John Walker Wilson was born at Alloa in 1899 and studied medicine at Glasgow University before graduating in 1924. After holding postgraduate appointments at the Miller General Hospital, London, and as medical superintendent of the Seamen's Dispensary at Greenwich, he settled in general practice at Southport where he was also appointed assistant surgeon to the Southport General Infirmary. During the second world war he served in the RAMC both in the United Kingdom and West Africa. On demobilisation he returned to his surgical appointment at Southport and continued there after the start of the National Health Service. He secured the FRCS by examination at the age of 59 and retired from his hospital work five years later. But he continued in private and locum practice for some time and was especially keen on working in his beloved Scotland: the more remote the spot the better he enjoyed it. John, or "WW" as he was always known to his colleagues, was a rather private person who did not make friends easily, though when he did the friendship was warm and lasting. He was a keen fisherman and would spend part of each year salmon fishing at Tomintoul. Many were his fishing stories, although not always entirely believable. Golf and gardening were further relaxations, as was walking his Alsatian dog around the parks near his home. He was a keen supporter of the local Caledonian Society and of the Southport Medical Society and had happy and successful years as president of both. There is no record of the date of his marriage to Kathleen and, when he died in hospital on 7 January 1983, aged 83, after a long illness, he was survived by her and by their two daughters.