John Stanley Batchelor was a member of a distinguished medical family in New Zealand. His grandfather, Ferdinand Campion Batchelor MRCS 1871, trained at Guy's and emigrated to Dunedin in 1874 where he established an obstetrics and gynaecology practice, becoming the University of Otago's first Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology having been appointed senior lecturer in the new medical school in 1883. His father, F Stanley Batchelor, also trained at Guy's gaining his FRCS in 1901 and was appointed surgeon to Dunedin Hospital (see *Lives of the Fellows* 1930-1951, p.58). John was born on 4 December 1905 in Dunedin and was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and Otago University, Dunedin, where he did his preclinical training before following his forebears at Guy's in 1928. He qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1931. He was Charles Herbert Fagge's last house surgeon at Guy's before becoming resident surgical officer at Putney Hospital. He obtained his FRCS in 1934 and then specialised in orthopaedics at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. At the outbreak of war he was appointed clinical assistant in the orthopaedic department at Guy's under the tutelage of TT Stamm and C Lambrinudi and he was responsible for the teaching of students at the Guy's Sector Hospital at Orpington. In 1945 he was appointed consultant, a post he held until retirement in 1970. He was a tall, handsome, athletic-looking man who inspired confidence by his quiet, unassuming and helpful manner. His name is attached to two operations; the Batchelor modification of the Grice subtalar fusion and the excision osteotomy for osteoarthritis of the hip. He had an international reputation for his work with congenital dislocation of the hip and the special frog plaster is attributed to him. He was President of the Section of Orthopaedics at the Royal Society of Medicine in 1958 and honorary treasurer, secretary, vice-president and finally President of the British Orthopaedic Association from 1960 to 1972. In 1968 he was Robert Jones lecturer at the College. As a student he played rugby for Guy's and was president of the club from 1960. For many years he acted as touch judge. He listed his hobbies as watching rugby, collecting antiques and walking. In 1934 he married Marjorie Rudkin. They had two sons John and Philip and one daughter, Jill, but none of them entered medicine. His wife predeceased him by four years. He suffered a serious neurological disorder soon after retirement and he was confined to hospital where he remained until his death on 20 February 1987, aged 81.