he had "admitted only four men of that class to his table", of whom Redfern was one. In 1814 Redfern reported to Macquarie on the sanitary problems of the ships transporting convicts to New South Wales. As a result of this report the conditions were greatly improved. In 1817 he became one of the founders of the Bank of New South Wales. In 1811, he married Sarah Spencer Wills. Redfern had expected to succeed D'Arcy Wentworth as principal surgeon; Macquarie recommended him for the position in 1818 — however it was given to James Bowman in 1819. Redfern immediately resigned from the Colonial Medical Service and later in the same year Macquarie made him a magistrate, but this was objected to by Commissioner Bigge and the appointment was not sanctioned. Redfern had a large private practice as a physician, and though somewhat brusque in manner was much liked and trusted; he became the "best" and "best-known" surgeon in Sydney. He visited England in 1821 as a delegate for the emancipists endeavouring to obtain relief from legal restrictions arising from a court decision in London, which came in the form of the New South Wales Act 1823, allowing ownership of property and "personal action at law" for those who served their sentence in New South Wales and were no longer prisoners. In January 1824 he was at the island of Madeira for the benefit of his health. His wife, who was then in London, made application on his behalf for an additional grant of land, which was allowed. He was evidently then in good circumstances. In 1826 he retired from practising as a physician, and for about two years engaged in scientific farming, which had been a hobby of his for some time. Death He went to Edinburgh about the end of 1828 to bring his son, William Lachlan Macquarie Redfern, there for education, and he died there towards the close of July 1833. Legacy The suburb of Redfern, New South Wales is named after him, as it developed on land that he once owned. A comprehensive two volume biography by Arthur Jones was published in 2019. See also List of convicts transported to Australia References External links Primary document transcripts 1774 births 1833 deaths 19th-century Australian medical doctors Convicts transported to Australia People from Trowbridge Settlers of New South Wales