John Bennett

In the latter years of the 18th century, Edinburgh was at the heart of that extraordinary phenomenon, the Scottish Enlightenment. It is fortunate that John Kay, an artist and writer, was able to record for posterity, caricatures and biographical sketches of many of the characters whether brilliant, famous or eccentric, who abounded in Edinburgh at that time. Between 1784 and 1824 he completed over 900 sketches, including those of several surgeons.

As a result of Kay’s account, John Bennett has been portrayed as a practical joker during a short period at the turn of the 19th century, when such activities were both acceptable and fashionable.

John Bennett was born in Edinburgh. After studying medicine at Edinburgh University he was appointed Surgeon to the Sutherland Fencibles, an auxiliary regiment raised for home defence, which, like many of its kind, enjoyed a short existence, being disbanded in 1783. On his return to Edinburgh he went into a partnership with James Law of Elvingston. Law was to become a Fellow of the College in 1818 (roll no 338), and was to go on to become President of the College on two occasions in 1800 and 1812, and as a result of local pre-eminence, had his portrait painted by Raeburn.

Bennett’s reputation was enhanced by a public demonstration of his surgical skill. A group of merchants, after what Kay describes as “a fit of hard drinking” were feigning a fight with a knife when the blade accidentally incised the throat of a Mr Dempster, jeweller in Parliament Square. The knife, at the time, was held by a Mr Hamilton who summoned John Bennett who immediately stopped the haemorrhage and closed the wound. Hamilton, to show his gratitude presented John Bennett with “an elegant chariot”.

Bennett was appointed Surgeon to the Garrison of Edinburgh Castle in 1791 and elected President of the College in 1803. Two years later he was given an honorary commission into the Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen, a volunteer regiment in which he held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel Commandant.

He was given the freedom of the City of Londonderry in unusual circumstances which offer an interesting glance into the times in which he lived. The freedom of that city was presented to him in a silver box by William Leckie, Senior Magistrate of Londonderry. In 1805, Leckie’s son, a medical student at Edinburgh, had fought a duel at Duddingston with a fellow medical student called Romney. Four shots were exchanged and Leckie sustained a groin wound. According to Kay’s account “Mr Leckie received his wound by the first fire but did not discover it. After shaking hands with his antagonist he declared that he was mortally wounded and desired Mr Romney, the seconds and the surgeon who attended (Bennett) to make their escape which they accordingly did”. While Bennett was not able to offer any help to the unfortunate Leckie, his father obviously felt that his mere presence and support at the duel deserved his gratitude.

Another insight into his life and times is in what Kay rather disapproving described as “an unprofessional frolic”. On one occasion, Bennett had lost a bet, the wager being “dinner and drinks”. When he lost the wager, he duly entertained the victor to dinner and drinks in what Kay describes as “a house of good cheer” in Leith, but arranging their transport there in funeral coaches, which drove slowly through the streets of Edinburgh and Leith at a funereal pace to the embarrassment of their occupants .

Bennett died suddenly during a day’s excursion to the kingdom of Fife. Having crossed on the ferry at Queensferry he was noted to be in high spirits but was found dead later that day with a fatal shotgun wound, his gun dog beside his body.