Guy Lawrence Thompson was born in Scarborough on 26 October 1897, the son of a local practitioner. He was educated at Winchester College and served in the Royal Field Artillery in the first world war. On demobilization he went to Trinity College Cambridge and took his BA in 1920, and then went to the London Hospital for his clinical course, qualifying with the Conjoint Diploma in 1923, and graduating MA and MB BCh in 1925. In the same year he obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons. Thompson then joined his father in practice in Scarborough and in 1930 he was appointed honorary consultant surgeon to the Scarborough Hospital. In 1948 he became ear, nose and throat surgeon to the Scarborough, Malton and Whitby group of hospitals, and served on their management committee from 1948 till 1961. He was also honorary secretary of the Scarborough Division of the BMA from 1928 till 1938, and Chairman from 1945 till 1949. He was appreciated as a colleague for his integrity, forthrightness and humour, and by his patients for the kindly way in which he listened to their problems. He took a special interest in the education of children and was on the governing bodies of a number of schools. He had a very happy home life, and when he died aged 72 on 12 April 1970 at his retirement home at Hutton-le-Hole, after some years of failing health, he was survived by his wife, their son and two daughters.