread use, but it had in fact been known for some time by a few natives who used it to make handles for
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The destruction of the stone horrified many of the colony's officials. One described it as vandalism. The stone was first discovered by
Bengali sailors tasked with clearing the vegetation by the port's first
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with the rank of
Assistant Surgeon. Upon his arrival, he took over as senior surgeon of Singapore from a more junior officer, and was given the rank of acting Surgeon. In 1827, Montgomerie was posted back to
427:, a Portuguese doctor and trader in Singapore, also brought samples to the Society of Arts around the same time as Montgomerie after seeing native whips made from the material (Oxley, p. 22).
302:
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was introduced to
Singapore by Montgomerie. He initially played it in the medical store. He was honoured with a dinner in February 1836 for introducing the game. In 1827, a
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in Singapore decided gambling farms should be abolished. Montgomerie is said to have remarked, "I did not think there were thirteen such idiots in the entire island."
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to Singapore, whereupon Montgomerie was made the head. He retired to England in January 1844. He was recalled to Bengal some years later as Garrison Surgeon at
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and submitted plans and costings. He rejected an alternative idea of sending patients to India. Montgomerie's plan was accepted and the asylum was built.
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Gold Medal 1844. Awarded for "the cultivation of nutmegs in that island , samples of which have been placed in the Society's repository."
85:. A son is mentioned in a newspaper article. His brother was Major-General Sir P. Montgomerie of the Madras Artillery who fought in the
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around 1848. In 1918, some of the fragments recovered by Montgomerie were returned to Singapore on extended loan and are now in the
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obtained from the sap of certain trees growing in the Far East. It hardens on exposure to air, but has the useful property of being
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would be ideal for making many surgical instruments. The natural rubbers used for this purpose at the time were easily damaged by
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228:. It can be moulded to a new shape after boiling in water and will reharden when cool. It is credited with being the first
201:, but at the time a British possession) where land could be bought outright. In 1842, Montgomerie sent a box of nutmeg and
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but did not think it would be possible to persuade the native collectors to use this slower, but more sustainable method.
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While he was stationed at Singapore, Montgomerie was usually the doctor attending Singapore's leaders. These included
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On his return to Singapore in 1835, Montgomerie found that the government spice plantations had been neglected. The
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453:, p. 60). In the age before the establishment of the worldwide telegraph, communications were slow and unreliable.
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and was posted to India. In May 1819, he was posted to Singapore with the 2nd Battalion of the 20th Regiment of
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1010:"The Mental Diseases Hospital, Singapore (the first 100 years) – a short history (part I)"
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Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784–1885
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Oxley also noted the fast depopulation of gutta-percha trees in Singapore (Oxley, p. 24)
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and other links across oceans. No better material was available until the invention of
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Montgomerie keenly pursued agriculture in Singapore. He owned the 32-acre (13 ha)
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and which is thought to be gutta-percha because of the similarity in its properties (
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Montgomerie was born in Scotland in 1797. In 1827, he married Elizabeth Graham in
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after it was demolished by explosives in 1843. The stone was a large rock in the
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in 1823 (where he concentrated on cultivating spices), and sheriff in 1837.
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trees. The estate was bounded by a river where Montgomerie had a large
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when it formed in 1826. Meetings were held in his house. The game of
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1119:, vol. 46, no. 5, pp. 24–27, Singapore Medical Association, May 2014.
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as an electrical insulator. This was essential for the worldwide
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crosses the river on a crossing known as Montgomerie's Bridge.
110:. In 1835, the medical department headquarters was moved from
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Montgomerie played a minor role in recovering pieces of the
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cultivation. He was also responsible for building the first
1113:"A glimpse into the past – medicine in Singapore (part 1)"
1039:"History of the introduction of gutta percha into England"
130:, India, on 21 March 1856 and was buried in Fort William.
118:, and was Superintendent Surgeon in the field during the
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In 1818, Montgomerie became a medical officer with the
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The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia
252:, and was told of the existence of a harder material,
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Mental health in Singapore during the colonial period
32:(1797–1856) was a Scottish military doctor with the
1024:
Singapore & the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800
950:, vol. EI-21, iss. 1, pp. 7–18, February 1986.
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Society of Arts (later to become the Royal Society)
414:had brought a material to England which he called
1183:, HistorySG, Singapore Government, retrieved and
1016:, vol. 33, iss. 4, pp. 386–392, August 1992.
1126:, National University of Singapore Press, 2007
1100:, Marshall Cavendish International Asia, 2013
1078:Prakash, R.; Gopikrishna, V.; Kandaswamy, D.,
997:, vol. 1, Singapore: Fraser & Neave, 1902
994:An Anecdotal History of Old Times in Singapore
264:and could not withstand the tropical climate.
69:in India a few years after taking part in the
36:, and later head of the medical department at
1173:, Plastics Historical Society, retrieved and
1153:, Plastics Historical Society, retrieved and
1098:Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics
40:. He is best known for promoting the use of
8:
1161:"The discovery of gutta percha in Singapore"
1093:, vol. 17, iss. 2, pp. 32–36, December 2005.
396:The term "surgeon" was used by the military
44:in Europe. This material was an important
1181:"William Montgomerie arrives in Singapore"
948:IEEE Transactions on Electrical Insulation
449:brother-in-law, H. Gouger, in London (RSA
144:In Singapore, Montgomerie was appointed a
1145:Transactions of the Royal Society of Arts
1075:, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 34–38, Spring 2008.
307:It was the custom in Singapore to house '
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209:for which he was awarded a gold medal.
173:. A short distance from the mill, the
1211:19th-century Scottish medical doctors
1141:"Cultivation of nutmegs at Singapore"
232:available to manufacturing industry.
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980:, vol. 1, London: John Murray, 1921
634:Savage & Yeoh, pp. 106, 258, 329
959:Fifty Materials That Make the World
974:"Archeological and heraldic notes"
334:Asiatic Society museum in Calcutta
65:in Singapore. Montgomerie died at
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1216:British East India Company people
1147:, vol. 54 (1843–1844), pp. 38–50.
1096:Savage, Victor R.; Yeoh, Brenda,
1080:"Gutta-percha – an untold story"
912:"William Montgomerie", HistorySG
903:"William Montgomerie", HistorySG
613:"William Montgomerie", HistorySG
568:"William Montgomerie", HistorySG
538:"William Montgomerie", HistorySG
369:Montgomerie was the head of the
285:network as it made possible the
137:, the founder of Singapore, and
978:One Hundred Years of Singapore
150:botanical experimental gardens
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338:National Museum of Singapore
1167:, p. 3, 10 March 1884.
189:crop had been destroyed by
73:as Superintendent Surgeon.
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1226:People from British Malaya
1064:, vol. 1, pp. 22–29, 1847.
815:"William Montgomerie", PHS
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50:submarine telegraph cables
1014:Singapore Medical Journal
991:Buckley, Charles Burton,
471:Savage & Yeoh, p. 106
122:(1852–1853). He died of
760:Montgomerie, pp. 378–379
718:Montgomerie, pp. 377–378
258:thermoplastic properties
120:Second Anglo-Burmese War
71:Second Anglo-Burmese War
1044:Pharmaceutical Journal
1037:Montgomerie, William,
422:, 1884; Baker, p. 89).
398:Indian Medical Service
297:Mental health medicine
116:Fort William, Calcutta
103:Bengal Native Infantry
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1221:People in agriculture
1171:"William Montgomerie"
270:Royal Asiatic Society
148:in 1819, head of the
77:Early life and family
24:
972:Brooke, Gilbert E.,
371:Singapore Yacht Club
1085:11 May 2020 at the
1050:Mechanics' Magazine
881:Montgomerie, p. 378
803:"Gutta Percha", PHS
794:Montgomerie, p. 379
733:Montgomerie, p. 378
688:"Gutta Percha", PHS
526:Montgomerie, p. 377
30:William Montgomerie
25:William Montgomerie
1026:, NUS Press, 2013
957:pp. 89–91 in
872:Buckley, pp. 93–94
854:Buckley, pp. 91–94
571:Buckley, pp. 97–99
410:As early as 1656,
99:East India Company
34:East India Company
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1177:24 November 2018.
1165:The Straits Times
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1122:Trocki, Carl A.,
1067:Picker, John M.,
961:, Springer, 2018
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451:Transactions
450:
441:
432:
419:
415:
406:
392:
368:
342:
322:
306:
291:polyethylene
279:
266:
254:gutta percha
253:
249:
234:
218:Gutta-percha
216:
213:Gutta-percha
184:
159:
143:
132:
96:
80:
42:gutta-percha
29:
28:
18:
1206:1856 deaths
1201:1797 births
663:, pp. 45–47
250:gutta girek
162:Duxton Hill
156:Agriculture
128:Barrackpore
67:Barrackpore
1195:Categories
1132:9971693763
1106:9814484741
1032:997169574X
745:Teo, p. 25
583:Teo, p. 25
550:Teo, p. 25
480:Teo, p. 25
460:References
416:mazer wood
379:grand jury
365:Recreation
146:magistrate
48:that made
1003:220728943
986:867885390
283:telegraph
240:(Malayan
199:Sri Lanka
171:watermill
38:Singapore
1185:archived
1175:archived
1155:archived
1117:SMA News
1083:Archived
778:Prakash
446:article.
309:lunatics
262:solvents
242:machetes
165:planted
83:Calcutta
894:, p. 38
650:, p. 40
523:, p. 40
352:Honours
275:tapping
238:parangs
230:plastic
205:to the
124:cholera
1130:
1104:
1030:
1001:
984:
965:
782:, p.32
780:et al.
706:, 1884
246:Malays
195:Ceylon
191:blight
167:nutmeg
112:Penang
108:Bengal
93:Career
59:nutmeg
385:Notes
375:fives
220:is a
187:clove
1128:ISBN
1102:ISBN
1028:ISBN
999:OCLC
982:OCLC
963:ISBN
890:RSA
672:RSA
659:RSA
646:RSA
519:RSA
401:25).
203:mace
126:at
1197::
1163:,
1143:,
1115:,
1089:,
1071:,
1060:,
1041:,
1022:,
1012:,
946:,
340:.
89:.
1134:.
1108:.
1034:.
1005:.
988:.
969:.
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