22 July 1931–11 April 2025
John was born in Tolworth Surrey in July 1931, moving to North Woodchester in the Cotswolds during the war. He attended Marling school in Stroud then St George's in Fiscombe. Marling had a very impressive headmaster Mr Baker Berry, and Dad envyed the boarders who had more fun despite cold baths every morning!
In 1945 he attended King's College, Taunton, enjoying Physics, Chemistry and Maths in impressive grounds and buildings near the Quantock hills. He was keen to study Maths at University but without the grades, he was persuaded to apply for Medicine at UCL by a school friend Michael Simmonds, starting in 1949. Prior to that, the only medical experience in the family was some nursing his sister Mary did in Gloucester.
In 1949 the University course was tough for him to get onto as there were many applicants coming out of military service and despite having to also cram for an A level in Biology, he was warned there would be no chance of retakes in the first year.
From University, he continued his training in medicine specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen Charlotte's hospital in Chelsea and during his National Service at RAF Hospital Wegberg near Monchengladbach, Germany, where he was immediately put in charge of the maternity unit.
He recalled the stiff upper-lip attitude of his commanding officer at Wegberg, asking him, when he expressed worries because of his lack of experience in this role,
'Well, can you cope?'
He could.
His favourite quotes from patients were 'Will you be seducing me today' and 'Can you direct me to the infidelity clinic'.
He married Jacqueline Peck in June 1965, first meeting her at Ember tennis club and impulsively inviting her to an Ella Fitzgerald concert at the Royal Festival Hall. If he had any regrets, it would be not making their diamond wedding anniversary next month.
The family (Jane was born April 66), moved to Manor Court Flats in Leamington Spa in 1966 where John joined Chris Swan as the second Obs & Gynae consultant in South Warwickshire, covering Leamington, Warwick, Stratford and Shipston. Understaffed, the next five years demanded he be on call 50 % of the time with few chances for time off and regular checking in with hospitals from pay phones if they ever did go out.
After Chris Swan's death in a car accident in 1971, John's professor, Stanley Clayton, helped by sending good Registrars to assist, until Hugh Begg joined in 1972 and John Hughes in 1975, allowing the luxury of only being on call one week in three.
He became a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in September 1962 and a fellow in June 1975.
John served on committees for the Birmingham Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society and was an examiner for the Royal College for many years in London and Edinburgh. He helped as an adviser to the Baby Lifeline charity, set up by Judy Ledger, raising funds for incubators and later as a trustee at Myton Hospice.
John worked at the Warneford Hospital in Leamington Spa (he loved the 1832 AD inscription in stone above the entrance), the Monroe Devis Maternity Hospital in Tiddington (a beautiful donated home where as kids we played in the garden by the river, he recalls the happy atmosphere but cold rooms and cold hands causing shock when examining patients) and later at Warwick Hospital.
He also pursued a private practice at ‘The Rooms', 5 Clarendon Place and later the Chase Hospital, Leamington Spa.
In 1992 he went part-time, fully retiring in 1997.
His free time was filled with music, philately and sport. On retiring he took an A level in music. He loved playing the piano, filling the house with music as he extemporised on a tune, which he preferred to playing from sheet music, getting lost in the endless variations only accomplished musicians can reach. He liked to play for others, performing at Myton Hospice and several restaurants in Leamington and Warwick.
He enjoyed choral singing too, especially with an orchestra. He and Jackie joined the Warwick and Kenilworth Choral Society for fifteen years, with the Bach Magnificat being a particular favourite.
He loved tennis, golf and later, as the body slowed down, bowls. He played tennis at Leamington then the Warwick Boat club and golf at Leamington and County before moving to Stratford. His tennis serve and golf swing I can still picture, tracing a figure of eight. It made him a good player on
the court but less so on the fairway. He played for the joy of participation and enjoying company rather than being highly competitive, taking up golf to accompany Jackie who, like me, became a little more obsessed with the sport.
For many years he was a keen philatelist, with a particular fondness for a set of stamps called seahorses, not the miniature marine creatures but great stallions evoked by crashing waves. He spent much time discussing the hobby with his good friends Graham Pyatt and Michael Barlow.
Bridge was another hobby he enjoyed with Jackie and local friends, countless Saturday evening suppers, conversations and card games. I can remember as a child overhearing the change from relaxed conversation and laughter to silence once the cards were dealt.
In all of these activities I've skimmed over, the one constant was the positive and kind attitude he displayed. He was always an optimist and loved to laugh. Telling jokes, he was often unable to stop giggling before he reached the punchline. In our family, names were always replaced with nicknames and April 1ˢᵗ had to be respected. I can clearly picture the morning cup of tea being accidently spilt over me or Jane, containing water or confetti.
As more than one has mentioned to me since his death, he was a gentle man and a gentleman. May he rest in peace.
Written by Mark Frampton