SEEKING TO CONTACT FAMILY MEMBERS OF DR JAMES LOOS
Can anyone help Aneela please, with copy to Victor Melder melder.rjvm1935@bigpond.com
I am doing a thesis on Julia Margaret Cameron Ceylon photographs towards a Masters degree in Art History and Curatorship. I am would like to contact people who may have information about the Cameron’s life in Ceylon. Dr Loos was her personal doctor in Ceylonand a friend of the extended family when he was a medical student in Calcutta. My interest is to see whether any of Dr Loos’ family have letters, portraits, photographs or other memorabilia relating to the Cameron family.
I have the genealogy from the DBU records that I got on line and the information I have so far is below. I also found Dr Blaze’s appreciation of Dr Loos. If you are able to put me in touch with any family members I would be grateful.
I currently live in Canberra. You may have already met my sister Anoma Pieris who teaches at the University of Melbourne.
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Johanne s Jacobus (James) Loos, M. D. of St. Andrew’s University in 1866, Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in.1867, Colonial Surgeon, Civil Medical Department, appointed first Principal of the Ceylon Medical College in 1870, acted as Principa l Civil Medical Officer, 1881—1882, born 17th July 1822, died 4th May 1904, (D. B. U. Journal, Vol. XV, page 2), marrie d in St. Paul’s Church, Pettah, Colombo, 20th Novembe r 1845, Maria Louisa Kats, bo m 23rd December 1826, died 30th August 1875, daughter of Jurge n Gualterus Kats, Colonial Chaplain, St., Paul’s Church, Pettah, Colombo, and Elizabeth He had by her—
1 Arthur James, born 28th December 1846, died 4th September 1847.
2 Walter Henry, born 15th September 1849, died in London, 11th June 1875, married at Glasgow, 28th October 1873, Anabelle Cameron Chisholm.
3 Laura Amelia, born 30th March 1851, died 3rd June 1919.
I am informed of Arthur and Gladys Loos who is likely to be a family connection. Gladys was known to have been in an old people’s home in Canberra at one time in the last 20 years or so. I think the couple had children.
with best wishes.
Aneela
Aneela de Soysa
0406774126
LOOS, James, M.D. – born, Colombo, July 17, 1822, died Colombo, May 4, 1904. In October 1838, he was among the first batch of students to enter the Colombo Academy. In 1838, when he was sixteen years old, he went to Calcutta to study medicine in the newly established Bengal Medical College, returning in 1843, he was appointed Medical Sub-Assistant. He was Assistant Colonial Surgeon in 1858 and acting Colonial Surgeon of the Southern Province from June 1862 to December 1866. He proceeded on leave to St Andrew’s University in England an obtained his M.D. He was then appointed Colonial Surgeon of the Northern Province in January 1867. He became the first Principal of the Ceylon Medical School, in June 1870, in 1875 he was appointed Colonial Surgeon of the Central Province. In 1881-82 he acted as Principal Civil Medical Officer and retired from Government Service at the end of 1882. (DBU Journal, Vol XV, Part 1, 1925)
