SAVAGE, JOHN (1770-1838) was born in South London, qualified in medicine, and was assistant surgeon in the Melville Castle (1796-97). In 1802 he was appointed assistant surgeon in New South Wales, whither he sailed with his wife in H.M.S. Glatton, arriving in 1803. A follower of Jenner, he introduced in the colony vaccination by calf lymph. Early in 1804 he was appointed magistrate for the county of Cumberland, and a few months later acting magistrate at Parramatta. During the insurrection of the Irish convicts (Mar 1804), he was appointed captain of the Parramatta Associated company of volunteers (afterwards the Parramatta Loyal Association Company). As a magistrate he did duty also at Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land. In Jun 1805 he was court-martialled on a charge of refusing to attend a settler's wife; found guilty and cashiered. Governor King disapproved of the sentence. He could not intervene, but granted Savage permission to go to England.

Savage left Sydney in the whaler Ferret and spent some weeks in Bay of Islands, during which he made notes for an interesting little volume, Some Account of New Zealand, particularly the Bay of Islands and Surrounding Country, which contained sailing instructions for the northern coasts. Having gained the confidence of the natives, he was importuned by several who wished to accompany him to England, and he eventually consented to take Moehanga (q.v.), the first Maori to visit Great Britain. Savage was well received by Lord Fitzwilliam (President of the Council); the sentence of the court-martial was reversed, and he was confirmed in his appointment. He did not, however, return to New South Wales, but entered the service of the East India Company (1807), from which he retired in 1833. He died on 27 Apr 1838.

India Office records; F. M. Bladen, Historical Records of New South Wales, vols v, vi; Savage, Some Account of New Zealand (1807).

Reference: Volume 2, page 141

🌳 Further sources