Max Rendall was a consultant general surgeon and superintendent at Guy’s Hospital, London, who became an addiction specialist after he retired. He was born in London on 2 April 1934, the son of Richard Rendall, who worked at the BBC, and Anne Rendall née Moinet. He enjoyed his time at Winchester College and then at Cambridge, and qualified at the Middlesex Hospital. After junior staff appointments, he spent a year carrying out research at Harvard University. At the age of 34 he was appointed as a consultant surgeon to Guy’s. He proved to be a skilled and kindly surgeon, a good teacher and innovator. He was intellectually brilliant and had a great sense of humour. His organisational skills found a fulfilling outlet with his appointment as superintendent of the hospital. It was not an easy task due to a few consultants who were hesitant when faced with necessary changes. He introduced a new medical records system – Problem Oriented Medical Records – coupled with a system of medical audit. He also instituted weekly meetings of surgeons to discuss any mistakes made in treatment and what could be learnt from them. He suggested that politicians might follow suit! When he retired in 1994, he returned to his earlier hobbies of carpentry and gardening. He also worked at a clinic for drug addicts and wrote a book *Legalize: the only way to combat drugs* (Stacey International, 2011). His later years were dogged by ill health, with which he coped well especially with the help of wife Mary (née Devevoise), an art historian and restorer, to whom he was happily married for 56 years. He died on 21 December 2019 at the age of 86 and was survived by his wife and son Julian.