Born on 22 November 1903, son of Professor William Nixon, Professor of Mathematics at Malta University, he was educated at Epsom College and St Mary's Hospital where he was Epsom Scholar in 1922. Qualifying with the Conjoint Diploma in 1927, he was appointed house surgeon at St Mary's and, later, in 1929 as house surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, in the same year being admitted to the Fellowship. In 1930 he was appointed gynaecological registrar and obstetric resident at St Mary's. Graduating with the degrees of London University in 1931, he proceeded to the degree of MD with a gold medal in diseases of women and midwifery in 1932. In 1934 he was appointed a consultant on the staff of St Mary's at the age of 31 and, in the following year, a consultant at Queen Charlotte's Hospital. However, in 1935 he threw up these appointments to go out to Hong Kong as Professor of Obstetrics but returned to London in 1938 to become a consultant to the Soho Hospital for Women and to the London County Council, working at Paddington and St Mary Abbot's Hospitals. In 1941 he delivered a Blair Bell Memorial Lecture on diet in pregnancy at the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, having been elected a Fellow in 1939. In 1943 he was seconded to the University of Istanbul as Professor where he remained until 1946 when he returned to London to succeed Professor F J Browne as director of the obstetric unit at University College Hospital and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the University of London. He had a natural flair for teaching which endeared him to his students and he was both a skilled clinician and an able surgeon. His outstanding feature, however, was his restless enquiring mind which led him to initiate researches into many problems in his specialty and to stimulate others to do likewise. He was in great demand as an adviser on his subjects in many countries. A member of the Expert Advisory Committee on Maternity Care for the World Health Organisation and of the Standing Committee on Maternity Service in the Ministry of Health, he initiated the British Prenatal Survey in 1958, a unique national study of maternity care. At one time he was a Member of the Council in 1947 and Vice-President of the section of Obstetrics and Midwives Board. In the British Medical Association he was a Member of Council in 1947 and Vice President of the section of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the annual meeting in 1957. He examined for the universities of London, Cambridge, Durham and Bristol and was the recipient of honorary membership of many foreign societies, namely those of Athens, France, Belgium, Turkey, Italy and Uruguay and was a foundation member of the Chinese Obstetrical Society in 1936. He was awarded a commemorative medal by the University of Budapest in 1947 and by that of Brussels in 1954. A man of innate kindliness, courtesy and wit, he was a valiant fighter for many causes, notably reform of the abortion laws, the value of psychological preparation for childbirth and for family planning and for its importance in the medical curriculum. His services to medicine were recognised in 1965 when he was invested as CBE. He made many contributions to medical literature and his international reputation acted as a magnet for leading obstetricians from all over the world. He understood how it feels to be a stranger alone in London and all his life he made efforts to welcome and befriend foreign visitors. In 1964, although a sick man, he acted as an expert witness at the trial of Dr Dering, accused of inhuman treatment of prisoners in the death camp at Auschwitz. He allowed himself little time for relaxation but shooting and swimming interested him, whilst as a young man he played wing three quarter for the St Mary's Rugby fifteen and always maintained a keen interest in the game. He died on 9 February 1966, survived by his wife and daughter. Publications: *A guide to obstetrics in general practice*. 1954. *Childbirth*. 1962.