John Hodgson Nattrass (1870-1943) was born near Ballarat, and graduated with a medical degree from the University of Melbourne in 1898. During his university years he entered the University Officers' Corps of Instruction, and later joined the Army Medical Corps. He served as captain, major and then lieutenant-colonel. Meanwhile, he worked as a Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Hospital, the Children's Hospital and the Women's Hospital. He subsequently purchased a practice in Victoria Street, North Melbourne. His research work with Professor W.A. Osborne into autoplastic ovarian transplantation gained him an M.D. Degree.

While working and studying in Britain in 1910-11, he attended celebrations marking the coronation of King George V (June 1911).

Nattrass returned to Melbourne and became a gynaecologist, with his residence recorded in the Electoral Roll as 164 Victoria Street, North Melbourne. He was subsequently appointed a surgeon at the Women's Hospital. With the outbreak of World War I, at the age of 44, he was rejected for service abroad. Instead he contributed to the war effort by serving as Senior Medical Officer at the Queenscliff Forts. Subsequently, he became Senior Medical Officer at Broadmeadows Camp, Acting Officer Commanding No.5 Australian General Hospital, Principal Medical Officer, Camp Headquarters' Staff, and Assistant Principal Medical Officer, Third Military District (Victoria). His 'specially meritorious service to Australia' earned him a Mention in Orders. He continued his involvement with the military after the war, including serving as C.O. for the 2nd Field Ambulance, Third Military District (Victoria).

In 1916 he married Annie Barton. In 1922 they welcomed son John Joseph Nattrass. (John Joseph later served in the RAAF in World War II (service no. 257665). He followed his father into medicine, and received a diploma of Obstetrics & Gyneacology in 1952.)

After the war John Hodgson Nattrass practiced medicine in Melbourne. By 1924 he was listed in Electoral Roll as a surgeon with a residence at 80 Balaclava Road, Caulfield; he was also leasing a property at 63 Collins Street, Melbourne. In 1927 he and his family - wife Annie and son John Joseph- travelled by ship in the United Kingdom. He was then aged 56, and Annie 43. They returned to live at 80 Balaclava Road the following year, and remained there for the rest of John Hodgson's life. He died in December 1943.

Museum Victoria holds clothing worn by John Hodgson Nattrass in World War I and John Joseph Nattrass in World War II, as well as other memorabilia from John Hodgson Nattrass. The donor was John Joseph Nattrass.

References

Electoral Rolls, 1912, 1924, 1942, etc
Incoming passenger lists, John Hodgson Nattrass, Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd, arrival 22 Apr 1927, record no. 142496
Marriage Index, 1788-1950, Jno Hodgson Nattrass, Registration Number: 2277 (accessed via Ancestry, 26 July 2016)
'University Degrees Conferred', The Age, 22 December 1952, p.4. Retrieved July 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205424638

MV Archives file 01541 - list of items donated by Dr J. Nattrass, 1 Oct 1982

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