Henry John Smith Waldeck was born at Oakengates, Shropshire, on 10 June 1927, the son of David Waldeck, an engineer, and his wife Annie Elizabeth, née Roberts. He was educated at Camphill Grammar School and King Edward VI High School, Birmingham, before entering the Birmingham Medical School. He qualified in 1950 and after house jobs in medicine, surgery and ENT he had two years national service in the Royal Naval Reserve. From 1963 to 1964 he held training posts in ENT in Birmingham and Edinburgh and obtained his FRCS and his ChM. In 1964 he was appointed consultant otolaryngologist to the Coventry Area Health Authority and aural surgeon to the Birmingham and Coventry Education Committees. His main interest was in the relief of conductive deafness and he carried out research in this field at the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital. He married Shirley Karen in 1968. He maintained his connection with the RNR retiring on the grounds of ill-health with the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander. His other hobbies were fishing, shooting, sailing, golf and archery. He retired in 1980 for reasons of health and died in 1986 survived by his wife and two children, Jennifer and David.