Roy Parkinson was born in 1911 and received his medical education at the London Hospital, whence he qualified with the conjoint diploma in 1932 and with the London MB BS the following year. After qualification he held posts as assistant orthopaedic surgeon at the East Ham Memorial Hospital and as surgeon (EMS) at Aldersbrook Emergency Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield. Later he became surgeon to Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End, to East Ham Memorial Hospital and the Mildmay Mission Hospital. He was also consultant surgeon to the East End Maternity Hospital. On retirement in 1974 he moved to the Isle of Wight where he died in his sleep on 21 July 1993. He was survived by his wife, Pamela, and children Anne and John.