Born on 19 December 1875, the youngest son of William Atkins of Norwich, he received his medical education at Guy's Hospital. After holding appointments as house physician and assistant house surgeon, he went to the South African war on the staff of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital and, on his return to civilian life, proceeded to the FRCS. Between the wars he practised in London. As a young doctor he realised the need to educate women in the domestic sciences in order to combat the suffering caused by malnutrition and bad hygiene. Happening to hear of the Home Science Department of King's College for Women, which had opened in Kensington Square in 1908, he obtained the co-operation of the ladies' committee in launching an appeal in 1911, for which he acted as secretary. In a very short time £100,000 was raised and in 1912 a site acquired on Campden Hill, on which the building of the Household and Social Science Department of King's College was begun in 1913. Atkins brought the scheme to the notice of Queen Mary and obtained her permission for the residential wing, which was opened in 1915, to be named after her. During the 1914-18 war Atkins served in France as the personal medical officer of Sir John French, later Earl of Ypres, Commander in Chief, with the rank of Colonel in the Army Medical Service. Later he was appointed Assistant Director General of Army Medical Services and Deputy Director of Medical Services in Great Britain. He was mentioned in dispatches four times, and was created CMG in 1916 and KCMG in 1919. In 1916 he wrote on chemical warfare and defence against gas attacks and on gas-proof dug-outs. He was a member of the experiments committee with the British Army in the Field, the anti-gas committee and the Central Medical war committee. On his return after the war he raised further funds for the building of the College on Campden Hill, which was completed in 1932, having become an independent school of the University of London in 1928. He served the College devotedly in many capacities: as honorary secretary of the Trust Fund from its inception in 1911 until the end of its statutory existence in 1953, as a member of Council from 1917 up to his death, and chairman from 1932 to 1958, and as chairman of the finance committee. In 1920 the degree of BSc (Household and Social Science) was instituted, and in 1953 a new charter was given with the name of Queen Elizabeth College by gracious permission of the Queen Mother. Sir John Atkins married in 1904 Elizabeth May, daughter of James Davies Smith, who died on 22 May 1962. Their only son is Professor Sir Hedley John Barnard Atkins KBE, PRCS. Sir John died at 95 Oakwood Court, London on 20 April 1963. Publication: *Origin and development of Queen Elizabeth College, University of London*. 1956.