John Eliot Trapnell was a consultant surgeon in Bournemouth with a special interest in the pancreas. He was born in Bristol on 25 April 1930, the son of Eliot Trapnell, a solicitor, and Ruth Manson Trapnell née Fells, a domestic science teacher whose father had been a medical missionary and a surgeo

Brian Pearson was a consultant general surgeon in Ilford, London. He could be described in terms of one of his interests: he was like a good wine, he improved over time. Unpretentious, with a soft trace of his Birmingham-derived accent, he had a sly sense of humour, and did not have all his other ma

John Coals was a consultant surgeon in accident and emergency surgery at Chester Royal Infirmary. He was born in Highbury, London, on 8 February 1930, the son of John Rueben Coals, a shipping agent, and Alice Maud Beatrice née Ensor. He was educated at St Andrew’s Church School and Enfield Grammar S

Robert Pringle was a consultant surgeon in Dundee. He studied medicine in Glasgow, qualifying in 1950, and, after house jobs, completed a four-year short service commission in the RAF, reaching the rank of squadron leader. On leaving the RAF, he specialised in surgery in Glasgow and Newcastle, and

Robin Downie was a consultant general surgeon in Liverpool. He was born on 2 May 1927 in Hightown, Merseyside, the son of a dentist. He was educated at Holmwood School, Formby, and Shrewsbury, where he excelled at sport. He then carried out his military service, during which time he took a six-month

Stewart Desmond Clarke was a consultant surgeon in Belfast, Kuwait and finally at the King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the son of Brice Richard Clarke, a doctor, and Doreen Clarke née Cassidy, who worked in catering. He studied medicine at Queen's Univers

As a surgeon – from his birth in New Delhi, India, his training in England to a career in New Zealand – Roy Chowdhury occupied the world of medicine more than most. Salil Roy Chowdhury (widely known as Roy) was born in 1928, the sixth child of Abala Bondhu Roy Chowdhury, a manager of a colliery i

Rodney Campbell Curry was a consultant surgeon at Belfast City Hospital, Northern Ireland. He was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika, in 1928, the son of William Clive Curry, a land officer, and Louie Eleanor Curry née Biddle. He attended school in the UK, including at East Grinstead, Sussex, and wen

Henry Wickham was a general surgeon in Preston, Lancashire. This is a draft obituary. If you have any information about this surgeon or are interested in writing this obituary, please email lives@rcseng.ac.uk

Imdad Khan was a general surgeon in Greenock. This is a draft obituary. If you have any information about this surgeon or are interested in writing this obituary, please email lives@rcseng.ac.uk

Vithal Gangadhar Phansalkar was a general surgeon in Bijapur district in Karnataka state, India. His father, Gangadhar Sakharam Phansalkar, was a general practitioner in Phaltan, Maharashtra. His mother Girija died when he was three years old and his father passed away when he was 17 and just about

Ajay Kanti Poddar was a consultant surgeon in South Australia. He was born in Pabna, in what was then India, on 1 July 1932. His father, Krishna Mohan Poddar, was a manager of a jute company; his mother, Jnanada Sundari Poddar née Saha, was a housewife. He attended the Hindu School, Calcutta and the