W. L. Cleland


William Lennox Cleland was a medical doctor in South Australia, for 40 years in charge of Parkside Lunatic Asylum.

History

Cleland was born in Hong Kong, the eldest son of missionary John Fullerton Cleland who migrated to South Australia aboard Gloucester, arriving in Adelaide in August 1852.
He was educated in Adelaide, and afterwards studied in Switzerland, England, and Edinburgh, then returned to found a lucrative practice in Adelaide.
He was appointed Resident Medical Officer at the Parkside Lunatic Asylum in December 1878, and Assistant Colonial Surgeon in 1879. When Paterson went on extended leave in 1896 he was appointed Acting Colonial Surgeon, and the position made permanent six months later.
Dr. M. H. Downey became his assistant in 1905, and as Lt.-Col. Downey served overseas from November 1916, awarded DSO, returned to Australia 1919.
He died after a short illness and his remains were buried at the Walkerville cemetery.

Family

William Lennox Cleland married Matilda Lauder "Mattie" Burton on 21 June 1877. She was a daughter of John Hill Burton, Historiographer Royal of Scotland. They had two sons: