Fozzard, Constance Ethel (1933 - 2021)
by
 
Peter Callen

Asset Name
E010009 - Fozzard, Constance Ethel (1933 - 2021)

Title
Fozzard, Constance Ethel (1933 - 2021)

Author
Peter Callen

Identifier
RCS: E010009

Publisher
The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Publication Date
2021-09-29
 
2021-10-25

Subject
Medical Obituaries

Description
Obituary for Fozzard, Constance Ethel (1933 - 2021), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Language
English

Source
IsPartOf Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Date of Birth
10 February 1933

Place of Birth
Hendon

Date of Death
14 February 2021

Place of Death
Truro, Cornwall

Occupation
Gynaecologist

Titles/Qualifications
MB BS London 1958
 
FRCS 1967
 
FRCOG 1979

Details
Constance Ethel Fozzard was a consultant gynaecologist for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority, and a mayor of Truro. She born on 10 February 1933 at Hendon, London, the daughter of Albert Fozzard, a minister, and Ethel Fozzard née Leibe, an American originally from New Jersey. She had a brother, Cyril, who was two years older than her. In 1936 the family went to the United States and lived in New Jersey. Following the end of the Second World War, her parents separated, and she returned to the UK with her mother and brother to continue her education. She became a medical student at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School and qualified MB BS from London University in 1958. Following her house jobs, she opted to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynaecology when it was considered desirable to undergo an initial training in general surgery. During this phase in her career a senior colleague advised her that it was incompatible for a woman to have a family and become a consultant. This I believe had a bearing on her decision not to have children, which in my opinion she later regretted. Having completed her surgical training, she became an FRCS England in 1967. Her specialisation in obstetrics and gynaecology took place principally in London. She was a resident medical officer at Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital, where she met her future husband Randolph Wilbur ‘Bunt’ White, the resident pathologist. She was subsequently a senior registrar at Charing Cross Hospital prior to her appointment as a consultant for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority. Connie was one of four consultants, three of whom were appointed at the same time. The service was on split sites with all gynaecology at Redruth Hospital and obstetrics at the Princess Alexandra Maternity Hospital at Treliske in Truro 10 miles away, where general surgery was also based. The units were unified in 1992 with the transfer of gynaecology and all acute admissions to Treliske. Connie was a competent abdominal and vaginal surgeon who took a great interest in training her junior staff. She declined to take part in the termination of pregnancy service and would only carry out a female sterilisation using a non-reversible technique. She established the colposcopy service and with me provided the gynaecological cancer service in Cornwall. She had a forceful personality but was kind and succeeded in a predominately male specialty. She was respected by her colleagues and patients. I gave her oration on her retirement in 1998, which was well attended. Connie was a prominent member of the British Medical Association (BMA) and served as president of the Cornwall division. Nationally she attended many annual representative meetings. She was a trustee of BMA charities and a former director of the BMA. Her husband had worked and lived predominately in the North of England as a pathologist. On his retirement he returned to Cornwall and developed an interest in building early keyboard musical instruments to a very high standard. Following Connie’s retirement they led a fulfilling and happy life. He later developed a malignancy and became terminally ill: she nursed him at home until his death in 2005. She was interested in the welfare of the community and was elected as a Carrick district councillor and a Truro city councillor in 1999. She served as mayor of Truro from 2003 to 2004. She was especially interested in the cohesion of the city in relation to planning, parks and open spaces. The city has won many civic awards for its gardens and the nationwide gardening competition Britain in Bloom. Perhaps her greatest legacy, other than the care she provided for her patients, was her donation to Truro city of land enabling the development of a new horticultural nursery. She died on 14 February 2021 just after her 88th birthday.

Rights
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England
 
Image Copyright (c) Images reproduced with kind permission of Paula Woods

Collection
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Format
Obituary

Format
Asset

Asset Path
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E010000-E010999/E010000-E010099

URL for File
385049

Media Type
JPEG Image

File Size
66.82 KB