John POTTIE

POTTIE, JOHN (b. Renfrew, Scotland, c. 1832; d. Sydney, NSW, 18 Aug 1908). Veterinary surgeon.

The son of a veterinary surgeon and his wife, John Pottie qualified as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in Edinburgh in 1858. He arrived in Sydney after giving veterinary supervision to a consignment of horses. By 1860 he had established a Sydney veterinary practice; in 1862 he married Eliza (q.v.). They had six children.

Probably the first qualified veterinary surgeon to practise in Australia, John Pottie had a distinguished career becoming consulting veterinary surgeon to the NSW government and police. His publications on veterinary subjects included his first book on horse care in 1872, a revised edition of Pottie's Horse Dictionary is still in print. He widely advertised his own veterinary and other medicines: the company selling these veterinary products is now run by his great-grandson.

A Presbyterian with a fiery temper and abundant humour, John had a keen interest in astronomy. He fully espoused his wife's evangelical and reforming causes, with a special interest in animal welfare. They were both zealous members of the Sydney City Mission. An active lay preacher, he delivered powerful addresses in a broad Scotch accent and attempted to reconcile contemporary scientific discoveries with the Bible's literal truth. His work 'brought him into contact with rougher side of humanity 'but he was judged' always the Christian gentleman'. He cared for his wife in her long illness before her death. The Potties, like the Renwicks (q.v.), were typical of a number of leading evangelical couples in their combination of loving domestic life, the husband's prominent career and active philanthropy and, after child-rearing, the wife's zealous public work for evangelical philanthropy and reform.

ADB 5; Family information

JUDITH GODDEN