Arthur Thomas, born 12 April 1936 in Durham, was the second child of Professor David Winton Thomas, Regius Professor of Hebrew, Cambridge University, and Edith (Higgins) and, as might be expected, was educated at Cambridge, beginning in the King's College Choir School, then The Leys School and finally at St Catherine's College. He did his clinical training as Moran scholar at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, taking with him his ability on the rugger field, becoming captain of the Mary's XV and of the United Hospitals and playing for the Barbarians. He enjoyed the postgraduate training programme organised by Mary's, working for and being influenced by Messrs Dickson Wright, Eastcott, Bolt and Stephen. Highly regarded he had only just settled as consultant surgeon at Chelmsford and was building up a fine reputation when he died after a short illness on 29 January 1974 survived by his wife Mary (Richardson) whom he married in 1964 and their son Gareth and daughter Karen.