Barry Edward O'Meara
Who was Barry Edward O'Meara?
Irish surgeon who accompanied Napoleon to St. Helena
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Barry Edward O'Meara (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Barry Edward O'Meara (1786–1836) was an Irish surgeon and author, known for being a founding member of the Reform Club and serving as Napoleon Bonaparte's personal physician during the emperor's exile on Saint Helena. Born in Ireland in 1786, O'Meara studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin and later joined the British military medical service. His significant role in history unfolded when he was aboard HMS Bellerophon in August 1815, when Napoleon surrendered to Captain Frederick Maitland after his defeat at Waterloo. O'Meara, who was the ship's surgeon, impressed Napoleon, who asked him to accompany him into exile as his personal doctor.
O'Meara agreed and traveled with Napoleon to Saint Helena, where he stayed by his side until 1818. During this time, he formed a close bond with Napoleon, discussing politics, history, and Napoleon's career. These conversations later became the foundation for O'Meara's most famous book. His stay on Saint Helena put him in a tricky spot between his duty to Napoleon and his responsibilities to the British authorities, especially the island's governor, Sir Hudson Lowe. O'Meara increasingly clashed with Lowe, believing that Napoleon was being treated too harshly. He reported these concerns to the Admiralty, worsening his conflict with Lowe and leading to his removal from the island in 1818.
After returning to Britain, O'Meara was dismissed from the naval service, a consequence often linked to his vocal criticism of how Napoleon was treated by the British. He dedicated himself to defending Napoleon's memory and criticizing Sir Hudson Lowe's conduct. In 1822, he published "Napoleon in Exile; or, A Voice from St. Helena," a two-volume work detailing his talks with Napoleon and his observations of life on the island. The book stirred up significant controversy, becoming popular but also facing harsh criticism from those who saw it as biased and unreliable. Lowe's supporters disputed many of O'Meara's claims, while Napoleon's admirers saw it as a genuine and empathetic account of the emperor's last years.
O'Meara married Theodosia Anna Maria Boughton and settled in London, where he continued practicing medicine and stayed involved in political reform movements. He was one of the founding members of the Reform Club, which began in 1836 and was linked to liberal and reformist political activities of the time. O'Meara died in London in 1836, the same year the Reform Club was established. He lived through a very turbulent period in European history, and his connection to Napoleon ensured that he would always be remembered as an interesting part of the Napoleonic era.
Before Fame
Barry Edward O'Meara was born in Ireland in 1786, a time when the medical field was changing a lot and military service offered young doctors a chance to gain experience and advance their careers. He studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin, which was one of the top places for medical education in Ireland then. After qualifying, he joined the British military medical service, a typical path for Irish doctors of his time looking for opportunities within the British Empire.
His early career as a military surgeon gave him hands-on experience in the tough conditions of wartime medicine, and he eventually became a surgeon on Royal Navy ships. This naval role landed him on HMS Bellerophon in the summer of 1815, right when the defeated Napoleon Bonaparte came aboard to surrender. O'Meara's ability to speak Italian reportedly helped him communicate with Napoleon early on, and being chosen by the emperor to be his physician changed the young Irish surgeon's career forever.
Key Achievements
- Served as personal physician to Napoleon Bonaparte during the emperor's exile on Saint Helena from 1815 to 1818
- Published Napoleon in Exile; or, A Voice from St. Helena (1822), a widely read two-volume account of Napoleon's conversations and conditions during his captivity
- Was a founding member of the Reform Club in London, established in 1836
- Graduated in medicine from Trinity College Dublin and achieved the rank of naval surgeon aboard HMS Bellerophon
- Provided one of the earliest and most detailed firsthand accounts of Napoleon's personality, health, and opinions in his final years
Did You Know?
- 01.Napoleon reportedly selected O'Meara as his physician in part because O'Meara could speak Italian, which allowed the two men to converse more freely than through a French interpreter.
- 02.O'Meara's book Napoleon in Exile; or, A Voice from St. Helena (1822) was so controversial that it provoked a formal rebuttal from supporters of Sir Hudson Lowe, the governor of Saint Helena.
- 03.He was dismissed from the Royal Navy following his removal from Saint Helena, effectively ending his military medical career as a direct result of his criticisms of Napoleon's treatment.
- 04.O'Meara was a founding member of the Reform Club in London, placing him among a circle of politically progressive figures associated with the reform movements of the 1830s.
- 05.Sir Hudson Lowe, with whom O'Meara clashed repeatedly on Saint Helena, later sued the publishers of Napoleon in Exile for libel in an attempt to counter the book's damaging portrayal of his conduct.