Born on 18 December 1893, in Chungking, China, son of C J Davenport FRCS, Robert Cecil Davenport was educated at Mill Hill School and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he qualified in 1916, and then joined the RAMC, serving as a captain in the first world war. After demobilisation he returned to St Bartholomew's and took the MB BS in 1920 and the FRCS in 1921. He held resident posts at St Bartholomew's and began to specialise in ophthalmology. He won a research scholarship at the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital (Moorfields) and became ophthalmic surgeon to the East London Hospital for Children. In 1930 he became a member of the staff of Moorfields. Robert Davenport's personal characteristics made him an excellent doctor, teacher and counsellor; in 1938 he was appointed Dean of the Moorfields postgraduate School, a post he held until 1959. During these 21 years Davenport worked unceasingly, interviewing graduate students from home and the Commonwealth, encouraging them in their studies, and listening to their varied personal problems too. Davenport set a fine example in his out-patient clinics. He was always punctual, tolerant, wise and kindly, viewing each patient as an individual person rather than an ophthalmic case. Davenport's other great concern followed his appointment as Medical Commandant of St Dunstan's on the outbreak of the second world war. He and his team saved the sight of many, while to the hundreds of blinded ex-servicemen his firm, cheerful, sensible guidance was invaluable. It was characteristic of him that he began to learn Braille himself, so that he could really share in their problems. From 1951 to 1954 Davenport was vice-president of the Faculty of Ophthalmology, from 1955 to 1957 president of the Section of Ophthalmology, Royal Society of Medicine, and from 1958 to 1960 president of the Ophthalmological Society of the United Kingdom. When the Institute of Ophthalmology was set up in 1948 Davenport was its first Dean. In 1928 he married Helen Elizabeth Mayfield MRCS LRCP; they had two sons and one daughter. It was a most happy marriage and they were generous hosts to scores of young commonwealth doctors. Perhaps Davenport's outstanding characteristic was his ability to remember by name and detail all his students and all his patients at St Dunstan's. A much loved man, he died on 17 June 1961, aged 67. Publications: Recovery of visual field in pituitary tumour without operation. *Trans Ophth Soc UK* 1925. Senile macular exudative retinitis. *Trans Ophth Soc UK* 1926. After results of corneo scleral trephining. *Brit J Ophthal* 1926.