Sir Hans Sloane
By J. B. Palmer
NEW ULSTER, SPRING, 1992

The 16 April 1660, is the generally accepted date for the birth of Hans, one of several sons of Alexander Sloane, tax-collector of Killyleagh, Co. Down. Just as his date of birth is still debated by scholars, so too is his actual birthplace. Most researchers believe - and their belief is supported by local tradition - that Hans was born in Frederick Street, Killyleagh, in the house where the Sloane family resided for many years; the house, alas, has since been demolished and the heritage of Ulster, the poorer as a result.

Early Life
Little is known for definite about Hans' childhood, except that he attended school in Killyleagh with his elder brothers, where he studied Latin - which would seem to suggest quite a high standard of education for a school, in what was then, a mere village. It is safe to assume that young Hans was both able and diligent 'at his books'.

When he was sixteen years of age, Hans began to suffer from haemoptysis, which caused him to spit blood - an affliction which would plague his life for about three years. In order to counteract the condition, he was obliged to adopt a temperate lifestyle and from this time may have become more studious as a chosen alternative to more vigorous activities.

In the preface to his Natural History of Jamaica, he stated that from his youth he loved to study plants and other natural curiosities - being raised beside the unspoiled shores of Strangford Lough, probably gave an additional impetus to his fascination with nature in all forms. The love of botany seems to have been almost a family trait and the elegant gardens, created by distant relatives, can still be seen at Rowallane, near Saintlield and at the Castle Grounds in Bangor, Co. Down.

Medical Studies
Around 1679, Hans Sloane moved to London to study medicine and chemistry under Nicholas Staphorst. He also attended lectures for botany and other medical disciplines. In 1683, Sloane travelled to France to complete his studies, attending lectures at the Hospital de Ia Charite in Paris and the Royal Garden of Plants, where lectures commenced at six in the morning. Sloane finished his studies at Montpellier - then the most renowned medical school in Europe.

As Protestants were debarred from receiving degrees from both Paris and Montpellier, Sloane was obliged to enrol at the University of Orange, in the south of France (the same old town from which the House of Orange in Holland took its name). On 28 July 1683, Sloane was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Medicine - his thesis receiving much acclaim. He now returned to England with a letter of introduction to Dr Thomas Sydenharn, the most notable medical man of the day. Sydenham took an instant liking to the young man and permitted him to lodge in the Sydenham household. Through his association with Sydenham, the young doctor was introduced to some of the most fashionable and wealthiest patients in London.

Jamaica
In what spare time he had from his medical practice, he met and debated with like-minded scientists, to such effect that in January 1685, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1687. Now more than ever, he was sought after by the 'fashionable set', but the young Duke of Albernarle heat all others and contracted the young Sloane to become his personal physician.

The Duke of Albernarle owed his elevated position to his able and illustrious father, General Monk, of Restoration fame, but the son was only a dissolute shadow of his father's strong character. Albemarle was created Governor of Jamaica, perhaps in the hope that if he did not further glorify the family name, he would at least be far enough from London should any further scandals occur that might tarnish it. He gave Sloane an initial payment of £300 and agreed a salary of £600 a year. When Albemarle set sail for Jamaica on 12 Septernber 1687, Sloane sailed with him.

The four vessels reached Port Royal on 19 December 1687 and Sloane lost no time in seeuring the services of an artist to record the local flora and fauna and others to secure him specimens. He himself observed and recorded continually as was his habit.

'Buccaneer' Patient
Sloane's medical services were much sought after and he again treated both rich and poor. His most famous or infamous (depending on perspective). was the retired buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan. Apparently, Morgan was suffering from what might now be recognised as an occupational hazard; he drank too much and could not sleep - more than likely due to a troubled conscience. The daring commander who had terrorised and sacked the city of Panama, submitted himself into the hands of the young Co. Down doctor in the hope that Sloane might be able to cure him.

The following year (1688), the Duke of Albemarle died, aged only thirty-five and the Duchess decided to return to England. Sloane accompanied her, bringing with him 800 plants and reams of notes which he later used to write his Natural History of Jamaica and Catalogue Plantarum Quae in Insula Jamaica. The Duchess of Albemarle retained Sloane as her personal physician and with such illustrious patronage, his clientele once more numbered the rich and farnous. His practice grew by leaps and bounds and in 1695, he established it permanently in Bloomsbury, the most expensive and fashionable area of London at that time.

Royal Appointments
In 1701 (the year Oueen Anne consulted him for the first time), the University of Oxford conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Physics. In the years that followed, Sir Hans notched up many notable achievements. He attended upon Prince George of Denmark, the Consort of Queen Anne in 1708; was appointed Physician Extraordinary to Queen Anne in 1712; was created a Baronet in 1716 (only the second physician ever to receive that honour) and was made Physician General to the Army in 1722. Finally, in 1727, Sloane was appointed King's Physician in Ordinary to George II. Throughout these years he also received various honorary memberships from several foreign nations.

'The Great Collector'
Exactly when Sloane began to collect specimens is unknown, but all indications point to his love of collecting starting at an early age - more than likely on the shores of the Ards Peninsula. In the preface to his Natural History of Jamaica, he records that 'from my youth I was much delighted with the study of plants and other parts of nature'.

Many of his contemporaries referted to Sloane as 'The Great Collector' - an accolade indeed in an era where 'collecting' was a fashion in its own right Many prominent people expended large fortunes, as they vied with each other to secure the rare or the remarkable. Indeed, fervent collectors or their proxies, thought nothing of shooting rare species of birds to adorn a glass case and important historical sites were daily plundered in the quest for desirable artifacts. Such was the importance of Sloane's collection, both in terms of quality and quantity, that it eventually formed the nucleus of the British Museum. Sloane had also managed to incorporate other important collections with his own and therefore, had at each transaction, made his own collection even more unique, larger and of course more valuable.

Further Acquisitions
At the time of his return from Jamaica, Sloane had no less than 800 plant specimens in his possession. In 1702, he was bequeathed the vast Charleton Collection (second only to his own in terms of size). This was further augmented in 1718, when Sloane paid £4,000 for the Petiver Collection. On the death of an old friend, Sir Arthur Rawdon, of Moira, Co. Down, Sloane benefitted from being bequeathed Rawdon's sornewbat smIler collection. Mter these acquisitions, Sloane's collection was the biggest in the world and was as diverse in content as it was vast. The list which Sloane had compiled of his collection in 1725, may be compared to that compiled upon his death in 1753. In 1725, medals and coins were listed and numbered at 20,228; large seals at 81. By 1753, coins and medals in the collection numbered 23,000 and large seals, 268. Every section of the collection had incased over the years, with the single exception of 'Mathematical Instruments', which had gone from 54 to 55 items.

Upon examining Sloane's will, one finds how he himself described his collection, commenting on the variety of contents contained therein: