The second child and only son of Francis Edward Nairn, a gentleman of independent means, and his wife, *née* Curtis, was born at Greytown, New Zealand on 12 March 1862. He was educated at Nelson College and at Wellington College until he came to England and entered St Thomas's Hospital for his medical education. Here he acted as house physician and ophthalmic assistant. He served as house surgeon at the Victoria Hospital for Children, Tite Street, Chelsea in 1888. He also acted as honorary surgeon at the Royal Naval Exhibition in 1891, was clinical assistant at the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital, and was resident clinical assistant at Bethlehem Hospital. Until 1895 he lived at Ealing, after which he resided for a short time at Ilfracombe, and in 1896 returned to New Zealand. Here he practised at Hastings, Hawkes Bay, Napier until 1915, when on 10 June he offered his services and received a temporary commission as lieutenant, RAMC. He served at the Royal Herbert Hospital and afterwards in the hospital ships *St George* and *Asturias*. From 15 October 1915 until 16 June 1916 he was operating surgeon at Bramshott Camp, Surrey, with the rank of temporary captain. At the end of the war he returned to his practice at Hawkes Bay. He married on 9 April 1899 M C Russell, who survived him with two daughters and a son. He died at Hastings, Napier, NZ on 8 April 1932, and was buried at Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, NZ.