Robert Neill was a consultant general surgeon in Macclesfield from 1973 to 1995, where he was well respected by his patients and colleagues. He was the eldest of four children born to Scottish parents, Dorothy Knight Neill née Watson and Robert Andrew Neill, who was a general practitioner in Middlewich, Cheshire. He was educated at Sandbach School and Clifton College, Bristol, where his love for sport, including rugby, was first kindled. He played rugby and rowed for both Clifton and for Manchester University, where he entered the medical school in 1951. He qualified in 1957. Bob then took up his first appointments as a house surgeon and then house physician at Crumpsall Hospital Manchester, after which he received his call-up papers for National Service and signed on for three years in the Royal Navy. Starting in Portsmouth, he learned how to deal with the medical problems of sailors in the isolation of a ship, and how to act as the officer in charge of the rum ration, taking care to throw anything left over the side. Bob also had to familiarise himself with the Queen’s Regulations and Admiralty Instructions, including how to hold a cutlass at a brother officer’s wedding. After three months, he was assigned to HMS *Resolution* on Christmas Island. A highlight was the arrival of the Royal Yacht *Britannia* and being invited on board for a reception with the Duke of Edinburgh. Bob next joined HMS *Apollo*, supporting trawlermen during the Cod Wars with Iceland. Not surprisingly, being winched across to a trawler in rough seas to a sailor in agony with toothache stayed in his memory. For the rest of his time in the Navy Bob was based in Singapore. He then began studying for his surgical fellowship examinations whilst in Edinburgh. His publications included papers on urinary tract infections in paraplegics (‘Survey of the different urinary infections which develop in the paraplegic and their relative significance’ *Paraplegia*. 1965 Aug;3[2]:124-43) and the treatment of snake bite complications with streptokinase (‘Complication of snakebite successfully treated with streptokinase’ *Injury*. 1974 May;5[4]:350-2). His registrar and senior registrar posts were at Manchester Royal Infirmary, following which he was appointed as a consultant surgeon at Macclesfield Infirmary and Congleton War Memorial Hospital in 1973, where he was one of two surgeons. He was responsible for the introduction of a gastroscope and a stapling instrument for bowel surgery. In 1994 Bob became president of the surgical section of the Manchester Medical Society and his presidential address described the history of silk, for which Macclesfield is famous. In 1995 he took a well-earned retirement. Time was spent on the golf course and in the garden. Music was a great joy throughout his life; he played the piano, liked jazz and opera and attended Northern Chamber Orchestra and Hallé Orchestra concerts. Bob was also a member of Macclesfield Rugby Club. He was a trustee of the Lyme Green Settlement, Macclesfield, a charity which provides accommodation for disabled residents. He became chairman and was awarded the Order of St John. Bob died on 6 June 2021 at the age of 87 and was survived by Grace, whom he married in 1965. They had four children and eight grandchildren.