I have many reasons to be especially grateful to your father for many kindnesses to me over the years.
I grew to know him when visiting my home in Workington, during my time as a clinical student at UCH. He enthusiastically invited me to spend part of my holiday in his practice. This was my first experience of domiciliary medicine, at a period (the early sixties) when teaching hospitals did not encourage students to spend any time in general practice! I gained many useful insights into good clinical care, especially in dermatology, and I still remember details of long discussions about the importance of the elasticity of blood vessels in the control of blood pressure.
A couple of years later, when again on holiday in Workington, my wife went into unexpected premature labour. In spite of your father's prompt expert care the baby only lived for a few hours but both he and your mother were a tremendous support to us at that sad time.
During our regular visits to Cumbria right up until my father's move to Plymouth in 1979 we used to enjoy calling in at Stainburn Road and my daughters still have vivid memories of the sandpit in the garden. It was a great pleasure when we were able to repay a little of their hospitality when he and your mother came to stay with us here just after he retired. On that visit we were memorably impressed by his knowledge of antique silver and his practical skill in making beautiful objects in the metal.
We have kept up with your family news over the years and ever since seeing Alison at the Royal College of Physicians when she was working at my old firm at the Whittington Hospital in 1988 and then later when she became a member of the College in 1990 I have enjoyed coming across her excellent papers on different aspects of tropical medicine in general medical journals.
My children, Eleanor and Clare, join Penny and me in sending our love to you all. Your father had a very fulfilling life which impacted on many diverse people. He will be greatly missed.
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